Philosophy Paper on St. Augustine
St. Augustine
Philosophy offers so many possible topics of interest that I would love to write about. For this particular instance I chose to investigate just a sliver of writing from St. Augustine. Augustine wrote numerous books, letters, and sermons about God and religion that are still well known today. One small portion of a particular writing that stood out to me was when he discussed evil in the face of God. First, I will summarize his literature, and then state my argument against his point of view on God’s interference in humans’ lives.
To begin with, St. Augustine raised the issue, if God can see the future of every action a person will carry out, then how can that action be free? He explained it as a movie a person has seen over and over again. Once someone has seen the movie enough times they know what each character in a movie will say and do before they say or do it. St. Augustine said that is how knowledgeable God is with peoples’ lives. He says if God’s knowledge is so great, then a person’s freedom is merely an illusion, since the story of ones’ life is already contained in the mind of God. Augustine furthered his argument by saying God not only discerns what people will do, he actually predetermines their actions. St. Augustine went on to ask, how can God carry out his own plans by using his knowledge of our motives without violating mans’ freedom? Augustine thought that God not only controls humans’ exterior events but also the decisions in a person’s heart. He thought that God works in the hearts of people and inclines them to do good deeds. Next, Augustine questioned, if God is all-powerful and all good, how can so much suffering and evil infect the world? His answer was that since God created the world everything that exists in it must be good, so evil is an imperfection or alteration of what was created good. Augustine said that while some things may seem evil to us, they are actually contributory ways of attaining
Philosophy offers so many possible topics of interest that I would love to write about. For this particular instance I chose to investigate just a sliver of writing from St. Augustine. Augustine wrote numerous books, letters, and sermons about God and religion that are still well known today. One small portion of a particular writing that stood out to me was when he discussed evil in the face of God. First, I will summarize his literature, and then state my argument against his point of view on God’s interference in humans’ lives.
To begin with, St. Augustine raised the issue, if God can see the future of every action a person will carry out, then how can that action be free? He explained it as a movie a person has seen over and over again. Once someone has seen the movie enough times they know what each character in a movie will say and do before they say or do it. St. Augustine said that is how knowledgeable God is with peoples’ lives. He says if God’s knowledge is so great, then a person’s freedom is merely an illusion, since the story of ones’ life is already contained in the mind of God. Augustine furthered his argument by saying God not only discerns what people will do, he actually predetermines their actions. St. Augustine went on to ask, how can God carry out his own plans by using his knowledge of our motives without violating mans’ freedom? Augustine thought that God not only controls humans’ exterior events but also the decisions in a person’s heart. He thought that God works in the hearts of people and inclines them to do good deeds. Next, Augustine questioned, if God is all-powerful and all good, how can so much suffering and evil infect the world? His answer was that since God created the world everything that exists in it must be good, so evil is an imperfection or alteration of what was created good. Augustine said that while some things may seem evil to us, they are actually contributory ways of attaining