Boethius Research Paper
Boethius
Religion/Philosophy Project
April 2nd, 2013
A master in the art of rhetoric, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, commonly know as Boethius, was said to have the ability to argue any topic given randomly and still be able to speak as if he was a true expert in that area of expertise. During the middle Ages many philosophers and teachers studied and contemplated the works of prior scholars such as the writings of Plato, Aristotle, the apostle Paul and many more. However it is Boethius that made the most significance impact in Western Medieval Philosophy through his works titled De Consolatione Philosophiae, De Arithmetica, and Opuscula Sacra. These three books illustrate how one man, who at a young age is above most all of his …show more content…
peers, rises up from a wealthy noble class to become one of the most prominent philosophers of all time.
Born in the city of Rome in 480 AD, Boethius was born into a patrician family, where his old and dying father was appointed consul in 487.
After his father’s death, Boethius was adopted by a man named Quintus Aurelius Memmius Symmachus. As his adopted father was fully fluent in Greek soon became Boethius, Quintus as well instilled a passion of love for literature and philosophy. Being a rare trait to understand Greek within the Western Empire, many scholars argue that Boethius was educated in the East, most likely the city of Athens. Due to his ability to pick up concepts, formulas, and ideals rather quickly Boethius soon became of the service of Theodoric the Great, and the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths within the academia world. At the age of 25 Boethius would become a senator and soon after in 510 a consular for the Kingdom. During this time frame Boethius is suspected of conspiring with the Eastern Roman Empire, which leads to his imprisonment and later his execution. His time of exile provides the solidarity for him to write the majority of his works that become so influential and popular within The Middle …show more content…
Ages. His first notable piece of literature that influence the Western Medieval World is De consolatione philosophiae, translated as the Consolation of Philosophy. While starting this text at a younger age, Joel Relihan in his translation of Consolation of Philosophy argues that it was his lifelong project to preserve ancient classical knowledge, in particular philosophy. Philosophy in this book is described as a woman (Lady Philosophy) in which Boethius has long intensive conversations to give proof that a higher power exists and everything else is secondary to that divine Providence. Boethius continues to argue with Lady Philosophy in which he states that evil can exist in a world governed by God and that happiness can be attainable amidst fickle fortune. This book also tackles the simple but the controversial questions of why bad things happened to good people, why evil men prosper, and one of the arguments over predestination verses free will. This book made its impact in teaching its readers not to seek the riches of the worlds such as money, power, or wealth, but instead their internal virtues. It soon became the most popular philosophical book to influence the everyday man from the historian, the poets, the statesmen and, as well as the philosophers and theologians. All in all Boethius concluded by stating that Evil has a purpose, in which should provide a lesson of help to change for the good of man. Described by many, Boethius is to be known as the last of the Romans and the first of the scholastic philosophers. De Arithmatica is clear in showing this because of his intention pass on the mighty Greco-Roman culture to his future kin and kindred, this work is a collection of manuals on arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and even music. These short essays such as in the subjects of arithmetic and astronomy, dealt with the existence of the problem of universals.. De Arithmatica, also provides translations of Ptolemy’s works on astronomy, and Euclid’s work in the field of geometry. So committed to the preservation of the past the text titled De Intitutione Musica was simply written by Boethius to help the current medieval authors understand Greek music. This clearly backs the position most scholars have as to Boethius’ passion to keep Greco-Roman culture and academic to future generations. All of these subjects Boethius are clearly knowledgeable of and help transformed medieval education The last notable work written by Boethius in justifying the case as to why he made the most significance impact in Western Medieval Philosophy is his Christian theological papers titled Opuscula Sacra, translated as Sacred Works.
This essay was made up into 5 different sects all of which deal mostly with specific orthodox views verses Arianism and the other rebellious forms of Christianity. The first part titled The Trinity addresses and defends the Trinitarian position that the Council of Chalcedon held, in which Boethius argues against the Arian view of the nature of God and stands to conclude that God is in three persons, who has no differences in nature. This shown Boethius’ courage to stand up to the Arian King of Italy and proved he stood firm in his doctrine. The second part titled whether Father, Son and Holy Spirit are substantially predicated of the Divinity is a short work Boethius uses epistemology to dispute the correct view of the nature of God is found in the Catholic faith. The last three portions argue the basic stance of the Catholic Religion as well as the middle ground in the shaping alongside of Roman Catholic belief. All five include the fields of ontology, metaphysics, and logic of which played an enormous role on philosophical thought within the middle ages, and many more years’ eve till this day of age. These three books titled De Consolatione Philosophiae, De Arithmetica, and Opuscula Sacra show a man of great knowledge and wisdom. Anicius Manlius
Severinus Boëthius, a master in the art of rhetoric during The Middle Ages shaped and influenced many philosophers and teachers. This man of many honorable titles along with his many books, essays and manuscripts sets him apart to be the most significance impact philosophers in Western Medieval time period.
Bibliography
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus. Consolation of Philosophy. Translated by Joel Relihan. Norton: Hackett Publishing Company, 2001.
Boethius. The Consolation of Philosophy. Rev. ed. New York: Penguin Classics, 1999.
“General Audience of Pope Benedict Xvi, Boethius and Cassiodorus,” http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20080312_en.html(accessed March 30, 2013).
Jr., Noel Harold Kaylor, and Philip Edward Phillips, eds. A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages. Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012.
Masi, Michael. “The Liberal Arts and Gerardus Ruffus’ Commentary on the Boethian De Arithmetica.” The Sixteenth Century Journal 10 (Summer 1979)
Stewart, Hugh Fraser. Boethius: an Essay. New York: Burt Franklin, 1975.
The Online Library of Liberty, Boethius. Internet. Available fromhttp://oll.libertyfund.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=215&Itemid=269; accessed March 31, 2013
--------------------------------------------
[ 1 ]. Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy, rev. ed. (New York: Penguin Classics, 1999), 59.
[ 2 ]. “General Audience of Pope Benedict Xvi, Boethius and Cassiodorus,”http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20080312_en.html(accessed March 30, 2013).
[ 3 ]. Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus. Consolation of Philosophy. Translated by Joel Relihan. Norton: Hackett Publishing Company, 20.
[ 4 ]. The Online Library of Liberty, Boethius. Internet. Available from http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=215&Itemid=269; accessed March 29, 2013.
[ 5 ]. Hugh Fraser Stewart, Boethius: an Essay (New York: Burt Franklin, 1975), 107
[ 6 ]. Hugh Fraser Stewart, Boethius: an Essay (New York: Burt Franklin, 1975), 13
[ 7 ]. Masi, Michael. “The Liberal Arts and Gerardus Ruffus’ Commentary on the Boethian De Arithmetica.” The Sixteenth Century Journal 10 (Summer 1979): 24.
[ 8 ]. Masi, Michael. “The Liberal Arts and Gerardus Ruffus’ Commentary on the Boethian De Arithmetica.” The Sixteenth Century Journal 10 (Summer 1979): 24.
[ 9 ]. Noel Harold Kaylor Jr. and Philip Edward Phillips, eds., A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012), 60-61.
[ 10 ]. Noel Harold Kaylor Jr. and Philip Edward Phillips, eds., A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012), 95.
[ 11 ]. Noel Harold Kaylor Jr. and Philip Edward Phillips, eds., A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012), 98-99.
Religion/Philosophy Project
April 2nd, 2013
A master in the art of rhetoric, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, commonly know as Boethius, was said to have the ability to argue any topic given randomly and still be able to speak as if he was a true expert in that area of expertise. During the middle Ages many philosophers and teachers studied and contemplated the works of prior scholars such as the writings of Plato, Aristotle, the apostle Paul and many more. However it is Boethius that made the most significance impact in Western Medieval Philosophy through his works titled De Consolatione Philosophiae, De Arithmetica, and Opuscula Sacra. These three books illustrate how one man, who at a young age is above most all of his …show more content…
peers, rises up from a wealthy noble class to become one of the most prominent philosophers of all time.
Born in the city of Rome in 480 AD, Boethius was born into a patrician family, where his old and dying father was appointed consul in 487.
After his father’s death, Boethius was adopted by a man named Quintus Aurelius Memmius Symmachus. As his adopted father was fully fluent in Greek soon became Boethius, Quintus as well instilled a passion of love for literature and philosophy. Being a rare trait to understand Greek within the Western Empire, many scholars argue that Boethius was educated in the East, most likely the city of Athens. Due to his ability to pick up concepts, formulas, and ideals rather quickly Boethius soon became of the service of Theodoric the Great, and the Kingdom of the Ostrogoths within the academia world. At the age of 25 Boethius would become a senator and soon after in 510 a consular for the Kingdom. During this time frame Boethius is suspected of conspiring with the Eastern Roman Empire, which leads to his imprisonment and later his execution. His time of exile provides the solidarity for him to write the majority of his works that become so influential and popular within The Middle …show more content…
Ages. His first notable piece of literature that influence the Western Medieval World is De consolatione philosophiae, translated as the Consolation of Philosophy. While starting this text at a younger age, Joel Relihan in his translation of Consolation of Philosophy argues that it was his lifelong project to preserve ancient classical knowledge, in particular philosophy. Philosophy in this book is described as a woman (Lady Philosophy) in which Boethius has long intensive conversations to give proof that a higher power exists and everything else is secondary to that divine Providence. Boethius continues to argue with Lady Philosophy in which he states that evil can exist in a world governed by God and that happiness can be attainable amidst fickle fortune. This book also tackles the simple but the controversial questions of why bad things happened to good people, why evil men prosper, and one of the arguments over predestination verses free will. This book made its impact in teaching its readers not to seek the riches of the worlds such as money, power, or wealth, but instead their internal virtues. It soon became the most popular philosophical book to influence the everyday man from the historian, the poets, the statesmen and, as well as the philosophers and theologians. All in all Boethius concluded by stating that Evil has a purpose, in which should provide a lesson of help to change for the good of man. Described by many, Boethius is to be known as the last of the Romans and the first of the scholastic philosophers. De Arithmatica is clear in showing this because of his intention pass on the mighty Greco-Roman culture to his future kin and kindred, this work is a collection of manuals on arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, and even music. These short essays such as in the subjects of arithmetic and astronomy, dealt with the existence of the problem of universals.. De Arithmatica, also provides translations of Ptolemy’s works on astronomy, and Euclid’s work in the field of geometry. So committed to the preservation of the past the text titled De Intitutione Musica was simply written by Boethius to help the current medieval authors understand Greek music. This clearly backs the position most scholars have as to Boethius’ passion to keep Greco-Roman culture and academic to future generations. All of these subjects Boethius are clearly knowledgeable of and help transformed medieval education The last notable work written by Boethius in justifying the case as to why he made the most significance impact in Western Medieval Philosophy is his Christian theological papers titled Opuscula Sacra, translated as Sacred Works.
