Against the Academics - Classic Text | Alexandria
Against the Academics by Augustine of Hippo, also known as Contra Academicos, represents more than a philosophical dialogue; it is a gateway into the soul of a man grappling with skepticism on the precipice of conversion. Penned in Cassiciacum in late 386 AD, shortly after Augustine's resignation from his teaching post and preceding his baptism, it embodies a pivotal moment in intellectual history where classical philosophy encounters nascent Christian thought.
The dialogue, composed of three books, unfolds within the cultivated retreat offered by Verecundus' estate. These discussions, featuring Augustine, his mother Monica, his brother Navigius, and close friends Trygetius and Licentius, delve into the merits and pitfalls of Academic skepticism, a dominant school of thought in Roman intellectual circles. Augustine directs his focus on piercing the claims of the New Academy, which asserted the impossibility of certain knowledge, a position he found both intellectually unsatisfying and spiritually perilous. The work must be understood, not independently, but next to his other works written alongside it, "On the Happy Life" and "On Order".
Over the centuries, Against the Academics has been interpreted through various lenses, serving as both a defense for faith-based truth and a testament to the enduring power of reason. Though seemingly eclipsed by Augustine's later theological works, its significance lies in reflecting Augustine's early philosophical development and providing an important window into the fusion of Platonic thought and Christian doctrine. It stands therefore as a testament to the complex interplay between doubt and belief and the quest for ultimate fulfillment of the human soul. What does Augustine's early engagement with skepticism tell us about the trajectory of his faith and the enduring tension between reason and revelation?