Umbra veri : Arnobiusz i nurty filozofii klasycznej

Abstract

The publication constitutes an attempt to show dynamics of the changes of a European though taking place in a clash of the ancient civilization with Christianity. The work describing the very clash is Adversus Nationes by Arnobius. The author presents the views this philosopher held on a human soul, human being, its origin, as well as human condition, human fate and its images of God and gods. She shows to which extent various trends of classical philosophy reflect in conceptions proposed by an apologist. The first chapter presents a person of a writer and a historio-literary context of the creation of Adversus Nationes. The second chapter is devoted to a presentation of Arnobius’ views on human being creation and condition. She underlines the importance of the knowledge of certain mechanisms that played a decisive role in shaping Arnobius’ worldview (among others the influence of pre-Socratian philosophy on Arnobius’ views on a human soul). The anthropological problems are discussed putting a special emphasis on a human soul and its (im)mortality. The third chapter criticizes a pogan anthropomorphism put forward in apology. The fourth chapter raises the issue the author calls „umbraverization” while the last two chapters touch upon human cognitive capacity. The area linking all phenomena is a tight relationship and bonds between two permeating worlds, an ancient and Christian one in the context of searching the truth. Despite this strong correlation in Adversus Nationes, the pressures between the former culture of a Greek-Roman antiquity and Christian culture under development are reflected. The originality of Arnobius does not consist in a fact that he created a theological or philosophical work, but in basing his apology on the worldview popular in Imperium Romanum and assumptions of classical philosophy.