Product Description
Book Three of The False Wisdom of Philosophers is a philosophical treatise written by Lactantius, a Christian author and advisor to the Roman emperor Constantine in the 4th century AD. In this book, Lactantius critiques the teachings of various ancient philosophers, including Epicurus, Zeno, and Plato, arguing that their ideas are flawed and ultimately lead to moral decay and spiritual emptiness.Lactantius begins by addressing the Epicurean philosophy of pleasure, arguing that the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good is misguided and ultimately leads to a life of selfishness and moral decay. He then turns to the Stoic philosophy of self-control, arguing that the Stoics' emphasis on reason and self-discipline is insufficient for achieving true virtue and happiness.Next, Lactantius critiques the Platonic philosophy of the soul and the afterlife, arguing that Plato's ideas about the immortality of the soul and the existence of a perfect realm of Forms are baseless and unproven. He also critiques the Aristotelian philosophy of nature, arguing that Aristotle's emphasis on empirical observation and natural causation is insufficient for understanding the true nature of the universe.Throughout the book, Lactantius presents a Christian alternative to these various philosophical systems, arguing that true wisdom and happiness can only be found through faith in God and the pursuit of virtue and righteousness. He emphasizes the importance of humility, compassion, and selflessness, and argues that these virtues are essential for achieving true happiness and fulfillment in life.Overall, Book Three of The False Wisdom of Philosophers is a powerful critique of ancient philosophy and a compelling argument for the superiority of Christian theology and ethics.Does wisdom therefore nowhere exist? Yes, indeed, it was amongst them, but no one saw it. Some thought that all things could be known: these were manifestly not wise. Others thought that nothing could be known; nor indeed were these wise: the former, because they attributed too much to man; the latter, because they attributed too little. A limit was wanting to each on either side. Where, then, is wisdom? It consists in thinking neither that you know all things, which is the property of God; nor that you are ignorant of all things, which is the part of a beast.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
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