PHL201H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Thagaste, Materialism, Moral Agency
Thursday, September 15, 2016
1
Augustine’s Intellectual Development
Key Dates in Augustine’s Life
- Born in Tagaste 354
- Studies rhetoric teacher at Carthage (being a star in the province, he got sent to the
city)
- 383 moves to Rome— Rome was no longer the centre of power for the Roman
empire but is in Milan.
- 384 teaches rhetoric in Milan— he is hired by the empire’s core in Milan, this is where
the emperor was living and where the centre of Christian life was as well.
- His mother is a Christian and one reading of the book is to understand him adopting
his mothers religion.
- July 386: the Garden event whereafter he is baptized.
- He moves outside of Milan and begins to write about philosophy. He quits his position
as the Speaker at the Court and moves back to his home where he becomes a bishop
of Hippo.
- He spends the rest of his life in Northern Africa in Hipp while the city was besieged by
the Vandals.
• Confessions is one of his earliest works. He wrote almost 300 different works in the
30 years after Confessions.
Intellectual Development according to Confessions
Looking at his development academically is a way of picking up on the philosophical
insights that he gained across his life.
A. The Influence of Cicero’s Hortensius
Why did Augustine come across this book? Cicero is the ancient lawyer, as Augustine is
studying law, he studies how Cicero is making his case. He has to give speeches in
Cicero’s style.
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Document Summary
Studies rhetoric teacher at carthage (being a star in the province, he got sent to the city) 383 moves to rome rome was no longer the centre of power for the roman empire but is in milan. 384 teaches rhetoric in milan he is hired by the empire"s core in milan, this is where the emperor was living and where the centre of christian life was as well. His mother is a christian and one reading of the book is to understand him adopting his mothers religion. July 386: the garden event whereafter he is baptized. He moves outside of milan and begins to write about philosophy. He quits his position as the speaker at the court and moves back to his home where he becomes a bishop of hippo. He spends the rest of his life in northern africa in hipp while the city was besieged by the vandals: confessions is one of his earliest works.
