Buildings crumble, rocks erode, civilizations peak and decay into history. Generations are born, raised, flourish, and die off. However, even the ravages of time cannot alter the timeless art of philosophy. Although separated by nearly 800 years, the philosophical writings of Plato and Saint Augustine have much in common with one another, and like all other ageless philosophical writings, still convey powerful messages to this day. The works of Plato and Augustine have many similar and contrasting interpretations of the nature and role of philosophy.
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Augustine and Plato held several different views regarding the role of philosophy, especially in regards to the use and method of questioning. Plato's approach to philosophical questioning was through the Socratic method. The Socratic method is a teaching style where the teacher does not directly give information, but instead asks a series of questions which lead the student to uncover the desired knowledge by completing the series of logical questions. The Socratic method is the basis for many of the philosophical conclusions reached in Plato's Phaedo. As Socrates questioned his students and friends they came to many different deductions, ranging from the theory of forms to the existence of an afterlife for the soul.
Augustine too relied upon a basis of questioning in order to reach his conclusions. His queries are not to others, or even spoken aloud, but instead are said to God. In this case, his questions come during a confession, which is a much more personal form of seeking truth. God does not speak from the heavens, but instead the answers come from deep soul searching. This form of internal questioning is used throughout Augustine's Confessions, including when he is trying to understand where God is. He asks himself a series of questions, such as "Do heaven and earth contain you because you have filled them?" and " Or have you, who contain all things, no need to be contained by anything because what you will you fill by containing it?"(Confessions 4) By asking such soul searching questions, Augustine can reach a conclusion, in this case that "In filling all things, you [God] fill them all with the whole of yourself.