This essay was made up into 5 different sects all of which deal mostly with specific orthodox views verses Arianism and the other rebellious forms of Christianity. The first part titled The Trinity addresses and defends the Trinitarian position that the Council of Chalcedon held, in which Boethius argues against the Arian view of the nature of God and stands to conclude that God is in three persons, who has no differences in nature. This shown Boethius’ courage to stand up to the Arian King of Italy and proved he stood firm in his doctrine. The second part titled whether Father, Son and Holy Spirit are substantially predicated of the Divinity is a short work Boethius uses epistemology to dispute the correct view of the nature of God is found in the Catholic faith. The last three portions argue the basic stance of the Catholic Religion as well as the middle ground in the shaping alongside of Roman Catholic belief. All five include the fields of ontology, metaphysics, and logic of which played an enormous role on philosophical thought within the middle ages, and many more years’ eve till this day of age. These three books titled De Consolatione Philosophiae, De Arithmetica, and Opuscula Sacra show a man of great knowledge and wisdom. Anicius Manlius
Severinus Boëthius, a master in the art of rhetoric during The Middle Ages shaped and influenced many philosophers and teachers. This man of many honorable titles along with his many books, essays and manuscripts sets him apart to be the most significance impact philosophers in Western Medieval time period.
Bibliography
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus. Consolation of Philosophy. Translated by Joel Relihan. Norton: Hackett Publishing Company, 2001.
Boethius. The Consolation of Philosophy. Rev. ed. New York: Penguin Classics, 1999.
“General Audience of Pope Benedict Xvi, Boethius and Cassiodorus,” http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20080312_en.html(accessed March 30, 2013).
Jr., Noel Harold Kaylor, and Philip Edward Phillips, eds. A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages. Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012.
Masi, Michael. “The Liberal Arts and Gerardus Ruffus’ Commentary on the Boethian De Arithmetica.” The Sixteenth Century Journal 10 (Summer 1979)
Stewart, Hugh Fraser. Boethius: an Essay. New York: Burt Franklin, 1975.
The Online Library of Liberty, Boethius. Internet. Available fromhttp://oll.libertyfund.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=215&Itemid=269; accessed March 31, 2013
--------------------------------------------
[ 1 ]. Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy, rev. ed. (New York: Penguin Classics, 1999), 59.
[ 2 ]. “General Audience of Pope Benedict Xvi, Boethius and Cassiodorus,”http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20080312_en.html(accessed March 30, 2013).
[ 3 ]. Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus. Consolation of Philosophy. Translated by Joel Relihan. Norton: Hackett Publishing Company, 20.
[ 4 ]. The Online Library of Liberty, Boethius. Internet. Available from http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=215&Itemid=269; accessed March 29, 2013.
[ 5 ]. Hugh Fraser Stewart, Boethius: an Essay (New York: Burt Franklin, 1975), 107
[ 6 ]. Hugh Fraser Stewart, Boethius: an Essay (New York: Burt Franklin, 1975), 13
[ 7 ]. Masi, Michael. “The Liberal Arts and Gerardus Ruffus’ Commentary on the Boethian De Arithmetica.” The Sixteenth Century Journal 10 (Summer 1979): 24.
[ 8 ]. Masi, Michael. “The Liberal Arts and Gerardus Ruffus’ Commentary on the Boethian De Arithmetica.” The Sixteenth Century Journal 10 (Summer 1979): 24.
[ 9 ]. Noel Harold Kaylor Jr. and Philip Edward Phillips, eds., A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012), 60-61.
[ 10 ]. Noel Harold Kaylor Jr. and Philip Edward Phillips, eds., A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012), 95.
[ 11 ]. Noel Harold Kaylor Jr. and Philip Edward Phillips, eds., A Companion to Boethius in the Middle Ages (Leiden: Brill Academic Publications, 2012), 98-99.