Edudorm Facebook

Religions and society in West

Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer: 

Augustine is criticizing what Aristotle believed about the psyche. He says that the psyche has actually lost its original nature, which was to be able to keep the human body alive forever, when Adam sinned. Then the psyche lost its power to keep the body alive forever, and it could never get that power back. God therefore has to replace the psyche with the spirit, and the spirit will keep a "spiritual body" alive forever. When Augustine criticized Aristotle's doctrine of the psyche, he also criticized his doctrine of the polis. Remember that Aristotle believed that the human psyche could naturally exercise the moral virtues that make it possible for humans to live together in a polis. But Augustine now says that the psyche lost its originally perfect nature when Adam sinned, and that not only means that the psyche can't keep the body alive forever. It also means the psyche can't exercise the moral virtues required to live together in a polis, or a republic as Augustine calls it. Human beings can only live together when they are kept under control by a stronger power, a ruler. The strongest ruler is the Emperor of Rome. This is what Augustine calls "the city of man." But there is another polis, another city, the "city of God." This is the city where the psyche has been replaced by the spirit. The perfect spiritual city will come into being when human history ends and God lets Christ rule over the spiritual kingdom. Until that time, however, the "city of God" is waiting on earth and living in hope and faith. The picture of this waiting polis is similar to what Plato said about the perfectly just city in the Republic. There is no private property and no private families. This is the Church according to Augustine (composed of the truly faithful and spiritual people waiting for Christ to return as King.) Aristotle said that people living in the polis could be happy if they exercise the moral virtues, and Plato said they could be just if they obey the philosopher king. How, according to Augustine, can the people of the city of God be happy and just? Is it by practicing the moral virtues? Or is there another activity of the spirit that brings happiness?

395 Words  1 Pages
Get in Touch

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to inform us and we will gladly take care of it.

Email us at support@edudorm.com Discounts

LOGIN
Busy loading action
  Working. Please Wait...