Aquinas Vs Augustine

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Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas are most prominently known for their discussions of God and the happy life. For them, God is related to a happy life but that happy life is vastly different for them both. In this essay, I’ll discuss Augustine and Aquinas’s view on the happy life but specifically the role of friendship in achieving happiness. I will focus on Augustine’s De Beata Vita (DBV) and City of God (COG) and Aquinas’s Summa Theologicae (SV). First, I will discuss Augustines view of the happy life. Second, I’ll discuss Aquinas’s view of the happy life. Third, I’ll discuss the similarities and differences between the two regarding the role of friendship. Fourth, I’ll consider which view is more appealing to me conclude with a summary …show more content…
The happy life is one in which the soul has a possession of god. Human beings in the physical body are unable to see this happiness therefore, happiness is an activity of the soul. The soul is subsistent and intellect is the operation of the soul which attains God. Therefore, this perfect happiness for Aquinas is also only possible in the after life. According to Aquinas, the human body may be satisfied in this life but the soul can be only satisfied in the after life. In the overall principles both Aquinas and Augustine share quite similar views on the happy life. However, they differ in certain aspects of …show more content…
Since the happy life for him consists in the after life, the friendship of people in this life is not necessarily good or needed. Friends to him are temporary since happiness consists of divine wisdom which is only possible with the attainment of God. He places contemplation and divine wisdom in relation with God and happiness stating, “It is written (Wis. 7:11): "All good things came to me together with her," i.e. with divine wisdom, which consists in contemplating God. Consequently nothing else is necessary for Happiness” (ST 2: 8).
The friendship he emphasizes is the friendship with God not one with friends in this life. To him the material life is only temporary therefore there is no need for friends since they do not continue on with you in the after life. The possession you have and the bond you share with God is only between you and God and not other beings or souls. Lastly, I agree with Augustine on giving friendship importance in this life. Even though you necessarily don’t carry your friends over to the after life, you still can learn especially philosophically from them. The injustice and evils that plague your friends can be lessons to you to avoid such evils in your life. Therefore, I would definitely share Augustine’s view regarding friendship in this life. Even though Augustine and Aquinas share quite similar views regarding the happy life, they are vastly different on the necessity of friendship in order to live a

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