Abstrakt: | 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. |