/lit/ - Literature

>>19985984
Plato

>>19986032
I’ve already read Plato

>>19985984
Nothing. This is where philosophy peaked. Everything after this was just going downhill.

>>19986039
Then you should understand the limits of rhetoric.
>>19986047
Unironically this.

Confederacy of Dunces

I also recently read this. Seemed like a lot of unfounded assumptions. I really couldn't get into his mindset.

>>19985984
confederacy of dunces

>>19986090
>Seemed like a lot of unfounded assumptions.
Elaborate, because I found his arguments to be airtight.

>>19986039
Then you're done. No more books. Move on.

I like book one where he first meets Philosophy, but when they start with the first days of medieval times god and worldview I just can’t take the work serious anymore.
Conditioned in 2022 I need something different. Book I is still great though.

>>19985984
You read the Modistae and expand on the modality part in your Organon of thought

Read Copleston's A History of Medieval Philosophy. It is really a history of Christian philosophy all the way down to the Ockhamites and Nicholas of Cusa (the early Renaissance). It will put Augustine, Boethius, and the church fathers in context too. Really nice book, just the right length too (300, not 600 pages).

>>19985984
Live in your mom's house and get a job selling hot dogs.

>>19986118
>Then said she: 'This world of ours—thinkest thou it is governed haphazard and fortuitously, or believest thou that there is in it any rational guidance?'

>'Nay,' said I, 'in no wise may I deem that such fixed motions can be determined by random hazard, but I know that God, the Creator, presideth over His work, nor will the day ever come that shall drive me from holding fast the truth of this belief.'

The world is obviously random and insisting otherwise is just wishful thinking.

>And yet thou knowest whence all things have proceeded.'
>'Yes, that I know,' said I, 'and have answered that it is from God.'
Citation needed.

And then they go on about how the good™ is god and all men strive toward this good™ even if no one even knows what the good™ is.

>>19985984
Unironically Confederacy of Dunces

>>19987609
>The world is obviously random and insisting otherwise is just wishful thinking.

This is the point of Book IV. You have to have accepted the previous premises before this exposition and eventual arguments will make sense. The following exchange takes place at the end of part IV of Book IV
>It surprises me that these things are turned upside down so that good men are oppressed by punishments that should have been given to criminals and bad men get rewards that should have gone to the virtuous. Can you explain to me how this confusion happens? I should be less puzzled if I could suppose that it was all aleatory and random. But my belief in God the ruler makes this hard to accept and deepens my confusion. God gives rewards to the just and punishments to the unjust, but he also seems to give delights to the wicked and harsh treatment to the good. Why should this be? And how is it different from pure chance?”

Lady Philosophy replies;
>“If the true causes of something are not understood,” she replied, “it can appear to be random and confused. But although you cannot understand the way things are ordered in the universe, you can rest assured that a good governor does indeed keep order and has a plan. You should not doubt that every thing happens as it should.”

Boethius does not find this to be a satisfactory answer, and continues in section V of Book IV.
>“Fine,” I said, “but it is a part of our business for you to reveal these mysteries and explain those things that are clouded and hidden. I am disturbed by these inconsistencies and beg you to explain a little more fully the apparent randomness of good and bad fortune.”

I highly recommend reading Book IV in its entirety, but section V has the rebuttal to your claim.

>And then they go on about how the good™ is god and all men strive toward this good™ even if no one even knows what the good™ is.

This was well established in the earlier books(Book III, section X). God is the highest Good, as nothing can be greater than God-- else that greater than would be the highest Good, and therefore God.

Reread the book. I recommend the Slavitt translation.

friendly bump