22S Reading Group: St. Augustine Against the Academics
Instructor: Victoria Xiao D’22
Five Thursdays: April 7 – May 5
7 – 8pm, On Campus
Can we ever know truth? Do we need to take a stance on what truth is, or should we withhold judgement? Can we withhold judgement? How do we seek understanding and clarification even after we make a faith commitment?
Philosophers (the “Academics”) in the fifth century argued that no wise man can give complete assent to any truth. Against them, St. Augustine sought to establish the rational possibility of the human mind to discover and affirm truth. This is important because if “assent is taken away, so is faith; for without assent nothing can be believed.”
Come join us to learn from St. Augustine’s response to philosophical skeptics and agnostics without discussing any explicitly Christian truths. In this work, St. Augustine have different characters talk to each other in a dynamical dialogue form, making it a joy to follow along.

Week One – 4/5
Against the Academics, Book I (pp. 13 – 38)
Week Two – 4/12
Against the Academics, Book II (pp. 39 – 66)
Week Three – 4/19
Against the Academics, first half of Book III (pp. 67 – 91)
Week Four – 4/26
Against the Academics, second half of Book III (pp. 91 – 114)
Week Five – 5/3
Conclusion
Physical copies of the book will be provided.
Sign up here. All are welcome!