History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 206 - Eileen Sweeney on Anselm
Jan 11, 2015
Anselm's combination of devotional material and discursive philosophy, understanding his arguments and the role of prayers, his concept of faith-seeking understanding, and his spiritual project of seeking God through writing
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Philosophy Mixed With Devotion
- Anselm combined strict philosophical argument with devotional prayer across many genres in his works.
- His writings range from emotional meditations to formal proofs like the ontological argument.
Context Gives The Ontological Argument Purpose
- The Proslogion's ontological argument is short and often isolated, but belongs to a wider devotional-philosophical project.
- Reading it with Anselm's other works shows its spiritual aim and context.
Arguments Intend Desire, Not Exhaustion
- Anselm's arguments aim to extend understanding but always fall short of fully grasping God.
- He balances faith and reason: arguments move the soul toward desire, without claiming complete knowledge.