“So what good is power if it is a constant source of anxiety and fear? Like us, kings want to live their lives free of such worries. But they can’t. And they brag about their strength. But if you see someone who can’t accomplish what they want, do you think that person is strong?”
—Female Philosophy solace of philosophy
I’ve long since started calling the first Tuesday of November “National” Alien vs. Predator Day builds on the franchise crossover’s seemingly appropriate marketing line, “Everyone wins, loses.” And it happened again in 2024. While many true believers in both parties found themselves in elated celebrations and shocking memorials, for many (most? The options continue to suggest that they are not particularly attractive either. If you’re in full celebratory mode and laying out your cards on the table, this article may not be for you. For true political partisans who are feeling depressed, there may be some solace here. But I write this primarily as someone who will be in mourning as an inevitable result of this cycle’s campaign season.
I think we live in a time of pagan barbarism. The pragmatism of political brinkmanship has left us with only two political parties, but I would argue that each of them is, as detailed in Alan Noble’s book, inhumane. you are not your own. Indeed, despite the polarization of each political party against its opponents, each harm feels valid on the surface, but on a more fundamental level, it is a sign of how we are designed. It signals a major shift towards radical autonomy and self-serving, which is exactly the opposite of what is being said.
In this way, the work recalls another context: a period of inhumanity and political cynicism during the decline of a once great empire. In this season (as in many seasons) I find myself returning to Boethius, the 6th century Christian philosopher and statesman. I firmly believe there is never a bad time to read his best work. solace of philosophybut it feels even more poignantly relevant now than most other times. And its pages perhaps show us how to think about what it means to live authentically in an age of sociopolitical barbarism.
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was born between 475 and 480, just as the Western Roman Empire finally ceased to exist. During the early decades of his life, he flourished personally despite the sociopolitical turmoil around him. As a boy, he was adopted by the aristocratic scholar Symmachus, and Boethius developed a love of science in his young charge, and Boethius admired Symmachus’ character and ideas to the end. He also married Symmachus’ own daughter, Rustiana, and they had two sons. Boethius followed his mentor and father-in-law, Synmachus, in defending the orthodoxy of Nicene Christianity, while working diligently to integrate the seemingly disparate philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. And for a while, his efforts achieved worldwide success and he pursued a political career, culminating in his appointment to the role of prefect under the Ostrogothic emperor Theodoric. did.
solace of philosophy It was probably the most influential book other than the Bible in Western civilization for about 1,000 years.
But things quickly deteriorated for Boethius, an idealistic philosopher and statesman. The specific details are still a bit hazy, but it appears he has drawn the ire of some of those who profited from a damaged system, who continued to target him in his pursuit of corruption in the government ranks. The capricious and capricious Emperor Theodoric rebelled against Boethius and imprisoned him (though it is unclear whether he was actually imprisoned or placed under house arrest). There was no reprieve, and he was executed around 526.
However, perhaps in the space of his captivity awaiting death, Boethius would write one of the masterpieces of Western literature and intellectual thought. solace of philosophy. Adopting Plato’s dialogue form, but interspersing sections with small flashes of poetry, Boethius ends up grappling with all the anxieties that naturally arise from contemplating one’s own mortality. In the book, the fictional Boethius entertains the muses as he laments his fate, and the muses indulge his sorrows in melodramatic poetry. His former mentor, Lady Philosophy, chases away the wayward muses and surveys the scene in dismay. She grimaces at Boethius’s self-pitying self-indulgence and insists on strengthening his spirit with a powerful potion (with a spoonful of poetic sugar to soften the bitterness of the treatment).
Lady Philosophy’s discussion focuses on the issue of happiness. The temptation for earthly humans is to find happiness in the changeable good things of this world, but these goods are controlled by Fortune, an unreliable mistress. In the time of Boethius, fortune (fortune, chance, chance) is a wheel on which we ride without realizing it, sometimes to the top, but ultimately to crush us to the bottom. She was imagined as a woman who turns things around. “Lady Philosophy” has a point where Boethius’s life, until recent events, has been so enthralled by Fortune’s standards – good education, good job, good family – that it even complains about him on that front. It was pointed out that there were almost no But the bigger problem is that he should never have put his happiness in Fortune in the first place.
