Augustine and human nature Flashcards
Rousseau?Hobbes on human nature
Hobbes - life is “poor, nasty, brutish and short” - we are naturally violent and greedy and society prevents this from destroying us
Rousseau - we are born as tabula rasa, and society messes us up and “enslaves” us
Other points on human nature
Evolution suggests we are moving away from the primitive
If our nature is based on civilisation, perhaps this changes with different civilisations (CP to Hobbes)
Marx - we are creative and this creativity adapts to our environment, so we all have different natures
Sartre - our choices define our essence, there is no basic human nature
Augustine key terms
Human will - split into generous love and self love
Concupiscence - the idea that our nature has been wounded so that we are inclined towards sin
Before the Fall
Adam and Eve lived in Eden
Total harmony with and obedience to God
Total harmony between the will, the body and reason
Adam and Eve’s relationship pre-Fall
Married as friends
Lustless sex
Friends with God and all of creation
Reproduction
Effects of the Fall
The will moves us away from good (Romans 7:15 “what I hate I do”) as it is split between generous and self love
Eve is punished with lust and subordination which defines gender roles
Harmony with God is lost
Concupiscence developed
Original Sin
Means no one can be truly good no matter what they do
Passed on by sex - as we are all descendants of Adam and Eve and are products of lust
Jesus is the only exception to this
Original Sin catechism quote
“a sin contracted not committed - a state and not an act”
Effect of the Fall on society
Before the Fall, people needed gentle guidance but afterwards they need strong authority
This is shown through various leaders and even slavery in the Old Testament
We must strive for earthly peace, even though it is temporary, by striving for self control
Strengths of Augustine on OS
Sexual desire does seem to play a disproportionate part in life
It is accurate that we are often torn and regret what we do or want
Freud - idea of libido as the centre of our focus backs up Augustine
Weaknesses of Augustine on OS
Relies on a literal reading of Genesis
Is it not unfair to punish all of humanity for the sin of 2 people?
Leaves no space for spiritual or moral development
Evolution says we are moving in the opposite direction to Augustine
Dawkins - Augustine’s approach and attitude had very harmful knock on effects of shame and suffering
Augustine on Grace
Argued God’s grace is the only thing that can save us from Hell
Our corrupted will and reason cannot know the right choices but God’s grace can
We do not deserve grace
An afterlife alongside God is the summum bonum
Is Augustine pessimistic?
We are tainted by OS from birth
We cannot escape our fallen state alone - cannot earn grace
We can only work for earthly peace not Heavenly peace
We are not truly free if inclined towards sin
Is Augustine optimistic?
God’s grace is given to undeserving humans
Jesus is the prime example - he died to save us from sin
The Church can baptise people to close the wound of OS
Faith can guide people to God and summum bonum
Alternatives views on the Fall
Pelagius
Hick - life is a process of development
Perhaps we appear flawed because we compare ourselves to God whereas we are physical
Perhaps OS is a metaphor: the story illustrates the first sin, and every human “falls” in the same way when they first sin
