Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus
- Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus
(c. 475/480–524)
Roman philosopher and theologian. Born in Rome of an aristocratic family, the son of a consul (and father of two more), Boethius served as consul and the principal minister for Theodoric the Ostrogoth, who ruled Italy from 493 to 526. However, he fell out of favour, was exiled and imprisoned at Pavia, and executed a year later. It was while he was in prison that he wrote his masterpiece,
De Consolatione Philosophiae (
On the Consolations of Philosophy ), but before that he had written extensively on mathematics, science,
logic,
and theology. His translations included
Aristotle's Categories,
Prior Analytics,
Posterior Analytics,
Topics, and
Sophistical Refutations, whilst his translation of
Porphyry's Introduction (
Isagoge ) to the
Categories of Aristotle, together with his own commentaries, became the standard textbook for medieval logic, and initiated the enduring medieval controversy over the nature of
universals . His own solution to the problem as it is raised by
Porphyry, that universals ‘subsist in sensible things, but they are understood apart from body’, is Aristotelian, although there is also evidence that he inclined towards a more robust
Platonism.
The
Consolations of Philosophy, one of the most influential books of the Middle Ages, is a dialogue between Boethius, who writes in prose, and a personified Philosophy, who answers in verse. It divides into discussions of the fundamental purpose of the universe, the unreliability of fortune and the false promise of many ways of trying to achieve happiness, the goodness of God, and the compatibility of human freedom with his foreknowledge. This last leads Boethius to investigate the nature of time and the nature of God. The work is not, however, Christian in spirit, but more concerned with God as an abstract or Platonic idea: Boethius inclines to a kind of
pantheism in which those who are happy or blessed participate in God. Its classical calm and freedom from sectarianism and superstition, coupled with the circumstances of its composition, give the
Consolations an unmistakable moral authority.
Philosophy dictionary.
Academic.
2011.
Look at other dictionaries:
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus — • Article with a focus on Boethius as a theologian Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 … Catholic encyclopedia
Boethius,Anicius Manlius Severinus — Bo·e·thi·us (bō ēʹthē əs), Anicius Manlius Severinus. A.D. 480? 524?. Roman philosopher and mathematician. Falsely accused of treason, he wrote his greatest work, The Consolation of Philosophy, an investigation of destiny and free will, while… … Universalium
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus — ▪ Roman scholar, philosopher, and statesman born AD 470–475?, Rome? [Italy] died 524, Pavia? Roman scholar, Christian philosopher, and statesman, author of the celebrated De consolatione philosophiae (Consolation of Philosophy), a largely… … Universalium
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus — (ca. 480–ca. 526) Boethius was a late Roman statesman, philosopher, and poet.He is best known for his CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY, written while he languished in prison at Pavia awaiting his eventual execution under Theodoric the Ostrogoth. The… … Encyclopedia of medieval literature
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus — (c. 480 c. 525) Roman senator and noble, whose family boasted an emperor in its lineage and strong Christian credentials, Boethius was one of the last great philosophers of antiquity. Like most Romans of his class, he also served in government … Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus — (c. 480 c. 526) Although today best known for his Consolation of Philosophy, written in prison while awaiting execution, Boethius also influenced medieval philosophy by his translations of Aristotle, his treatise on the Trinity, and his work on … Christian Philosophy
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius — Mittelalterliche Illustration Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boëthius (* zwischen 475 und 480 in Rom, † zwischen 524 und 526 in Pavia) war ein spätantiker christlicher Philosoph. Er gilt als der letzte… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus — (c. 480, Rome – c. 524) Philosopher and statesman, he wrote among many writings De Institutione Musica, which after the ninth century Carolinigian renaissance became the most widely known work of music theory through the late Middle Ages. It… … Historical dictionary of sacred music
BOËTHIUS, ANICIUS MANLIUS SEVERINUS — a Roman statesman, born at Rome, of Consular rank, a profoundly learned man, held the highest offices, Consul among others, under Theodoric the Goth; his integrity and opposition to injustice procured him enemies, who accused him of treason;… … The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
Boethius, Anicius Manlius Severinus — (c. 480–c. 524) Roman statesman and philosopher … Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors
