HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY

(WESTERN PHILOSOPHY)

PHILOSOPHICAL
JOURNAL CRITIQUE
GENER M. ARAGON

Introduction

In "Self-Examination and Consolation in Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy", Antonio

Donato follows the intuition of Jean de Meun and investigates whether the dialogue in Boethius'

literary piece "Consolation of Philosophy" plays out the internal drama Boethius experienced when

he was imprisoned. Primarily, the delving of it as whether to consider it as an act of "self-

examination." Donato, while examining the two major figures of the literary piece namely:

Boethius and Lady Philosophy, investigates the evident roles and identities of the both. I

corroborate this kind of approach that is a helpful guide to meet the at least expected outcome of

the piece— in which takes the form of a dialogue. In addition, I see its relevance to play in

analyzing of Boethius' masterpiece. I argue that this philosophical approach of Boethius in

suffering is, in a rather way, odd to the contemporary context of society yet beneficial in its very

context.

Summary

The intuition of Jean de Meun was the guiding principle of Donato to analyze the presence

of self-examination in Boethius’ piece. Considering some of the major points concerning the
 HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
(WESTERN PHILOSOPHY)

complaint of him missing his fortune. Donato exerts the Consolation as the way of Boethius to

escape the mentality of causing own self as misfortune and healing own self from the downfalls

caused by pain in the sufferings. For instance, the turbidity in Boethius' thinking. As the scholar

agrees to Meun’s perception, the dialogue is between Boethius' two-parted self during his

imprisonment: (1) the Boethius who suffers and thinks of his lost in external goods— the weak

side, and (2) Lady Philosophy, an allegorical character of the same persona— the strong side, who

contributes to the realization of what is the true happiness and healing of the wounded Boethius.

Consequently, Donato excavates the need of the two to each other. That what lacks on

Boethius is the presence of Lady Philosophy, and the presence of Boethius is what completes the

essence of Lady Philosophy. In addition, the real purpose of Lady Philosophy in the world where

man is blinded by the external good; that those who embrace the false happiness do not, in reality,

live the true happiness of man.

In connection to the latter part of the last paragraph, the realization Lady Philosophy

provides to the inability of a person to recognize human reason and live by it is a byproduct of

one's inability to recognize true happiness itself. That, without detachment from the external goods,

one could not disenthrall himself to the futile cling it causes to man's blindness to see the true

happiness. Moreover, the role played by emotions in misleading man to achieve that full potential

of proper thinking. Lady Philosophy argues that emotions impacts and affects man to acquire the

clearness of thought and misguides man to think of which that worldly allurements are rather

beneficial instead of detrimental for one's soul. That, emotions, as part of man's frailty prevent

human minds from flourishing(Donato, n.d.). The figurative character of Lady Philosophy

provides Boethius remedy that is applied gently and gradually to the pain before the cure itself
 HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
(WESTERN PHILOSOPHY)

relieve the totality of its sufferings. Donato writes these in the article journal with a limited citation

of the beforetime of Boethius imprisonment. A less emphasis to the reason why Boethius was

imprisoned and suffers. Donato, on the latter part of journal article, concludes that what Boethius

experienced in his time of imprisonment is an indirect kind of self-examination.

Critique

The recognition of the author to state of Boethius and his concept of misfortune. An

objection to this inclusion would contribute to non-sensible argument. Hence, an addition would

be more advantageous. In relation to the perception of Boethius on his situation as misfortune, it

is noteworthy that this kind of thinking indicates an initial reason why Boethius was put into the

context as someone carried by his emotions rather than his reason— by which the author

inexplicitly mentioned and emphasized. An explanation would create a more vivid introduction

with this kind of little details included. Nevertheless, I commend the inclusion only with a

suggestion to make amelioration.

