Lesson 1: Lady Philosophy’s Diagnosis of Boethius
Josh Gibbs describes Lady Philosophy’s diagnosis of Boethius in Book 1, Chapter 2 of The Consolation of Philosophy
Recommended Reading
In this lecture, Josh Gibbs refers to the following works:
Book 1 of The Consolation of Philosophy by Anicius Boethius
The City of God by Augustine of Hippo (available online at Project Gutenberg)
“Job 38” of The Book of Job
Outline of Session
Discussion Questions
- Is there a difference between believing in God and believing in God’s goodness? In other words, can God still be God if he is not good? Explain.
- What arguments can you propose to support Augustine’s, then Boethius’, beliefs concerning the passions (desire, delight, fear, and grief)? Are the passions always detrimental, or do they have their value? Which position do you believe has a more solid and reasonable basis?
- Compare and contrast Boethius’ lament with Job’s lament. What are the similarities and differences?
Assignments and Action Steps
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