Jennilyn Cañete, Frances Kaye Raga, Shylle Sabesaje, Michelle Mirafuentes

ANICIUS MANLIUS SEVERINUS BOETHIUS (480-5240)

Life and Works

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius, known simply as Boethius (480-524

AD), was a prominent figure in the gens Anicia family of Rome. The commercial and
political influence of this Christian-leaning Roman clan dates back to Emperor
Constantine’s time. Latin studies indicate that his father may have been Narius
Manlius Boethius— an important official who served successive terms as praetorian
prefect, Italy's prefect, consul and patrician in 487 AD. It is speculated but not
confirmed whether this elder Boethius had also once held the position of Alexandria's
Prefect circa 457 A.D., which might explain how young Boethius procured access to
Greek learning resources for philosophy and theological researches through
aristocratic connections.

After losing his own father while still very young, guardianship duties fell
upon Quintus Aurelius Symmachus Memmiust,a high-ranking member from another
notable lineage within nobility circles.He later married into Rusticiana, Symmachu’s
daughter, solidifying relationship ties between two powerful households although
causing unease towards Ostrogoth King Theodoric.The latter personage being invited
by Eastern Emperor Flavius Zeno to restore order across West Empire territories
during their downfall despite ongoing suspicions about any familial alliances at play
behind scenes among imperial city elites

Boethius, a prominent figure in Greek philosophy, was imprisoned and

executed in 526 for treason and magic. He wrote his most famous work, The
Consolation of Philosophy. Boethius also wrote text-books on arithmetic and
geometry, translated Aristotle's logic, and commented on the Categories and Isagoge.
He also wrote logical text-books on division, categorical syllogisms, hypothetical
syllogisms, and topical reasoning. Boethius used his logical skills in three of his four
Theological Treatises (Opuscula sacra), I, II, and V, to tackle Christian doctrine
problems. IV is a confession of faith, while III is a brief philosophical treatise.

Main Claim/Argument

Boethius, managed to write a book inside the cell called ‘Consolation of

Philosophy’ a philosophical and theological dialogue with Lady Philosophy as his
companion in the midst of facing life’s complexity. It is clear that he was influenced
by neoplatonism and attempted to reconcile philosophy and theology. He argued that
God being an eternal being, is an all-knowing and all-powerful nature that governs the
universe with just order and purpose. According to him, the chaotic and seemingly
unpredictable events in the world are part of his larger divine plan that ensures
wisdom and justice. Divine providence serves as the guiding force that maintains the
order and harmony in the universe, all being that is present and will be present in the
world has a purpose and is included in God’s well-ordered plan. According to
Boethius, all things will inevitably work on justice and redemption by the help of
divine providence. For him, God’s plan will ultimately end up as a harmonious end
consistent with divine justice, even in the face of suffering or what may appear to be
injustice. In his book, he also encouraged his readers to adopt an eternal perspective,
assuring us that our temporary existence is also part of what he calls a larger divine
plan that even in face of life’s challenges, people can still find comfort and fulfillment
knowing that there is a higher order of things.

We all know that God is an eternal being, again, eternal being for Boethius is
an all knowing being. He knows the past, present and future. Events that are subject to
change for us— our future, is a present for God since he is certain of the course of
events in our lives. Boethius addressed this in his work, if God limits human freedom
by his foreknowledge. He believed that us humans possess rationality and are
genuinely free, God’s awareness on the course of the events does not diminish our
freedom of human choices. He emphasized in his work that God’s knowledge is
perfect and is not limited by space or time and will not be influenced by what will
happen in time. He knows them because they happen, rather than their happening
because he foreknows them (Marenbon, 2021). Therefore, his knowledge is perfect
but will not influence the choices that humans will make.

All things considered, the concept of ‘Consolation of Philosophy’ was an

attempt to reconcile human free will with the concept of divine providence. This
attempt had a great contribution to medieval philosophy as groundwork for other
works in the future.

Formulation of Faith and Reason

In light of the previously discussed information, we believe that Boethius is a

Moderate Fideist, as seen in his "Consolation of Philosophy," he sought to reconcile
faith and reason by blending neoplatonism with his theological beliefs. His argument
emphasizes divine providence governing the universe, where God's eternal knowledge
doesn't limit human free will. He supports a harmonious integration of faith and
reason, asserting that God's perfect plan coexists with human rationality and freedom
of choice.
 REFERENCES

Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). (n.d.).

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