The interiority of the soul: where Augustine found the seat of truth
In short: For St. Augustine, the search for truth was not an outward journey, but an inward one. He argued that the human soul is the primary object of philosophy, serving as the closest mirror to the divine. To know the self is, in his view, the first step toward knowing God.
Augustinianism is defined by a 'theocentric' character, where God is viewed as the source of all human life—the reason for existence, the source of knowledge, and the order of living. Central to this is the relationship between faith and reason. While Augustine valued the intellect, he maintained that reason is not autonomous; it is only valid when it aligns with revealed truth. This perspective anticipated the 'credo ut intelligam' (I believe so that I may understand) formula by five centuries.
A cornerstone of this tradition is the doctrine of 'interiority.' Augustine posited that truth resides within the soul, requiring man to look inward to find certitude. Consequently, a distinct mental emphasis emerged, portraying the human spirit as a being meant to participate in the divine existence. He famously identified the soul and God as the two principal objects of philosophical inquiry, arguing that because no other creature approaches God in perfection, knowing the soul is a way of approaching the divine.
This inward focus produced several radical concepts. It included the 'divine illumination' theory, which suggests the soul perceives intelligible reality through a derived light from God rather than through human agency alone. It also produced the idea of 'seminal reasons'—a precursor to evolutionary thought—suggesting that new forms of life were present in a potential, causal state from the moment of creation. Finally, Augustine's view of human nature was one of collective solidarity, where the human race is seen as a compact mass responsible for a hereditary fall, a view that stood in contrast to later Franciscan developments regarding free will.
In the 13th century, Augustinian thought faced challenges from the Aristotelian-Thomistic position. While the latter focused on intellectual contemplation, Augustine insisted that Truth is a good that confers joy and happiness. He further defined virtue as the 'ordo amoris'—the right ordering of love—where God is the only end to be loved for His own sake, while all other creatures are to be used as means toward that good.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Augustinianism | Encyclopedia.com
- Also: Augustinianism
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