Essay about Consolation of Philosophy
681 Words
Dec 16th, 2013
3 Pages
In The Consolation of Philosophy, Boethius, a religious and philosophical man, is framed for treason and sentenced to a cruel and painful death. During his imprisonment before his execution is to begin, he starts to believe three things: the wicked have power and happiness, things happen haphazardly, and he has been robbed and banished from all of his possessions. When he has become depressed and angry at his circumstance, he is visited by Lady Philosophy. She is disappointed that he has forgotten his philosophy, and begins to diagnose and cure him of these “illnesses” that have taken form in his new beliefs. Through his belief in an all good, all knowing, and all powerful god, she explains that none of these new beliefs can be true. They
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Humans are not able to give a reason as to why they have free will, however they can assume that God knows the choices they will make regardless of their free will. All men seek happiness
∫ Three false beliefs X
∫ Nature of fortune
∫ Examined Life: “Really want” vs. “Think we want”
∫ Nature of happiness- the highest good of any rational nature.
∫ Unity of all good things
∫ Nature of evil
∫ Nature of freedom
∫ “Necessity” argument- All is good
∫ Providence and Fate X
∫ Existence of “chance” X
∫ Free will and Divine for knowledge X
∫ Time X
What is the right thing to do?
Self sufficiency power over self respect glory (to be worthy)
Happiness
If: AGAPAK God
Then: Happiness = Goodness (Divine Unity)
If: Happiness = Goodness
Then: All men really want/seek Happiness and Goodness
Why: can never be taken away and satisfies all desires
If All Men Seek Happiness
If Happiness = Goodness (All True Happiness Based On Virtue)
Then All Men Seek Goodness [ERROR]
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Sin Always Punished
Virtue Always Rewarded
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Everything That Happens To A Good Person Is Good
Everything That Happens To A Wicked Person Is Bad
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[UP] Virtue [UP] Freedom
[DOWN] Wickedness [DOWN] Freedom
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Wicked Happier If Caught And Punished
Happiness = Highest good of a rational nature;
∫ Three false beliefs X
∫ Nature of fortune
∫ Examined Life: “Really want” vs. “Think we want”
∫ Nature of happiness- the highest good of any rational nature.
∫ Unity of all good things
∫ Nature of evil
∫ Nature of freedom
∫ “Necessity” argument- All is good
∫ Providence and Fate X
∫ Existence of “chance” X
∫ Free will and Divine for knowledge X
∫ Time X
What is the right thing to do?
Self sufficiency power over self respect glory (to be worthy)
Happiness
If: AGAPAK God
Then: Happiness = Goodness (Divine Unity)
If: Happiness = Goodness
Then: All men really want/seek Happiness and Goodness
Why: can never be taken away and satisfies all desires
If All Men Seek Happiness
If Happiness = Goodness (All True Happiness Based On Virtue)
Then All Men Seek Goodness [ERROR]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sin Always Punished
Virtue Always Rewarded
-----
Everything That Happens To A Good Person Is Good
Everything That Happens To A Wicked Person Is Bad
-----
[UP] Virtue [UP] Freedom
[DOWN] Wickedness [DOWN] Freedom
-----
Wicked Happier If Caught And Punished
Happiness = Highest good of a rational nature;