I’ve meant to read this for a very long time, probably since I found out that the title of The Consolations of Philosophy, another book I quite enjoyed, was borrowed from this one. In case you don’t know the background, I’ll be quick. The writer was leading a perfectly satisfactory life (in fact, ev ...more
You ever wonder why God (or the universe) would allow a truly awful human being like Donald Trump to flourish? I do and this book delves into that kind of question with gusto. The author, Boethius, through his dialog with the lady, Philosophy, tells us and much more. There is no cop out with his ans ...more
Why does a good God allow bad things to happen to good people? And why does He allow bad people to get away with doing bad things?
In 524, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was executed, most likely by strangulation, on a charge of treason. Whilst languishing in prison, he wrote a book that was to b ...more
525 senesinde öldüğü düşünülen bir adamı okumak istememdeki nedenler şöyleydi: 1- Felsefenin kadın olarak zuhur etmesi (güzel imge) 2- Yazar, haksızlığa uğratılıp idama mahkum edildiğinden gider ayak sağlam bir şeyler keşfetmiş olabilirdi. 3- "Kader / özgür irade problemi" takıntılı bir insan olarak h ...more
The Consolation of Philosophy is about listening to your inner Voice of Reason. Boethius, the author, personified our conscience by employing a feature familiar to his audience, an imaginary dialogue between self and one’s muse, who in his case was Lady Philosophy. This technique and the ensuing exc ...more
Boethius's "The Consolation of Philosophy" is a rare and unusual philosophical work in that it continues to be read by many people who are not philosophers or students of philosophy. This is witnessed by the many thoughtful reader review the book has received here and el ...more
Boethius was in prison on death-row while writing this book, or at least the 524 AD equivalent of what we today refer to as death-row. As such perhaps it is an appropriate book for persons in quarantine due to COVID-19 to be reading. ;-)
Boethius was writing in Latin, but he was using the reasoning ...more
“He would have been remarkably in any age; in the age in which he lived, he is utterly amazing.” —Betrand Russell on Boethius.
First of all, this is a beautiful book. Boethius—himself in a horrible situation—strives to use the extent of his philosophic powers to condole others who are suffering, and ...more
Um desses ímpetos liceais levou-me a ler as "grandes obras filosóficas" cronologicamente. Já não tenho a desculpa de andar no liceu e já deveria saber que não se entende o universo com listas de livros; mas sou apenas um homem, o que desculpa qualquer defeito.
Preface and Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction Summary of the Treatise Note on the Text Select Bibliography A Chronology of Boethius' Life and Times
--The Consolation of Philosophy
Explanatory Notes Index and Glossary of Names...more