- 278 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity
About this book
In this landmark volume of the Sather Classical Lectures, The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity, Albrecht Dihle traces how ancient Greek and early Christian thinkers grappled with the problem of human volition. Beginning with cosmological frameworks in Galen and Celsus, Dihle shows how Greek philosophy long resisted formulating a distinct theory of will, preferring to ground human action in knowledge, reason, and harmony with cosmic order. He contrasts this intellectualism with the Biblical and early Christian emphasis on obedience, divine command, and freedom of will, culminating in the pivotal innovations of St. Augustine.
Bringing together philosophy, theology, and classical philology, The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity maps the slow but decisive emergence of will as a concept distinct from reason and desire. Dihle demonstrates how debates among Platonists, Stoics, and early Christian authors shaped Western notions of freedom, responsibility, and moral agency. Richly erudite yet accessible, the book provides an essential genealogy of a category central to medieval and modern thought, showing how Augustine’s theology of will built on—and broke with—classical traditions.
This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1982.
Bringing together philosophy, theology, and classical philology, The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity maps the slow but decisive emergence of will as a concept distinct from reason and desire. Dihle demonstrates how debates among Platonists, Stoics, and early Christian authors shaped Western notions of freedom, responsibility, and moral agency. Richly erudite yet accessible, the book provides an essential genealogy of a category central to medieval and modern thought, showing how Augustine’s theology of will built on—and broke with—classical traditions.
This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1982.
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Yes, you can access The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity by Albrecht Dihle in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Philosophy & Ancient & Classical Philosophy. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- CONTENTS
- PREFACE
- I. Cosmological Conceptions in the Second Century A D
- II. The Greek View of Human Action I
- III. The Greek View of Human Action II
- IV St. Paul and Philo
- V Philosophy and Religion in Late Antiquity
- VI. St. Augustine and His Concept of Will
- Appendix I
- Appendix II
- NOTES
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Index of Greek and Latin Words
- Index of Passages Cited
- General Index