The Consolations of Philosophy

Boethius’ Knowledge Growth In The Consolation of Philosophy, by Boethius, Boethius writes about how Lady Philosophy helped him finally gain wisdom and see the truth of happiness. At the start of his imprisonment, Boethius was only thinking/writing through emotion, slowly he grew mentally and was able to develop a work that went from emotion to reason. Lady Philosophy gave him the stepping stones that he needed to be able to achieve what he has now. At the beginning of book one meter one, Boethius’ mind is clouded by the muses and he only sees himself in misery. “I who once wrote songs with joyful zeal Am driven by gried to enter weeping mode (Boethius 3).” Lady Philosophy appears as he is venting his sorrow away, she looks pristine and pure…

but have encountered some moments similar to love in my life, albeit not being closely acquainted with it. Reading The Symposium, Consolation of Philosophy, and The Reasons of Love has not provided me with a clear explanation as to what love truly is, but has provided me with multiple interpretations for further pondering. The Symposium was my favorite of the texts that we read for this course. Pausanias’ speech, in particular, related to my initial reflection in discussing base love in…

In the sixth century, the Christian philosopher Boethius explored the problem of God’s omniscience and the effect it might have on our moral freedom. He was particularly concerned about the judgement of God, and whether it would be equitable of God to praise or blame people if they didn’t have any real moral freedom and were constrained by what God already knew about the future. Boethius wrote his book “The consolations of Philosophy” when he was a prisoner to explain why he, who was believed…

chooses to personify philosophy in his Consolation of Philosophy because it provides him with the opportunity to have a dialogue with someone versus monologuing to himself. In addition, by personifying philosophy, he is able to familiarize philosophy to any common man, and it can become relatable to all audiences. Boethius enjoys this style of writing and is happy to "show off" his skills by writing in this way. His style is creative and unique and he does a superb job using familiar images to…

What makes one happy may not always be the right thing to do. In both The Prince and in The Consolation of Philosophy; themes of happiness, virtue, religion and fortune are investigated further to explain the relation of each in a political arena. In The Consolation of Philosophy, Boethius deals with the universal experience of suffering. He is imprisoned and facing execution. Boethius blames fortune for the reason of his suffering, “Surely the severity of Fortune’s attack on me needs no further…

Throughout “The Consolation of Philosophy” by Boethius, he brings up the idea of being able to distinguish one’s true possessions from the gifts of fortune. He presents Lady Philosophy, a woman that looks after Boethius in prison, in Book I. Lady Fortune is also presented and she essentially helps Boethius keep in mind the good and evil due to him losing faith for being imprisoned. Boethius wants to prove that there’s a different outlook in jail using fortune and philosophy along the way. He…

if we “cut ourselves off from the suffering, we cut ourselves off from a good life” ("Book Discussion on The Consolations of Philosophy," 2000). That wealth, or fulfillment did not always come simply, we should prepare ourselves for a world in which bad things do happen, failures happen, so we can already plan how to rise pass them. Some parents you might find, will live their lives so in fear of the pain, or the potential failure, that they end up living in a state of paralysis. Avoiding…

The idea that an individual possesses something is presented throughout Berger’s “Another Side of Desire” and also Boethius’ The Consolation of Philosophy. They both also bring up the idea of suffering and happiness and having to take things day by day. Berger, being an English poet and a Marxists philosopher, brings up the idea of both desire and erotic desire. According to Berger, desire is considered an invitation to imagined pleasures and erotic desire is considered the desire to possess.…

A psychiatrist is defined as “A physician who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness” (Definition of Psychiatrist). In Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy, Lady Philosophy, a personification from the narrators mind, assumes the role of a Socratic teacher who guides her student through questions and discussions. As Boethius awaits his execution in a prison cell, we are introduced to Lady Philosophy, Boethius’s old nursemaid who he is unable to recognize because…

million dollars in insurance money. Locker proceeded to convince a random passerby to hold a knife, which he repeatedly plunged his body into. If that isn’t horrifying enough, his family was not only aware of his plan but they were utterly unaffected when notified of his death. When the police informed his wife and children, his daughter reportedly answered with, “I’m going back to bed.” Human beings obsess over the whims of Lady Fortune. We hinge our lives on her favor. We’ll break our necks…