THE SENSE OF PHILOSOPHY IN AUGUSTINE OF CASSICIACO

Abstract

This paper is about Augustine’s understanding of philosophy, its purpose and meaning, after his conversion to Christianity in 386. The text contextualizes his adherence to philosophy, from the reading of Cicero’s Hortensius, and how he will reinterpret the philosophy in the light of Christianity. For this purpose, the works Contra Academicos and De Beata Vita, dialogues written in Cassiciaco before his baptism, in April 387, will be used as references. The paper intends to show how Augustine starts from the ideas of ancient thought and how he goes beyond it through his adherence to Christianity. Thus, he turns philosophy into Christian philosophy. The research has a qualitative methodology, based on a bibliographic analysis of Augustinian texts, as well as the use of secondary bibliography.