354-430 (Aurelius Augustinus).[1] Born in Thagaste, North Africa. Died as Vandals were closing in on Hippo (where he was then Bishop). His life overlapped the "decline of the Roman Empire."

 His education was primarily literary (classical model), stressing rhetoric - a "great books" approach. In response to reading a dialogue of Cicero's at 18, Augustine dedicated his life to the search for wisdom. In his Confessions, he sees this as the beginning of his journey back to God.

 Augustine was first taken by Manicheanism [discuss]. Then Neoplatonism which he found closer to Christianity regarding doctrines about God and the World, creation, the divine light[2] (and evil[3]).

 Augustine shared the then popular belief that the function of philosophy is to discover wisdom and the way to happiness or blessedness.

 Though faith necessary for a Christian, not sufficient for a full realization of one's potential rationality. Faith or belief, was "to think with assent" (cites De Praedest. Sanct. 2, 5) and is contrasted with knowledge or understanding as with "seeing", i.e., the kind of knowledge to which its object is clear and transparent, i.e., the kind got through logical demonstrations as in mathematics. "Faith [quoting RM] demands completion in understanding." NB one of Augustine's characteristic imperatives: "Believe in order that you may understand. Unless you shall believe, you shall not understand."

 Some things can only be objects of belief, i.e., contingent historical truth. Others could be objects of either belief or understand (which includes an awareness of grounds and logical necessity). God, for Augustine, is among those beings first believed in, and then understood. [Note connection to true opinion and knowledge in Plato. Then discuss the necessity of pre- theoretic hunches, hopes, etc., for the search for knowledge.]

 Use of non-Christian thought to serve Christianity Augustine thought of along lines of "spoiling the Egyptians"--anything that is useful in understanding and preaching is to be appropriated [cites De Doctrina Christiana]--the handmaiden idea is here. (DISCUSS THE MEDIEVAL PROBLEMATIC ACCORDING TO AND THE ROLE OF PHILOSOPHY AS HANDMAIDEN.)

 The General Outline

 Augustine seems to be challenged by 3 problems
 

 1) of turning belief into understanding where belief is found.
 2) and leading understanding towards belief when understanding is ready
 3) defending Christianity from heresies such as

 a) Arian heresy (that Jesus AKA Logos of G not=G)read from W. T. Jones pp. 64-65
 b) Manichean
 b) Gnostic
 d) Pelagian (emphasis on works for immediate salvation, belief that hell not eternal (Matson, p. 200), (emphasis on worth and free-will of human person [W. T. Jones, pp. 66-67])--note the tension between Classical Greek models of human nature and Christian].

The Teacher--Augustine's Meno[4]

 To do this one, begin discussion on p. 29, #30 in prep for #31 regarding misology, and ff. Focused reading--until the end.
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*Note that Philo is Philo Judaeus of Alexandria (ca. 25 -ca 40 CE).
 [1]Notes from R. A. Markus' article in Encyclopedia of Philosophy, pp. 198ff.
 [2]RM cites Confessions, VIII, 9, 13-14.
 [3]MK addition.
 [4]MK notes.