Augustine and the Dialogue

Focusing on philosophical method in Augustine's early dialogues, explains their pedagogical program and its relevance to current debates.

List of contents

Introduction: back to the drawing board; 1. The pursuit of wisdom: Contra Academicos; 2. From Plato to Augustine; 3. The measure of happiness: De beata vita; 4. God's classroom: De ordine and De Musica; 5. An advanced course: Soliloquia + De immortalitate animae; 6. Philosophy and kathartic virtue: De quantitate animae; 7. Piety, pride and the problem of evil: De libero arbitrio; Conclusion: Augustine and the academy today.

About the author

Erik Kenyon holds a Ph.D. in Classics from Cornell University and since 2012 he has taught courses in philosophy, classics and humanities at Rollins College, Florida.

Summary

Argues that Augustine's dialogues betray a sophisticated pedagogical method combining strategies for 'un-learning' and self-reflection with a willingness to proceed via provisional answers. By shifting the focus from doctrinal content to questions of method, it seeks to reframe scholarly discussions of Augustine's earliest surviving body of works.

Product details

• Authors: Erik Kenyon, Erik (Rollins College Kenyon
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.04.2018
• EAN: 9781108422901
• ISBN: 978-1-108-42290-1
• No. of pages: 260
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: antiquity to present day; PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical, Theology, Christianity, Christian theology, History of Religion, Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500, The Early Church