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Augustine. Faith and Reason.
From On Free Choice of the Will 2.6, 12-13
Augustine: Let’s see now whether reason also judges the inner sense. I am not asking whether you have any doubt that reason is better than the inner sense because I am sure that you would judge so. Yet I feel that now we shouldn’t even have to ask whether reason passes judgment on the inner sense. For in the case of things inferior to it, namely bodies, the bodily senses, and the inner sense, isn’t it after all reason itself that tells us how one is better than the other and how far superior reason itself is to all of them? This would not even be possible unless reason were to judge them.
Evodius: Obviously.
Augustine: Consequently, any nature that not only exists but also lives, even if it doesn’t understand (such as the soul of beasts), is superior to one that merely exists but doesn’t either live or understand (such as an inanimate body). Again, any nature that exists and lives and understands all at once (such as the rational mind of a human being) is superior to animal nature.
Do you think there is anything that can be found in us – that is, among those elements that complete our nature and make us human – that is more excellent than the third item in those three sorts of existence? It is clear that we have a body and a kind of principle of life that enlivens the body itself and makes it grow, both of which we recognize as found also in beasts.
And so it’s clear there must be a third something, the highest point, so to speak, or eye of the soul, or whatever better term might be used to talk about reason and understanding, which mere animals do not possess. So I ask you to consider whether there is anything in human nature more excellent than reason?
Evodius: I can’t see anything at all that would be more excellent.
Augustine: But what if we could, in fact, find something not only superior to our reason, but that also exists? Would you hesitate to call this reality, whatever it is, “God”?
Evodius: If I could find something that’s better than even the best part of myself, I wouldn’t immediately call it “God.” I wouldn’t want to call something “God” just because my reason is inferior to it. Rather, I would only call something “God” is there were nothing superior to it.
Augustine: That makes perfect sense, since God himself has given your own reason the ability to think about him with such reverence and truthfulness. But let me ask you this: if you were to find that there is nothing better than your reason except for an eternal and changeless reality, would you hesitate to say that this is God?
You notice how bodies undergo change and it is clear that the principle of life that enlivens bodies isn’t free from change, but moves through a variety of states. And reason itself obviously experiences change since at one moment it tries to reach the truth and at another moment it doesn’t. Moreover, sometimes it arrives at the trust and sometimes it doesn’t. If reason could see something eternal and changeless, it wouldn’t see it through any organ of the body—not by touch or taste or smell or hearing or seeing or by any sense inferior to reason. Rather, it would have to see this reality through itself, at the same time seeing its own inferiority. And it would have to admit that this reality is its god.
Evodius: I will publicly admit such a reality to be God, if, as we’ve agreed, there is nothing that exists superior to it.
Augustine: Great! It will be enough, then, for me to show that something of this sort exists. You’d have to admit that this thing is God or, if there is something even higher than it, that it is God. As a result, whether there’s something higher or not, it will be obvious that God exists, when, with his help, I shall show, as I promises, that there exists something above reason.
Evodius: Then go ahead and prove to me what you promised…
Augustine: …You wouldn’t at all deny, then, that there exists an unchanging truth that includes all truths that are unchangingly true? Furthermore, you can’t claim this truth is mine or yours or anybody else’s. Instead, it exists to make itself known as something shared by everyone who can see unchanging truths, like a light that is, in a wonderful way, both hidden and public.
But how could anyone say that something that is present and shared by everyone who has reason and understanding is something that belongs to anyone in particular? You remember, I think, how we discussed the bodily senses earlier and how we concluded that any object of perception shared by our seeing or hearing – objects such as colors and sounds, which you and I see and hear at the same time – cannot belong to our individual eyes or ears, but are shared objects of our perception. So also, then, you wouldn’t want to say that shared objects of perception, known to our minds, somehow belong to our minds individually. You simply can’t say that who two people see at the same time with their eyes is something that exists only in the eyes of either one. On the contrary, it must be some third thing that both of them are looking at together.
Evodius: Yes, that’s obvious and makes perfect sense.
Augustine: Well, then, what should we say about this truth that we’ve discussed at length and within which, even though it is one truth, we perceive so many different things? Do you think that, compared to our minds, it is more excellent, of the same quality, or inferior? Let’s say it’s inferior. In that case, we wouldn’t judge things in conformity with it, but would make judgments about it.
