PHL205H1 Lecture Notes - Manichaeism, Thagaste, Materialism
Document Summary
371 studies rhetoric at carthage, later teacher at carthage. 430 died in hippo while the city was besieged by the vandal. Studied it as a lifestyle studies classical literature and rhetoric. Has a principle of good and evil ( believes that evil is a mass) In augustine s days, philosophy is the way of life. Two main indestructible principles: a principle of goodness and a principle of evil. The world is basically a manifestation of the interaction ( fight ) between these principles (manichean dualism) But the idea of this cosmic fight is unintelligible. Manichean reply: because it has to, otherwise it will be harmed. Objection: harm means destruction, but i thought the principles are indestructible. If one posits a multitude of first (cosmological) principles then one has to explain not only how these principles act as principles (the common problem ), but also how these principles interact (the interaction problem ).
