Boethius and the Material World

Boethius and the Material World

The attitude and philosophy with regard to the material world that is to be found in the writings of Boethius can best be understood in terms of the basic tenets the Platonic philosophy of idealism. As one study notes: " Boethius was a major channel of Platonist philosophy to the Middle Ages. In 'The Consolation of Philosophy' he teaches that the eternal ideas are inborn ideas that people remember from the previous existence of the soul." (Guisepi R.) His view of the material world relied to a great extent on the thinking of the Greek Neoplatonists, such as Porphyry and Iamblichus. (Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius)

In brief, the Platonic world of ideal forms refers or the true nature of reality as opposed to the mundane or material realm of particulars - which, in essence, is not considered as reality at all. This is clearly illustrated in the famous Platonic allegory of the cave, where humanity sees only the reflections and reality of reality outside the cave and mistakes these reflections for reality itself.

Therefore, the Platonic vision of reality is also seen in the works of Boethius. For Boethius the material world also has no intrinsic value or reality, but is informed by the reality of the ideal world. We see this in his argument concerning universals as opposed to particulars. He argues that, as universals are common to many particulars, they in fact are abstract entities and as such universals they do not exist in reality, but in thought alone. (Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius) better understanding of this critique of the material world can be found in his most famous work, the Consolation of Philosophy. This work was written at the time of his apparently unjust incarceration as he awaited execution. The dialogue in the text takes place between a prisoner, who is obviously Boethuis, and the personification of philosophy. The prisoner complains about his unjust and tragic situation. Philosophy replies that it is attitude and perception of reality that is the true cause of his suffering. She states that, "Why, then, O mortal men, do you seek that happiness outside, which lies within yourselves?" (Boethius - the Consolation of Philosophy) This implies that reality lies not in the material world of fortune and circumstance but is on a different plane and level of experience.

Philosophy goes on to argue that the material world of perception is in effect unreal and nonexistent. It follows that the material search for riches and honor, the desires of the flesh and other aspects that constitute the material world"...lead people astray from what is their true good." (Boethius - the Consolation of Philosophy)

This view is also related to other philosophical questions, such as the difference between good and evil and why evil exits in the world in the first palace. Evil is defined as a lack of reality and therefore the material world is also evil in the sense that it has no true reality. This discussion can be found in Book IV of the Consolation of Philosophy. As one commentator notes:

Philosophy shows how those who are good are strong because everyone seeks the good, and the ability to attain it is evidence of power while the evil are weak because they have not attained it. Those who are called evil are not capable of all, because they have limited themselves by their desire to a partial reality

Boethius - the Consolation of Philosophy)