HU 201

revelatory theology How do we determine God is real?

"I believe it because its absorb - tertullian, it is impossible to explain it its beyond humans to even explain it,

The Academy

1. Devoted to - philosophical inquiry -- discussions, problems to be debated and considered and solved - theoretical, abstract, philosophical 2. Philosophically-based education of politicians - important when we consider some of what our selections from The Republic advocate Closed by Justinian the Byzantine Emperor - ruled from 527-565 C.E.

Aristotle's 3 conceptions of human fulfillment

A life devoted to pleasure A life devoted to political success and fame A life devoted to intellectual inquiry and reflection - the contemplative life is the most self-sufficient knowledge for its own end

Is Plato for or against ethical relativism?

Against

the rational soul

Aristotelian characteristics perception entertain discuss think theoretical reasoning practical deliberation self sufficient happiness, happiness is greatest fulfillment st thomas christianizes Aristotle's notion of eudaimonia natural happiness + supernatural happiness

"Man is born for citizenship"

Aristotle

"good action is an end and desires aim at this"

Aristotle

"student of politics must study the soul"

Aristotle

Everyone has a place in the system

Aristotle

Aristotle's "soul"

Aristotle takes a different approach and does not think of "soul" as a thing or as a substance It is a complex part of a living thing Ensouled

"all beings were made good, not perfectly good"

Augustine

"son of nature"

Augustine

City of God

Augustine's book the place of peace and eternal freedom - an ideal destiny for man because it is the place where God's will is manifest and realized The place where those 4 classical virtues become the highest possible justice: Prudence (or, practical wisdom), moderation (temperance), courage, an

Appetitive/Desire (Plato)

Bodily sensual satisfactions

We wish for union in the

City of God

Golden Mean

Desirable and perfect middle between two extremes

communal harmony

Each class of person fulfills his distinct role within the social system

internal harmony

Each person finds absolute balance within himself between those 3 desires/virtues

"here you will do well to tray, our highest good is pleasure"

Epicurus

"We are actors in a drama"

Epitetus

"Piety is what is dear to the gods and impiety is that which is not dear to them."

Euthyphro

The only totally perfect good is

God

To St Thomas what is the highest good?

God

Epicurus and Serenity

Grant importance to things that depend on us achieves a kind of invincibility, that nothing outside can disturb "you can be invincible, if you do not commit yourself in any fight, where it does not depend on you to be victorious. "

Eidos

Greek word for forms

To be happy you need...

Happiness requires freedom. To be happy is to be free, so the real problem is: how to become free?

Why does Augustine use the world understanding so much?

He puts emphasis on knowledge

the main question the enchiridian answers

How do we achieve happiness

To Plato the highest virtue is

Justice

What is the good life? (Aristotle)

Life according to reason

Epictetus and Body

Once we realized that things can not reach us, only our judgments on these things, we are invincible, because our judgments on these things are our only power.

Philosopher King has to rule

Plato

Augustine's beliefs in line with

Plato's

Who believes this? : We are social creatures, we are ___ self-sufficient, and we have different aptitudes and strengths.

Plato, not

Aristotle's two-part soul

Rational - a) reasoned reflection for only reasoned reflection's sake; b) charge and controls our irrational inclinations, our incontinence Irrational - a) vegetative; b) "shares a rational principle" since it leans toward the rational and the controlled

What makes man higher in scale than a beaver?

Reason

"there has to be some objective principle" (just good)

Socrates Plato subscribed to this idea

Apology

Socrates dreads this The reason for this dread is that his accusers are many and he cannot call them all by name. Most of them are not present, and thus he is unable to give them the opportunity to reply to what he has to say. The accusations go back over a period of many years and may be summed up in the following words: "Socrates is an evil-doer play that makes fun of Socrates asks meletus questions to prove he doesn't know what he's accusing socrates of, if he is corrupting youth, everyone else in athens must be encouraging them right? would not pay to get out of it because that would be admitting guilt, did not want to leave athens

The Sophists

Sophism is a method of teaching. In ancient Greece, sophists were a category of teachers who specialized in using the techniques of philosophy and rhetoric for the purpose of teaching arete — "excellence" or "virtue"

