The Relation between Philosophy and Religion in Boethius’ Anthropology based on Theological Treatises and the Consolation of Philosophy

Abstract

The central concern of this article is understanding the relationship between philosophy and religion in Boethius' anthropology. For reaching this end, we have analyzed his ideas about issues, such as creation, the nature of and evidence for human free will, and the ultimate goal of man -in Theological Treatises as representative of Boethius' theological views and in the Consolation of Philosophy as representative of Boethius' philosophy. Boethius, in both works, accepted dualism, human free will, and the intellect as the evidence for human free will. Concerning the creation of 'man' and the placement of the soul in the body, in the Theological Treatises, he accepts the Bible report, but in the Consolation of Philosophy, he finds the Platonic reading more convincing; However, here, he attributes the incarnation of the soul to the divine act too. In the Consolation of Philosophy, he believes in the consistency of human free will and divine knowledge by presenting them thoroughly and analyzing issues such as ways of acquiring knowledge, remaining a knowledge even after the ceasing of its object, the distinction between pure necessity and conditional necessity, and between sempiternity and eternity, and the proof for God's sempiternity. He proves that although all future events are necessary from the divine perspective, some are necessary per se, and some through free will. In sum, Boethius' portrayal of 'man' in the Consolation of Philosophy does not distort what he has said about 'man' in Theological Treatises.

Keywords

• boethius
• theological treatises
• consolation of philosophy
• anthropology
• free will