Boethius on Free Will
I have just finished The Consolation of Philosophy. It was quite good. I think I would describe it “as almost a repository of great early Greek philosophy that has been slightly Christianized.” The following passage on Free Will caught my attention, for I think it has something to say about the symptoms of confusion and anxiety that seem so rampant in our society at times.
Heavenly and divine beings have with them a judgment of great insight, an imperturbable will, and a power which can affect their desires. But human spirits must be more free when they keep themselves safe in the contemplation of the mind of God; but less free when they sink into bodies, and less still when they are bound by their earthly members. The last stage is mere slavery, when the spirit is given over to vices and has fallen away from the possession of its reason. For when the mind turns its eyes from the light of truth on high to lower darkness, soon they are dimmed by the clouds of ignorance, and become turbid through ruinous passions; by yielding to these passions and consenting to them, men increase the slavery which they have brought upon themselves, and their true liberty is lost to captivity. Book 5, pages 3-4
Yes. Boethius has in mind here the great chain of being, the hierarchy that progresses down from God to angels to humans to animals to plants. Humans share with angels the capacity for reason; we share with animals the capacity for emotion (the passions). It is the exercise of the intellect and reason, and not of the passions, that frees us–that is, brings us closer to God (pace, Trent Rezner).
The great chain of being is fascinating; and the text cited here no doubt pertains to it. The particular idea emphasized in my mind upon interaction with this passage is the loss of freedom that results when humans turn away from contemplating the mind of God.
Let us not forget the context behind Boethius’ eagerness toward embracing the mind/body dichotomy: he was physically imprisoned. Naturally, a philosphically inclined person would cling to ideas of freedom existing outside the body!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this. Highly Christianized. In an essay on cyberspace, particularly the film _Matrix_ I used this quotation to emphasize humanity’s long-existing desire to have experiences outside of the body:
“Now if, as I say, in sentient bodies the soul is affected by external bodies [materiality] but judges these stimuli presented to the body not passively, but by virtue of its own power, how much more do intelligences which are wholly free from all bodily affections use the power of the mind rather than objects extrinsic to themselves in arriving at judgements.”
I think he was referring to Plato and Socrates “The Republic” Metaphysical world, that which is not based in the physical reality of images (opinions). The prisoner is referring to the Cave analogy. He is adapting it to fit Christianity, placing the Divine Ruler, Providence, God in the metaphysical as the truth, true light , and happiness.