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

St Augustine

Epicurus' School

The Garden inspired garden spaces

Plato's works

The Gorgias and the Republic The Allegory of the Cave

Aristotle's school

The Lyceum

The Allegory of the Cave

These prisoners represent the lowest stage on the line—imagination he prisoners watch the stories that these shadows play out, and because these shadows are all they ever get to see, they believe them to be the most real things in the world He accepts the statues and fire as the most real things in the world. This stage in the cave represents belief. He has made contact with real things—the statues—but he is not aware that there are things of greater reality—a world beyond his cave. real trees, flowers, houses and so on - He has now reached the cognitive stage of thought. He has caught his first glimpse of the most real things, the Forms The sun represents the Form of the Good, and the former prisoner has reached the stage of understanding. The goal of education is to drag every man as far out of the cave as possible

The Enchiridan

To be free is to focus on the things that depend on us, and do not give importance to those that do not depend on us. we are exposed to setbacks or disappointments that will make us unhappy we can not avoid dying, but we can decide what meaning we give to death Many of our judgments are negative and express anxiety, hatred or rejection of this or that. So just work on those judgments, by reflection, and change, so they express a full acceptance of the world, life as it comes

The goal of any strategic maneuver (Aristotle)

Victory

Epicurus "soul"

a clump of fine particles dependent on the body particles don't change - different from plato's soul

Elenchus

a mode of argument that takes a logical step-by-step approach to refute and to counter a position in a cross-examination effect. a dialogue form like cross examination in a courtroom

ataraxia

a state of serenity; pleasure that is found in the "health of the body and the soul's freedom from disturbance"

Summary Against the Gentiles

a text for conversion - rational and reasonable argument to sway Jews and Muslims

apathy

acceptance of a situation

Justice (Epicurus)

always depends on man in relation to other man

You have a good chance at achieving the good life if you are...(Epitetus)

apathetic, indifferent, and imperturbal

Summa Theologica

based on Aristotle's philosophy - A "magnificent Christian systematization"

What does Epicurus saying being "good" brings you

brings us to that sense of serenity and calm

We are instructed by nature...

but we need philosophers to help

Preserve majestic significance of celestial beings

by understanding they have a more accurate wisdom they have blessedness and are voluntary

St. Thomas believes classical virtues and theological virtues...

classical virtues of courage, temperance (thymos), prudence, and justice + theological virtues of hope faith and divine love for charity (these moral classical virtues must be combined

Socrates view on politics

collides with the individual

Nothing can reach us without our

consent

techne

craftsmanship, art, making something with an implied sense of principles

Dialektike

dispute, discussion

To Aristotle actions driven by passion...

distract from the end goal

We are fragments of the

divine

Destiny/Predetermination (Epicurus)

does not exist - the idea, then, about choice and free-will is also defensive

Euthyphro

euthyphro is a sophist, claims to be well versed so Socrates (who claims ignorance) euthyphro is putting his father on trial at first euthyphro offers an example of piety and socrates is not satisfied Socrates wants to know if Meletus is just in charging him with impiety The question is an important one, not only for Socrates, but for anyone who is called upon to make decisions relative to moral conduct

microcosm

everything in the large system that represents whole

zeno of citium

founder of the stoic philosophical tradition

Summa Contra Gentiles

from 1258-1261 - all the truths and also all the mysteries of Christian faith - explained and illustrated in a reasonable and straight forward fashion

pantheism (Augustine)

god is in everything

logos

governing rational principle, guides all knowledge

telos

greek work for end or purpose

The highest good according to Aristotle...

happiness

Philosopher in Aristotle is the happiest because

he is the most self sufficient

Epicurus focus:

how to obtain peace of mind The aim of philosophy is to ensure happiness To be happy, a man must be free of fear and anxiety

pantheism

how we originate, everything is connected, he is in everything

It is not the thing that matters but

how we respond

human perception is

human knowledge

Plato's "soul"

human nature's higher part - existed before birth - is indestructible and will exist after death - it is rational the soul linked to the mind and to wisdom and the divine in philosophy

Plato's "body"

human nature's lower part - mutable, mortal, material

City of Man

human politics and power (Rome), temporal limitations, sensual and earthly pleasures and ambitions . . .

