On Free Choice of the Will
by Augustine · De Libero Arbitrio
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 388-395
- Language
- Latin
- Length
- Medium · 130 pp120 to 300 pages
- Difficulty
- Demanding3 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendOn Free Choice of the Will, translated by Thomas WilliamsHackett, 1993Plain, exact and cheap; the translation most philosophy courses assign.
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A dialogue in three books between Augustine and his friend Evodius on where evil comes from. Book I argues that wrongdoing arises from the will's turning from eternal to temporal goods, not from God. Book II proves the existence of God from the truths the mind discovers above itself, and argues that free will is a good even though it can be misused. Book III asks how foreknowledge is compatible with freedom and why God allows sin.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns On Free Choice of the Will are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
