A correlação entre as noções de “vontade” e “medida” no diálogo De beata uita de Santo Agostinho
Arquivos
Data
2014-11-28
Autores
Silva, Josadaque Martins 
Orientadores
Savian Filho, Juvenal
Tipo
Dissertação de mestrado
Título da Revista
ISSN da Revista
Título de Volume
Resumo
Procurar-se-á neste trabalho expor certas direções para um estudo da correlação entre as
noções de “vontade” e “medida” no diálogo De beata uita de Santo Agostinho. O diálogo De
beata uita consiste numa reflexão sobre a natureza da felicidade, tendo como ponto de partida
o desejo universal de ser feliz. Ao perguntar-se pela natureza da felicidade, Santo Agostinho
se dá conta de que o ser humano só pode ser feliz se tem o que quer, mas, como aprende de
Cícero, constata que ter o que se quer é diferente de ser feliz, pois é possível não ser feliz
tendo tudo o que se quer, uma vez que nem sempre o ser humano deseja aquilo que é bom.
Sob essa perspectiva, a posse de bens pode ser compatível com a infelicidade – sinônimo de
indigência –. Para evitar a infelicidade ou corrigir o desejo equivocado, requer-se sabedoria, a
medida da alma que orienta a vontade para desejar o que é bom. É ela também que, no limite,
orienta para a busca e a posse de um bem que não se perca, o único capaz de corresponder ao
desejo da felicidade. Tal bem só poderá existir numa natureza divina. Assim, o tratamento
dado ao tema da felicidade no De beata uita não se reduz à identificação de uma realidade que
satisfaça o desejo de ser feliz, mas implica necessariamente uma investigação da vontade em
sua relação com algo que a oriente, isto é, a sabedoria ou medida da alma.
The aim of this thesis is to show some possibilities for a study of the correlation between the concepts of “will” and “measure” in St. Augustine’s dialogue De beata uita. This dialogue is a reflexion about the nature of happiness, and its starting point is the universal wish of being happy. Asking about the nature of happiness, Augustine realizes that human beings can be happy only if they got what they want, but on the other hand, as he learns from Cicero, he notes that having what is wanted is different from being happy, because human beings do not always want what is good for them and, so, might be submissive to the malice of their own will. Seen from this perspective, the possession of temporal goods can be compatible with unhappiness - synonymous with indigence - if one has no wisdom, i.e., the measure of the soul that guides the will to desire what is good. Augustine, because of this, looks for a good whose possession may not be lost, an imperishable, immutable, permanent and independent good. Such goodness can exist only in a divine nature, whence the assertion that happiness is in God. Therefore, the topic of happiness, in De beata uita, is not limited to the identification of a reality that satisfies the desire for being happy, but it is directly related to the theme of the will, because the desire for happiness is a desire for an immutable good (God). So, as it was already mentioned, the aim of this thesis is to examine the meaning assigned by Augustine for wisdom as a measure of the soul (and, therefore, as a guideline of the will), in the pursuit process for happiness.
The aim of this thesis is to show some possibilities for a study of the correlation between the concepts of “will” and “measure” in St. Augustine’s dialogue De beata uita. This dialogue is a reflexion about the nature of happiness, and its starting point is the universal wish of being happy. Asking about the nature of happiness, Augustine realizes that human beings can be happy only if they got what they want, but on the other hand, as he learns from Cicero, he notes that having what is wanted is different from being happy, because human beings do not always want what is good for them and, so, might be submissive to the malice of their own will. Seen from this perspective, the possession of temporal goods can be compatible with unhappiness - synonymous with indigence - if one has no wisdom, i.e., the measure of the soul that guides the will to desire what is good. Augustine, because of this, looks for a good whose possession may not be lost, an imperishable, immutable, permanent and independent good. Such goodness can exist only in a divine nature, whence the assertion that happiness is in God. Therefore, the topic of happiness, in De beata uita, is not limited to the identification of a reality that satisfies the desire for being happy, but it is directly related to the theme of the will, because the desire for happiness is a desire for an immutable good (God). So, as it was already mentioned, the aim of this thesis is to examine the meaning assigned by Augustine for wisdom as a measure of the soul (and, therefore, as a guideline of the will), in the pursuit process for happiness.
Descrição
Citação
SILVA, Josadaque Martins. A correlação entre as noções de “vontade” e “medida” no diálogo De beata uita de Santo Agostinho. 2014. 113 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Filosofia) – Escola de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Guarulhos, 2014.