The irony in the preferred term of misfortune in suffering. This objection would make its

relevance to Boethius’ concept of suffering in relation to the way of the journal’s author described

it. Was it not the suffering the tool of realization? Would the persona Boethius be realized and

guided by the persona Lady Philosophy if there was, in the very first place, no suffering an avenue

to meditate and ponder on what life and true happiness are all about. I argue that the presence of

the lack was the prerequisite to appreciate the such. That if someone is aware that he fouls in odor

appreciate his daily hygiene. That if someone is thirsty that same somebody realizes the importance
 HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
(WESTERN PHILOSOPHY)

of water. In addition, notwithstanding in irony, the circumstance of suffering is the reason of

Boethius’ realization of true happiness. The Lady Philosophy, in fact, influences the thinking of

Boethius in Epicurean way. That Boethius, to give solace in his suffering, needs to appreciate what

are the things that do not cause his pain i.e. his wife and children. With what the Lady Philosophy

says, I excavate the value of suffering in analyzing one’s giftedness.

Another possible objection to the need of both characters to each other. I argue that

Boethius and Lady Philosophy do not need each other. Albeit that the absence of Lady Philosophy

is the impotence of Boethius, I disagree that they need each other. Man’s emotion and reason are

one innate principle. What drives the search for reason is an initial emotion. The one is the cause

of the other. These two could be define separately but could not be dissevered. In the case that an

emotion is what hinders man from flourishing, it could be explained in metaphor:

In a hot summer day, a man named Cephas wishes for a breeze to

visit to relieve the heat. The breeze, as something that comes occasionally

has nothing to cause but a relief for Cephas who rests and passively seats

waiting for a good refreshing ambiance to come. Nonetheless, the breeze

that once enjoyed by Cephas increased its intensity. Cephas had stayed and

stood amidst the storm and forgot his milieu.

Emotion must always be accepted and asked. This what makes man ‘man.’ Indeed, the

overlapping in my idea with the Lady Philosophy is evident. However, I argue that emotion is the

cause to reason. Yet too much emotion does not produce reason.
 HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
(WESTERN PHILOSOPHY)

An objection to Lady Philosophy’s clarification of the first gentle applications of remedy

before the cure according to the author’s translation/interpretation is the similarity of the two. Is

the gentle applications of remedy before the cure of pain is indeed different or not? Are these two

distinct from the other or a remedy of its remedy’s lack? In someone’s keenness, the obvious

appearance of Lady Philosophy in finding and providing the cure for Boethius pain is there. It is

noteworthy that Boethius is the one who drives the dialogue and not Lady Philosophy. The

authority Lady Philosophy establishes during the dialogue applies but does not maneuver the

direction of the healing and hasten its process. Lady Philosophy also searches and go with the

direction Boethius leads her. When something is imposed and influenced as remedy or cure, Lady

Philosophy continues to aid if the remedy was not sufficient. It is like applying the water therapy

in a simple flu. If the water suffices and helps the body to heal and no more medicine is needed. It

is not also needed to go the hospital and ask a doctor for prescription. And if symptoms persists,

then it is evident that one must seek and consult a doctor. The gentle application of remedy into

Boethius’ pain could be the cure if at first relieved easily by it. On the case Boethius suffers from,

something more is needed— a remedy that is sufficient.

To criticize constructively, the insufficient background story was a lack. The context of

Boethius’ sufferings could be magnified by the knowledge of his former state of living.

Boethius was well-known man that made an impactful contribution to his society. The

unknown and unclear cause of his imprisonment intensifies his feeling of misfortune. Boethius

considered himself as accused unfairly by the government and this injustice was what caused his

great tragedy of losing even the human reason to understand the true happiness of life— for the
 HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY
(WESTERN PHILOSOPHY)

reason that he once lived abundantly. His fall from his high flight in external goods of a great life

increased the pain of his fall to the abyss of loss (The School of Life, 2018).

The information from the latter paragraph could intensify the mental state of the readers or

even establish empathy in them.

I conclude that Boethius’ Consolation to Philosophy reveals and teaches the academe self-

examination in philosophical manner. In its indirect approach in a dialogue. A reflective sense is

beyond and is dwelling.

Conclusion

In “Self-Examination in Boethius’ Consolation to Philosophy,” Donato realizes the

underlying self-examination of Boethius’ philosophical piece. I assert that with knowledge and

awareness of the importance of self-examination, one is philosophically and emotionally better. In

regard to Donato’s search for the self-examination, I conclude that characters inside such as the

weak one and strong one are to be addressed and utilized to better ourselves.