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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity

The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity

Dihle, Albrecht

Paperback

Philosophy

ISBN10: 0520308603
ISBN13: 9780520308602
Publisher: University of California Press
Published: Jan 1 1982
Pages: 278
Weight: 0.91
Height: 0.63 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
In this landmark volume of the Sather Classical Lectures, The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity, Albrecht Dihle traces how ancient Greek and early Christian thinkers grappled with the problem of human volition. Beginning with cosmological frameworks in Galen and Celsus, Dihle shows how Greek philosophy long resisted formulating a distinct theory of will, preferring to ground human action in knowledge, reason, and harmony with cosmic order. He contrasts this intellectualism with the Biblical and early Christian emphasis on obedience, divine command, and freedom of will, culminating in the pivotal innovations of St. Augustine.

Bringing together philosophy, theology, and classical philology, The Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity maps the slow but decisive emergence of will as a concept distinct from reason and desire. Dihle demonstrates how debates among Platonists, Stoics, and early Christian authors shaped Western notions of freedom, responsibility, and moral agency. Richly erudite yet accessible, the book provides an essential genealogy of a category central to medieval and modern thought, showing how Augustine's theology of will built on--and broke with--classical traditions.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1982.

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