Bos, van der, A.
Augustine on Knowledge. Divine Illumination as an Argument Against Scepticism.
Research master thesis, Master Religion and Culture research.
Abstract
Abstract
Scepticism, in general, consists of the view that nothing can be known with certainty. Saint Augustine disagreed with this view and argued that truth can be obtained by man. Mathemical truths, for example, can be known with certainty. But Augustine went beyond mathematical certainty and argued that we can achieve absolute knowledge concerning everything. To argue against scepticism, mathematical certainty is often considered to be sufficient in secondary literature. I, however, want to make Augustine’s cause stronger by showing how he successfully establishes the certainty of sensual knowledge. To achieve absolute knowledge concerning the external world divine illumination is necessary: God illumines the reality around us in order for us to make true judgements. Divine illumination is rarely considered in relation with scepticism. Ronald Nash and Lydia Schumacher, for example, both discuss divine illumination as a separate element of Augustine’s thought. Both the views of Cicero and Augustine need to be looked at anew, as commentators often neglect their context. It is precisely this context that gives us insight in to the question why Augustine stressed the need for divine illumination and discussed the pitfalls of scepticism. The question concerning the justification of our knowledge and the threats of scepticism may very well be the main source of inspiration for Augustine’s ideas on divine illumination.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Research master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Dijk, van, M. | mathilde.van.dijk@rug.nl | | | | Roig Lanzillotta, F.L. | f.l.roig.lanzillotta@rug.nl | | |
|
| Degree programme: |
Master Religion and Culture research |
| Academic year: |
2016- 2017 |
| Date of delivery: |
02 May 2017 08:52 |
| Last modified: |
25 Jan 2019 10:31 |
| URI: |
https://rcs.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/263 |
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