Hardback : £76.75
In this book, Phillip Cary argues that Augustine invented the concept of the self as a private inner space-a space into which one can enter and in which one can find God. Although it has often been suggested that Augustine in some way inaugurated the Western tradition of inwardness, this is
the first study to pinpoint what was new about Augustine's philosophy of inwardness and situate it within a narrative of his intellectual development and his relationship to the Platonist tradition.
Augustine invents the inner self, Cary argues, in order to solve a particular conceptual problem. Augustine is attracted to the Neoplatonist inward turn, which located God within the soul, yet remains loyal to the orthodox Catholic teaching that the soul is not divine. He combines the two emphases
by urging us to turn "in then up"--to enter the inner world of the self before gazing at the divine Light above the human mind.
Cary situates Augustine's idea of the self historically in both the Platonist and the Christian traditions. The concept of private inner self, he shows, is a development within the history of the Platonist concept of intelligibility or intellectual vision, which establishes a kind of kinship
between the human intellect and the divine things it sees. Though not the only Platonist in the Christian tradition, Augustine stands out for his devotion to this concept of intelligibility and his willingness to apply it even to God. This leads him to downplay the doctrine that God is
incomprehensible, as he is convinced that it is natural for the mind's eye, when cleansed of sin, to see and understand God.
In describing Augustine'sinvention of the inner self, Cary's fascinating book sheds new light on Augustine's life and thought, and shows how Augustine's position developed into the more orthodox Augustine we know from his later writings.
In this book, Phillip Cary argues that Augustine invented the concept of the self as a private inner space-a space into which one can enter and in which one can find God. Although it has often been suggested that Augustine in some way inaugurated the Western tradition of inwardness, this is
the first study to pinpoint what was new about Augustine's philosophy of inwardness and situate it within a narrative of his intellectual development and his relationship to the Platonist tradition.
Augustine invents the inner self, Cary argues, in order to solve a particular conceptual problem. Augustine is attracted to the Neoplatonist inward turn, which located God within the soul, yet remains loyal to the orthodox Catholic teaching that the soul is not divine. He combines the two emphases
by urging us to turn "in then up"--to enter the inner world of the self before gazing at the divine Light above the human mind.
Cary situates Augustine's idea of the self historically in both the Platonist and the Christian traditions. The concept of private inner self, he shows, is a development within the history of the Platonist concept of intelligibility or intellectual vision, which establishes a kind of kinship
between the human intellect and the divine things it sees. Though not the only Platonist in the Christian tradition, Augustine stands out for his devotion to this concept of intelligibility and his willingness to apply it even to God. This leads him to downplay the doctrine that God is
incomprehensible, as he is convinced that it is natural for the mind's eye, when cleansed of sin, to see and understand God.
In describing Augustine'sinvention of the inner self, Cary's fascinating book sheds new light on Augustine's life and thought, and shows how Augustine's position developed into the more orthodox Augustine we know from his later writings.
Dr. Phillip Cary is Director of the Philosophy Program at Eastern College in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, where he is also Scholar-in-residence at the Templeton Honors College.
"Others have long said that certain notions of 'self' had their
origin in Augustine, but Cary's study is much more precise. He
describes developments in the great bishop's thought with precision
and careful documentation, and his general arguments deserve a wide
hearing."--BIBLIOTHECA SACRA,, July-September 2002
"The book is complex, carefully argued, helpfully outlined in
chapter summaries and mercifully well cross-referenced. It leaves
one grateful for a profounder acquaintance with Augustine's thought
and heritage."--IJournal of the American Academy of Religion
"A challenging, thoughtful book. Cary writes extremely well: his
prose is lean and extraordinarily lucid, his style informal yet
serious, his authorial persona gracious and self-effacing, his
efforts at fair judgement admirable."--Spiritus: A Journal of
Christian Spirituality
"...a first-rate study of the influences on the great bishop and
the innovations he made to his intellectual/spiritual
inheritance."--Theology Today
"A valuable and important book, both for those interested in
Augustine's thought, and for those wanting, as Augustine wanted, to
think Christian thoughts about matters of philosophical
interest...[Cary's] richly textured depiction of how a particular
Christian at a particular time--Augustine at the end of the fourth
century--actually thought, has some important lessons to
teach"--Faith and Philosophy, Journal of the Society of Christian
Philosophers
". . . a rich book that offers genuinely fresh material. It should
be of interest to all students of Augustine and the classical
heritage of Christianity."--Journal of Religion
"fascinating. [Cary's] book engagingly written, well -documented,
and persuasively argued. The book is a must read for students of
Augustine, for it provides an appropriate increment of complexity
to the interpretation of a very complex human being and author."-
Theological Studies
"Many read the biblical text through the lens of Christian
platonism without even realizing it, and Cary will help them
examine that lens. Others have long said that certain notions of
'self' had their origin in Augustine, but Cary's study is much more
precise. He describes developments in the great bishop's thought
with precision and careful documentation, and his arguments deserve
a wide hearing." - Bibliotheca Sacra
"There are many attractive aspects to this challenging, thoughtful
book. Cary writes extremely well: his prose is lean and
extraordinarily lucid, his style informal yet serious, his
authorial persona gracious and self-effacing, his efforts at fair
judgement admirable."--Spiritus
"Others have long said that certain notions of 'self' had their
origin in Augustine, but Cary's study is much more precise. He
describes developments in the great bishop's thought with precision
and careful documentation, and his general arguments deserve a wide
hearing."--BIBLIOTHECA SACRA,, July-September 2002
"The book is complex, carefully argued, helpfully outlined in
chapter summaries and mercifully well cross-referenced. It leaves
one grateful for a profounder acquaintance with Augustine's thought
and heritage."--IJournal of the American Academy of Religion
"A challenging, thoughtful book. Cary writes extremely well: his
prose is lean and extraordinarily lucid, his style informal yet
serious, his authorial persona gracious and self-effacing, his
efforts at fair judgement admirable."--Spiritus: A Journal of
Christian Spirituality
"A first-rate study of the influences on the great bishop and the
innovations he made to his intellectual/spiritual
inheritance."--Theology Today
"A valuable and important book, both for those interested in
Augustine's thought, and for those wanting, as Augustine wanted, to
think Christian thoughts about matters of philosophical
interest...[Cary's] richly textured depiction of how a particular
Christian at a particular time--Augustine at the end of the fourth
century--actually thought, has some important lessons to
teach"--Faith and Philosophy, The Journal of the Society of
Christian Philosophers
". . . a rich book that offers genuinely fresh material. It should
be of interest to all students of Augustine and the classical
heritage of Christianity."--Journal of Religion
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