Augustine's Confessions

(Paperback)

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Unique in all of literature, the Confessions combines frank and profound psychological insight into Augustine's formative years along with sophisticated and beguiling reflections on some of the most important issues in philosophy and theology. The Confessions discloses Augustine's views about the nature of infancy and the acquisition of language, his own sinful adolescence, his early struggle with the problem of evil, his conversion to Christianity, his puzzlement about the capacities of human memory and the nature of time, and his views about creation and biblical interpretation. The essays contained in this volume, by some of the most distinguished recent and contemporary thinkers in the field, insightfully explore these Augustinian themes not only with an eye to historical accuracy but also to gauge the philosophical acumen of Augustine's reflections.

Reviews

William Mann has assembled essays from a handful of veteran truth-seekers, all of who have been perplexed in some way by what perplexes Augustine in his Confessions. Mann's volume aims to engage with Augustine on a number of open questions: the acquisition of a first language, the motive force of evil, the fleeting reality of time, the ethics of grief, the desire for God, the power of memory, the limits of responsibility, the communicability of the Word. As an ensemble, this collection is certain to exercise the analytical imagination. -- James Wetzel
The essays in this exemplary collection offer thoughtful and intelligent reflection on the very topics that are most puzzling for readers of Augustine's Confessions ; they also draw our attention to topics that perhaps should puzzle us more. This is an excellent companion for students of the Confessions . -- Thomas Williams, associate professor of philosophy and religious studies, University of South Florida
A first-rate collection exploring some of the knottiest problems posed by Augustine's best-loved work. The papers address not only classic philosophical questions about evil, time, and language acquisition, but also more offbeat questions, such as whether infants can sin. The different and sometimes conflicting perspectives that contributors represent show the range of interpretations that Augustine's works can support. -- Bonnie Kent, associate professor of philosophy, University of California, Irvine

Author Bio

William E. Mann is Marsh Professor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, University of Vermont.