Augustine

Questions for Study and Discussion

City of God : Book IV (Ch. 1-4), Book VIII (Ch. 1-12), Book XIV, Book XV

(1) Book IV (Ch. 1-4): Consider Augustine's depictions of the rich person (Book IV, Ch. 3) and the "kingdom without justice" (Book IV, Ch. 4).  How do these relate to Plato's notions of the tyrant and the "great crime?"  Look back to the dialogue between Socrates and Thrasymachus in Book I of the Republic (344) for the question of injustice on a grand scale and to Socrates' discussion of the tyrant in Book IX (576 -579).  What would Epicurus have to say about the happiness of the "rich person" or the "tyrant"?

(2) Book VIII (Ch. 1-12)

a) According to Augustine, what is the difference between natural philosophy, moral philosophy and rational philosophy?

b) Augustine holds Plato above the rest of the ancient Greek philosophers and is greatly influenced by Neoplatonic thought.  What is the relationship between Plato's idea of the Good and Augustine's idea of God?  Consider Plato's allegory of the Cave (the turning around of the soul) and the simile of the Sun in formulating your response.  Why does Augustine privilege the intelligible to the sensible world?  Does he privilege reason like Plato does?

c) On what grounds does Augustine critique Epicurus?

d) In Book VIII, chs. 14-22, Augustine discusses the three kinds of rational souls in a Platonic universe.  What, in Augustine's reading, is the difference between gods, demons, and human beings?  Why does he consider demons to be dangerous?

(3) Book XIV

a) What is the difference between the "city of man" and the "city of God?"  When Augustine is talking about the "city of God," is he referring to a real city?  Does the "city of God" correspond to the church?  To an ideal city (like Plato's republic)?  What is the difference between the life of spirit and the life of the flesh?  Is the "flesh" responsible for sin and corruption?

b) How does Augustine understand the original state of humankind?  What were the consequences of original sin in Augustine's account (on an individual and social/political level)?  What is the importance of the will in terms of sexual lust and the lust for power?  Is the fundamental problem for Augustine the appetites or the will?Session of Oct. 14

City of God: Book XII

1) What is the cause of evil according to Augustine? (see esp. Bk XII, chs. 6-8)

2) Explain Augustine's distinction between cyclical and linear history (see esp. BK III, chs. 14-20).

City of God: Book XV

1) How does Augustine's reading of the story of Cain and Abel (Book XV, chs. 1,7,8) relate to his idea of two cities: an earthly city and a heavenly city?  Why does Cain build a city and not Abel? What, according to Augustine, was the cause for Cain's crime?

2) What are the similarities between the story of Cain and Abel and that of Romulus and Remus? (Book XV:5).  How are these stories relevant to Augustine's understanding of history (divine history versus human history; linear history v. cyclical history; "prophetic" history v. the history of events)?

3) In what ways do the two cities intermingle and interrelate?  To what does Augustine attribute this "evil"? (see esp. Book XV, ch. 21-23).