The Philosophy of Boethius

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses that Boethius' belief regards free will seems self-evident, yet some religious philosophers have held that our actions are determined by God. This paper points out that Boethius, a Platonist deriving elements from both Plato and Aristotle, considers human nature a distinct entity and argues that Christ embodied both a divine nature and human nature. The author believes that Boethius sets forth the essential paradox in Christian thought between freedom and determinism, with determinism inherent in what he calls "God's universal foreknowledge," meaning the fact that God already knows all that is to happen.

From the Paper:

"Boethius laments his situation and the changes that have been wrought in his life. He is now imprisoned and is forced to look within for answers, given that his outer world is no more than a prison cell. He is changed physically in that old age has come upon him too early. Happiness is to be found in conquering this inner world, represented for Boethius not only within himself but also in his writings as he conveys his inner world to others and finds ways to shape his own relationship with that inner world through the written word. Lady Philosophy suggests that the poet must seek the truth within and that since all things are ruled by reason, it is wrong for the individual to be sick with despair when he or she can seek the truth by looking inward to find God."

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