St. Augustine's Philosophy: Knowledge, God, and Humanity

St. Augustine's Philosophy

Epistemology (Theory of Knowledge)

Humans possess an innate inclination towards wisdom and true happiness. The certainty of one's existence is a knowledge the soul experiences directly. Beyond skeptical doubt, different levels of knowledge emerge:

• Sensitive Knowledge: Uncertain and susceptible to change and error.
• Rational Knowledge: Based on intangible, universal, and eternal models.
• Contemplation of Ideas: Wisdom is attainable only through divine illumination; the power of knowledge is not independent of divinity.

The Existence and Nature of God

Several arguments support God's existence:

• God's Effects: The order, beauty, and movement of the world reveal God.
• Universal Consent: A belief in a being superior to all things is widespread.
• Ideas in the Mind: The mind's ability to judge sensible things points to an immutable and eternal God as the foundation of truth.

God's nature is ineffable. Only God can define what God is not; God alone is unchanging. God created the world ex nihilo, by free will and love, to share divine perfection with creation. Since matter was created by God, it cannot be the source of evil. God creates through the Word, employing the concept of seminal rationes.

Anthropology

Humans are composed of an immortal soul and a mortal body. The soul is characterized by:

• Reason: Lower reason allows understanding of sensible things, while higher reason contemplates eternal truths.
• Creation: Created by God, the soul is timeless but not eternal.
• Faculties: Possesses memory, intelligence, and will.
• Spiritual Substance: A simple and indivisible spiritual substance that gives life to the body. The body receives stimuli, but the soul governs all cognitive functions.

St. Augustine denies that the soul's embodiment is a punishment, although the body has become a prison for the soul due to original sin.

Politics: The City of God

St. Augustine wrote "The City of God" to defend Christianity. It reflects on history from a Christian perspective. Two cities exist in the world: the City of God and the earthly city. On Judgment Day, these cities will be separated, and only those belonging to the City of God will be saved. The Church must convey these truths. Temporal power (the state) should be subject to spiritual power (the Church).