This lecture discusses key ideas from the early medieval philosopher and theologian, Augustine of Hippo's work, The City of God.
It focuses specifically on his discussion in book 19 bearing on whether the virtues - prudence, justice, courage, and temperance - are the supreme good for human beings or whether they are instead something that can lead us towards the supreme good and happiness.
In examining this, Augustine is criticizing ancient pagan virtue ethics, in particular those of the Stoics, but also those of Aristotelians and Platonists. One of his main arguments is that, in this life, virtues carry out a perpetual war with their opposed vices, and that they do so within us.
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