St.Augustine Essay
wWoojin Park
The differences in Outlook on Education between Augustine and Boethius
In St. Augustine's Confessions, Augustine views education as a tool which could be used for good or for wickedness. In The Consolation of Philosophy, Boethius sees education as a tool to conceive of knowledge of God that comes from within. I argue that two writers differ in their beliefs regarding the connection between education and happiness. St. Augustine views the good and evil duality of education while Boethius focuses on the positive aspect of education and the education in the form of the study of philosophical thought and reflection. First of all, St. Augustine believes that education can be used for either virtuous or sinful purposes. Essentially, he believes that education is merely a method to learn how to read and write in order to understand the teachings of Catholicism. Beyond that, it is up to the educated men to either use it to gain spiritual enlightenment or worldly possessions and success. He criticizes the established educational system by saying, “This is the school where men are made masters of words. This is where they learn the art of persuasion, so necessary in business and debate” (St. Augustine 36). He argues that most people attend school and educate themselves in order to gain success in business and become skilled orators. St. Augustine finds fault in this purpose of education because it is focused on gaining worldly possessions and pleasures, which eventually leads people away from God. Speaking of worldly pleasures he writes, All these things and their like can be occasions of sin because, good though they are, they are of the lowest order of good, and if we are too much tempted by them we abandon those higher and better things, your truth, your law, and you yourself, O Lord our God (St. Augustine 48).
Therefore, St. Augustine does acknowledge that some worldly pleasures can be seen as “good.” Nevertheless, these
The differences in Outlook on Education between Augustine and Boethius
In St. Augustine's Confessions, Augustine views education as a tool which could be used for good or for wickedness. In The Consolation of Philosophy, Boethius sees education as a tool to conceive of knowledge of God that comes from within. I argue that two writers differ in their beliefs regarding the connection between education and happiness. St. Augustine views the good and evil duality of education while Boethius focuses on the positive aspect of education and the education in the form of the study of philosophical thought and reflection. First of all, St. Augustine believes that education can be used for either virtuous or sinful purposes. Essentially, he believes that education is merely a method to learn how to read and write in order to understand the teachings of Catholicism. Beyond that, it is up to the educated men to either use it to gain spiritual enlightenment or worldly possessions and success. He criticizes the established educational system by saying, “This is the school where men are made masters of words. This is where they learn the art of persuasion, so necessary in business and debate” (St. Augustine 36). He argues that most people attend school and educate themselves in order to gain success in business and become skilled orators. St. Augustine finds fault in this purpose of education because it is focused on gaining worldly possessions and pleasures, which eventually leads people away from God. Speaking of worldly pleasures he writes, All these things and their like can be occasions of sin because, good though they are, they are of the lowest order of good, and if we are too much tempted by them we abandon those higher and better things, your truth, your law, and you yourself, O Lord our God (St. Augustine 48).
Therefore, St. Augustine does acknowledge that some worldly pleasures can be seen as “good.” Nevertheless, these