Augustine's View Of Soul In The Perspective Of Philosophy Of Mind

Augustine,as the most representative figure of the patristic philosophy in the Middle Ages(late 5th century AD——mid-15th century AD),his thought inherited the essence of ancient Greek thought,and became the orthodoxy of the Middle Ages,and he also had a profound influence on later generations.The source of Christian orthodoxy about the soul must be traced back to Augustine.In Augustine's philosophical system,the soul is second only to the existence of God.On the understanding of the soul,Augustine was deeply influenced by Platonism,and has been "transformed" many times.Augustine integrated Platonism into the Christian thought and formed his own unique view of the soul,which also influenced the Middle Ages,view of the soul.On the question of the origin of the soul,Augustine was cautious,and the only certainty was that the soul was created by God from absolute nullity.So,in Augustine's view,soul had the structure and properties similar to that of God.Thus,Augustine argues that the soul is endowed with reason,is spiritual,substantial existence,and is the Trinity structure as God.He eventually tried to define the soul:"a rational spiritual entity." In the process of human growth,the body grows in volume,while the soul grows its own ability.Augustine,like Plato,believes that the soul is rational,and that human knows God exactly by the means of a rational soul.As a part of the human where image of God present,the rational soul is immortal,just like God.So,the soul has not destroyed,is through the reproduction of human beings and exists.After the death of the flesh,the soul continues to exist.Through redemption and God's grace,the soul back to God,as the immortal existence.Augustine,like the traditional views,consider man as a combination of the soul and the body.Although in the world's hierarchy of existence in which the world exists,the soul is higher than the flesh and is closest to God,the flesh is also the entity and plays an indispensable role in human cognition.On the issue of the relation of soul and flesh,Augustine advocated the dualism,and the soul dominates,and the body is subordinate.But different from the view that Plato and other traditions belittled the body,Augustine believes that the flesh is the basis of human cognitive activities.The soul and the body cooperate with each other in accordance with their respective positions and complete the activities of human,which showing a tendency to harmony with spirit.Augustine focused on the positive significance of the combination of flesh and spirit in order to maintain the Christian doctrine.On the basis of the existing research results,this paper interprets Augustine's thoughts on the origin,composition,structure,essence and existence of the soul in the perspective of philosophy of mind.And reliance on the relationship of mind-body to explore how Augustine based on Plato to analyze the internal composition of the soul,to make a distinction between the soul and the mind,and to explain the relationship between the flesh and soul.