We do judge things about our bodies, for instance, because they are lower. We often say that not only do our bodies exist or not exist in a particular way, but we also say that they should or shouldn’t be in that state. The same is true with regard to our souls. We don’t only know that our soul is in a particular state, but we often also know that this is how it should be. We also make similar judgments about external objects, as when we say that a body isn’t as bright as it should be or isn’t as square as it should be and so on. Likewise, with the souls of others, when we say that a souls isn’t as inclined toward good as it should be or that it isn’t as gentle or as forceful as it should be, in keeping with our standards of what is right.
We make these judgments in compliance with the rules of truth within us that we all have in common. But no one ever passes judgment on the rules themselves. So, for instance, whenever someone says that eternal things should be valued more than temporary things, or that seven and three make ten, no one says that this is how things “should” be. Instead, we simply recognize that this is how things are. We are not examiners making corrections. We are, instead, discoverers rejoicing over our discoveries.
If, however, this truth were merely equal with our minds, it would itself be able to change. At times our minds see more of it and at other times less, showing that our minds are changing. But the truth that remains within itself does not increase or decrease by our seeing more or less of it. Rather, by remaining intact and unbreakable, its light brings delight to who have turned towards it, but punishes with blindness those who have turned away from it.
And what about the fact that we judge our own minds in light of this truth, even though we are unable to pass judgment on the truth itself? We say that our mind doesn’t understand as well as it should or that it doesn’t understand as much as it should. But the mind’s understanding is in proportion to how far it is able to draw near and cling to the unchanging truth. As a result, if truth is neither inferior to our minds nor equal to them, it must instead be higher and more excellent.
Augustine: As you recall, I’d promised to show you that there is something higher than our mind and reason. So, there you have it: truth itself! Embrace it, if you can, and enjoy it. “Find delight in the Lord and he will give you the wishes of your heart.” And what do you desire more than to be happy? And who is happier than the person who finds joy in the sturdy, unchanging, most excellent truth?
People claim they’re happy when they embrace the beautiful bodies of their wives (and even of whores!), which they desire so passionately. Can we doubt, however, that we are happy within the embrace of truth? People with parched throats claim they’re happy when they come to an overflowing spring of healthy waters or, if hungry, when they find a big dinner or supper deliciously prepared. Shall we deny that we’re happy when we are refreshed and nourished by truth?
We often hear people claim they’re happy if they lay in a bed of roses and other flowers or enjoy the smell of perfumes. But what could be more fragrant and delightful than the breath of truth? And should we hesitate to say we are happy if we are filled with the breath of truth? Many decide that a happy life for them can be found in singing or the sounds of stringed instruments and flutes. Whenever the music stops, they feel unhappy, but when music is at hand, they are full of joy. When truth slips into our minds with an eloquently speaking silence beyond words, should we then look for some other happy life and not enjoy what is so certain and so closely present to us?
People delight in the gleam of gold and silver, in the glitter of gem stones. They delight in the charm and splendor of light, whether the light of our own eyes or of fires upon the earth or the light of stars or the moon or the sun. And they consider themselves happy when they are not drawn away from these pleasures by any kind of trouble or deprivation. They desire to go on living forever for the sake of such delights. So, should we be afraid to find our happiness in the light of truth?
Quite the opposite. It is in truth that we know and have the greatest good. And since truth is wisdom, we see our greatest good in wisdom. Let us, therefore, make it our goal to enjoy to full measure, for happy indeed is the one whose delight is in the greatest good.
It is this truth that shines a light upon all things that are truly good and which people choose to enjoy, in keeping with their intellectual abilities, either individually or together. But the light of the sun people choose what to look at and delight in. If some are fortunate enough to enjoy sound, healthy, and powerful vision, they would like nothing better than to gaze upon the sun itself as it shines its light upon the other objects in which weaker eyes take their delight. In the same way, when the sharp and strong vision of the mind gazes upon a number of unchanging truths known with certainty, it looks upon truth itself as it illumines all that is true. With a care for anything else, it clings to this truth and, as it enjoys it, it enjoys everything else at the same time. For whatever is delightful in other truths is made delightful by truth itself.
Our freedom is found in submitting to this truth. And it is our God himself who frees us from death, that is, our lives under the power of sin. It is the truth himself, speaking also as a human among humanity, who say to those who believe in him: “If you remain in my word, you are indeed my disciples, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” But the soul is not free in the enjoyment of anything, unless it rests secure in the enjoyment of truth.