Intellectual History, Weekly Assignment 13
Start date: 02/27/2007

Tuesday, 2/27
In-class discussion of Proslogion, Stark reading, history time-line.

Wednesday, 2/28
□ Writing Assignment: “Boethian Proverbs.” The Consolation of Philosophy is full of choice sayings, both poetic and philosophical. Some of them are given below; choose three of them and explain them in the usual way. Be sure to explain their context properly. Carefully cut two more “proverbs” of your own choosing from the Consolation and present them online to the rest of the class, in the same manner.

This assignment is due on-line Saturday evening.

When you choose your own proverbs, trim them to be pithy, no more than a line or two of text. (You can use ellipsis to remove unnecessary words, and square brackets to adjust grammar, as long as you do not change the meaning of the proverb.) Select sayings that are meaningful to you and to the flow of Boethius’ thought. They need not be self-explanatory; in fact cryptic proverbs are sometimes especially memorable, once we get in on the secret of their meaning. After each proverb, rephrase it in your own words, as if your teacher had supplied the proverb.

You are likely to encounter these proverbs as identification problems on a midterm a few weeks from now.

“The good is defined as that which, once it is attained, relives man of all further desires.” (III, Prose 2, p. 43)

“Public honors usually reveal wickedness rather than correct it.” (III, Prose 4, p. 48)

“Nobility appears to be a kind of praise which is really merited by parents.” (III, Prose 6, p. 53)

“Nothing can be thought of better than God; [therefore] he is the good.” (III, Prose 10, p. 62)

“It is the good itself, not the other things, which is desired by everyone.” (III, Prose 10, p. 65)

“Then evil is nothing, since God, who can do all things, cannot do evil.” (III, Prose 12, p. 72)

“Think how grave is this impotence of wicked men.” (IV, Prose 2, p. 79)

“To give oneself to evil … is to lose one’s human nature.” (IV, Prose 3, p. 82)

“The wicked are happier when they are punished than when they evade justice.” (IV, Prose 4, p. 85)

“The process of Fate derives from the simplicity of Providence.” (IV, Prose 6, p. 91)

“Only to divine power are evil things good….” (IV, Prose 6, p. 96) (Why?)

“This is the common bond of love by which all things seek to be held to the goal of good.” (IV, Poem 6, p. 97) (What is?)

“Reason, on the other hand, goes beyond this and investigates by universal consideration…. The vision of intelligence is higher yet.” (V, Prose 4, p. 111) (Beyond what? Why higher yet?)

“What room can there be for random events since God keeps all things in order?” (V, Prose 1, p. 101) (Give the answer too.)

“Human souls, however, are more free while they are engaged in contemplation of the divine mind.” (V, Prose 2, p. 104) (Why?)

“Although they will happen, they have nothing in their natures which makes it necessary that they should happen.” (V, Prose 4, p. 109)

“Eternity is the whole, perfect, and simultaneous possession of endless life.” (V, Prose 6, p. 115)

“I grant that you state a solid truth, but one which only a profound theologian can grasp.” (V, Prose 6, p. 117) (What truth? Why not a philosopher?)

“God has ... immediate vision of all things not from the outcome of future events, but from the simplicity of his own nature.” (V, Prose 6, p. 119)

 

These additional proverbs are not part of the current assignment, but you may encounter them as IDs on a test:

“They kill the fruitful harvest of reason with the sterile thorns of the passions.” (I, Prose 2, p. 4) (Who do? How?)

“I decided to apply to public administration the principles I had learned privately from you.” (I, Prose 4, p. 10) (From whom?)

“You have forgotten what you are.” (I, Prose 6, p. 19)

“No man can ever be secure until he has been forsaken by Fortune.” (II, Prose 1, p. 22)

“If the things which you complain about losing had really been yours, you would never have lost them.” (II, Prose 2, p. 24)

“So nothing is miserable unless you think so, … a man who bears all with contentment, finds every state a happy one.” (II, Prose 4, p. 29)

“Money is more precious when it is generously got rid of.” (II, Prose 5, p. 31)

“Good fortune deceives, adverse fortune teaches.” (II, Prose 8, p. 40) (Teaches what?)

 

Thursday, 3/01

Take in-class quiz on history time-line.

Discuss in class Anselm’s Proslogion and Boethius’ Consolation.

 

Friday & Monday, 3/02 – 3/05

□ Read in Kreeft’s A Shorter Summa the following selections:
Introduction (pp. 13-26), about the structure and importance of Aquinas’ work
The Nature of God (pp. 65-77), God’s simplicity, ubiquity, immutability, and names

□ Read on-line the following two “questions” from Aquinas, keeping in mind Kreeft’s explanations:
“Whether there are four cardinal virtues?”
http://newadvent.org/summa/2061.htm#2 (I-II.lxi.2)

“Whether the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer are fittingly assigned?”
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3083.htm#9 (II-II.lxxxiii.9)