Friday, February 18, 2011

Boethius-The Consolation of Philosophy

It's Friday again!

Today's blog is happening while class is going on, because this subject matter makes my brain fry. Seriously, there are times when I think I hear a faint sizzling sound in my ears. (just kidding!) However, this subject matter really does make my brain hurt and I honestly have trouble understanding it. I honestly feel like they talk in circles and this is the second time I have read and attempted to comprehend The Consolation of Philosophy. Here is what I sort of grasp, (I'm sorry, it isn't much and it is going to be very basic and random!)

There are two Boethiuses (?) (not sure if that is the correct plural or not! haha...moving on), a real living man who wrote The Consolation of Philosophy and there is a character in the book named Boethius.

The real Boethius wrote The Consolation of Philosophy in isolation after his life was taken away by an evil man named Cyprian who wanted more power. The real Boethius and the character Boethius have similarities. (okay, enough background information..mainly because that is all I remember!)

The basic question that Boethius is trying to answer is this: Why do bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people? This is of course an honorable question because everyone at some point in their life has asked this question. While I understand what question Boethius is asking, I am not ashamed to admit that I do not understand the answer.

I am not a philosophy major and I do not pretend to be some brilliant human-being that can understand all kinds of things. This is way beyond my comprehension level and really makes my life more difficult. This is what I have gathered from the class and I honestly wouldn't have gotten this on my own at all.

Lady Fortune is a fickle woman who can give you false goods, (the things we love in life) but can also take them away from you as well. These false goods, (fame, power, wealth, public office, and pleasure) aren't true happiness because they aren't really our own. Now, somewhere in all of this providence, fate, chance and free will come into the picture which ultimately brings about the understanding of true happiness.

According to Lady Philosophy true happiness = True Good which comes from the one true God.

This has been the most painful blog I have had to write the whole time. Mainly because this has been the most painful reading I have had to tackle so far. My brain hurts now and I am not even sure what I typed makes sense. I apologize if it doesn't. Thanks for suffering along with me.

Until Next Time.
XOXO,
Julia

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