Augustine's free will is linked to his belief in

human sinfulness

Justice (Plato)

imbalance of the soul, internal rebellion, when 3 part of the soul are not balanced

St Augustine says to treat worries with

indifference

civitas terrana

inhabited by Christian heretics and pagans

civitas dei

inhabited by the Christian faithful

Social difference between Epicurus and those before him...

invited women and slaves to join the conversation

The Enchiridicon

it is a handbook or guide to achieve that all Epitetus says we can

spirited/temperamental (Plato)

makes us courageous

natural law

mans understanding of eternal law

The will

marvelous capacity

Judeo-Christian ethics

means following those "ideals of righteousness before God and the love of God and neighbor" afterlife inclusiveness

Passion (Plato)

much more subjective, voluntary & controlled

The Doctrine of the Swerve

natural desires vs material desires (in search of unlimited material gratification) all atoms fall, in this motion there could be natural deviation the swerve is when atoms collide - explains choice , fate isn't necessary, man can make different choices, naturally deviate towards pleasure

The blessedness in man is due to

nature

If we depend only on reason we are

not enriching the soul, must depend on faith too

To Aristotle political science is

overarching master art, its end is the good for men

Eudaimonia

personal happiness

In the city of God you are rewarded for living a...

pious life

The greatest good to Epicurus

pleasure detachment of commercial/political

hedonism

pleasure is good

The Will

preserve your character such as it ought to be do not think about fate or destiny can make a bad man good or vice versa

Conversion via

revelation

St Thomas criticized what theory?

reveletory theology

trivium

rhetoric, logic, grammar

prophylactic

self-defense you can practice, masculinity, reinforce discipline

Thymos

self-defense, that part of our inner life or self that is dedicated to preservation

imperturbable

separation from events

Crito

socrates not concerned with the opinion of the majority He tells him that by remaining in prison and refusing to escape, he is playing into the hands of his enemies Crito could be criticized for not helping Socrates and his friends will be severely criticized if he fails to make any attempt to escape from prison Obviously, it is the opinion of the one person who possesses the necessary relevant information that should be followed - he would be committing a crime to follow people who know nothing about justice Socrates does not agree that one should save his own life at any cost. He holds that it is not life but a good life that is to be valued above everything else. He believes, too, that a good life is equivalent to one that is just and honorable even though he was unjustly put there, does not make it right to escape By living in the state for these many years and accepting the benefits it has provided, he has indicated a willingness to accept its laws and regulations and to abide by the decisions of its courts, regardless of what those decisions might be. if he escapes there could be so many other charges

Epitetus provides...

some kind of rule/measurement for pleasure

METAMPSYCHOSIS

that belief that the soul moves into another body after death

Plato's 4 virtues:

the 4 traditional ones: Wisdom (prudence), Courage, Temperance (Control of those appetites) and Justice (the highest)

Be wary of applying human knowledge to...

the Gods, let them be holy

Epicurus "death"

the end of sensation

Celestial

the eternal

Dikaiosune

the ideal Plato explains and describes that is in the relationship that creates an ideal just society - "Justice"

Kallipolis

the ideal city-state Philosopher King Military Artisans

macrocosm

the large whole, entire divine system everything is a pattern based on a rational principle

Greek ethics

the reason for this kind of inquiring spirit was to find the "good life" which meant determining the "nature of happiness"

Plato's dualist view

the soul was immaterial and distinct and separate from the material corpus, and could thus exist once the body decayed

aponia

the state of being that is absent of any kind of pain - a static condition

Atomism

the universe and all in it consists of tiny and indivisible units called atoms that exist in a void

Terrestrial

the world

Aristotle - Moral Virtue

those that result from choice and habit and practice

Aristotle - Intellectual Virtue

those that we accrue and develop

prudence (Epicurus)

thoughtful self control, sometimes more important than wisdom

Plato's "individual soul" must have these three things in balance

thymos, reason/wisdom, sensual appetite

incontinent/continent man

undisciplined vs thoughtful and disciplined

piety

virtue that usually regarded as a manner of living that fulfills one's duty both to gods and to humanity

Revealed theology

we discover faith not because it is something that we can find when we apply our will in the proper way BUT through the grace of God and through the study of the Bible and the teachings of the church

Nicomachean Ethics

we mistake temporary or momentary or fleeting happiness for real human happiness, can change character

How do we determine God is real? Rational theology

we use our human reason it is autonomous and only human and we use it to prove god exists

Does Augustine believe in predestination?

yes

Judgement

you are apathetic, indifferent, etc

Plato had difficulty separating mind and matter, so Augustine suggests

you have to make choices tending to the soul, intellect must submit, must be obedient to faith