No one wants to get sick themselves. Lady Philosophy argues that we all desire to pursue happiness and realize our understanding of the good life. And once she has this good thing, she claims, she would rather keep it than lose it. But this is the problem with Fortune. Her products are not completely satisfactory and we are unable to keep them. However, we can recognize them, as Well, we must be measuring them according to some unlearned standard. All the temporary goods of good fortune are shadows of the perfect and unchanging good, something we intuitively know and must always pursue, whether we realize it or not. concludes Lady Philosophy. And this good can only be a consistent and unified God. There we see that God Himself is good and therefore the experience of God is true happiness.
Boethius’s text then explores the implications of this line of reasoning. Because God is the Supreme Being, evil is not only an escape from good, but also an escape from ultimate reality. In a sense, the evil ones don’t really exist, so they deserve our sympathy rather than our hatred. God ultimately rules over all in His divine love, power, and goodness. God is able to do this because He is not only beyond all physical space, but also outside of time, and is equally “present” in every moment at the same time.
Although not as famous as other great texts of antiquity, solace of philosophy It was probably the most influential book other than the Bible in Western civilization for about 1,000 years. From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, this book was read by virtually every educated and literate person, and its central principles were directly quoted, implied, or simply assumed by countless documents of the period. Sometimes I was. English translators include Alfred the Great, Geoffrey Chaucer, and Queen Elizabeth I. Although its influence has waned in recent centuries, it still maintains a steady readership. C.S. Lewis regarded it as one of the following: The 10 most influential books in his lifeand it remains popular in Great Text programs and classical Christian circles.
in piedPlato had Socrates argue that “those who have truly devoted their lives to philosophy should be cheerful even in the face of death.” For this reason, comfort Lady Philosophy is initially very disappointed in Boethius – for he has failed the true test of his mission to become her disciple. The book’s popularity is due in part to its clear prose, engaging dialogue style, and beautiful poetry, but also because, after all, no one knew that Boethius put his money where his mouth was. I think that’s what I know. Unlike many other intellectual works, we know that: solace of philosophy This book is very practical because the author was forced to live it out to the end.
This is why I return to Boethius again and again when I am faced with difficulties. In my case, my past hardships were not as extreme as his own. Theodoric’s edict against him represented the ultimate “cards on the table” moment – could he die alive? The answer was “yes”.
The Lady Philosophy reminded Boethius that the wicked were those who dually pursued the wrong form of happiness.
Realistically, when we dig our political realities out from under the polarizing apocalyptic rhetoric, we realize that the personal stakes for most of us are not as high as they were for Boethius. I can do it. But as Christians, our cards are His cards. If the God we profess is real, and if He is the God we claim to be, then Boethius’ consolation should be our own. Christians on the left or on the moderate side may be shocked, lamented, or in denial right now, just as our conservative brethren were four years ago. But as Lady Philosophy pointed out, this fluctuation is exactly what you should expect from Fortune. Perhaps, sooner or later, the wheels will turn again, and celebration and mourning will be reversed again for those whose happiness is tied to something temporary.
And what if the consequences were something even more serious, a major national or global hardship? Then our situation would become even more similar to Boethius’s. He lives in a realm surrounded by people uneducated in virtue and sees his idealistic dreams of creating a space ruled by the principles of reason, philosophy and faith crushed and his life lost. All I could do was watch. He died at the hands of the state, a victim of power politics, as Europe collapsed into a closed competition of barbaric tribalism.
We do not know whether Boethius regretted trying to reform the Goto-Roman Empire. Certainly, given the opportunity, he would have resumed his work and called for an educated government that pursues justice. There is nothing wrong with seeking the interests of the nation or lamenting when your efforts seem to be in vain. But Mrs. Philosophy’s words serve as a reminder to Christians looking ahead to a murky regime ruled by power and whim, as well as fellow believers who rejoice that the wheel of fortune is now turning. . We can and should do the work. But our ultimate happiness can never reside in the vicissitudes of history in which we live. Because sooner or later those assets will be taken away from us.
The Lady Philosophy reminded Boethius that the wicked were those who took up a false form of good life. Their power is illusory and fleeting, and therefore it is a type of weakness, because they are unable to achieve their true goal, which is nothing but happiness. Facing his own execution, Boethius was able to argue that the man who ordered his death deserved pity, not hatred. This, too, is an important reminder for us in the midst of polarized times. I don’t want to see people on the political opposite end of the spectrum as enemies, but even if they are, they are exactly the people we are told to love and pray.
I think I need to have some more conversations with Madame Philosophy until the medicine takes effect and I can face the future with the same peace I had when Boethius appeared. But I can go back to normal again solace of philosophy To remind me of my true home, my true source of happiness, even when the world and the walls around me seem dark.
