Bonaventure and Socrates Worldview Comparison Philosophy Essay

 

Bonaventure and Socrates Worldview Comparison Essay

“He, therefore, who wishes to contemplate the invisible things of God in relation to the unity of His essence should fix the attention of his soul on Being Itself and see that Being Itself is so absolutely certain that it cannot be thought not to be, because the most pure Being Itself does not come to our mind except with the full flight of non-being, in the same way as absolute nothing does not come to our mind except with the full flight of being. Just as, therefore, complete nothingness contains nothing of being or of its attributes, so contrariwise, being itself contains nothing of non-being, either in act or in potency, in objective truth or in our estimate of it” (Bonaventure V.3).

 “Because I didn’t engage in things, if engaging in them was going to benefit neither you nor myself, but instead went to each of you privately and tried to perform what I claim is the greatest benefaction? That was what I did. I tried to persuade each of you to care first not about any of his possessions, but about himself and how he’ll become best and wisest; and not primarily about the city’s possessions, but about the city itself; and to care about all other things in the same ways” (Apology of Socrates 36c).

            Both Bonaventure and Socrates are different on the surface, in terms of their style, audience, and era. However, if we look more closely, we could find certain similarities between their worldview and concepts. To understand the connection between those two philosophers, we must first see the important words and concepts that each philosopher has by examining the passages that I have chosen. Even though the passages do not summarize the entire book, it represents a glimpse of the concepts that Bonaventure and Socrates speak of.

Firstly, I wanted to differentiate Socrates and Bonaventure in terms of the passages that I have mentioned above. Socrates sees the world as a place to practice wisdom, truth, and justice. “The most important thing isn’t living, but living well” (Crito 48b). For Socrates, practicing wisdom, truth, and justice are the things that humans should do in order to live well. Therefore, Socrates tries to encourage others to pursue wisdom. “I tried to persuade each of you to care first not about any of his possessions, but about himself and how he’ll become best and wisest” (Apology of Socrates 36c). Encouraging others to pursue wisdom didn’t end well for Socrates, instead, he was sentenced to death just because of teaching others to pursue wisdom. Therefore, I have chosen the passage 36c, because that passage sums up almost entirely the main problem of the trials of Socrates which is the hindering of pursuing wisdom for young people. Meanwhile, Bonaventure focuses more on finding the journey of the mind to God. Different with Socrates, Bonaventure is a religious Catholic man who thinks that “it is possible to contemplate God not only outside us and within us but also above us: outside, through vestiges of Him; within, through His image; and above, through the light that shines upon our mind” (Bonaventure V. 1).  As I read through the book, I find out that it is indeed possible to contemplate God, however, I found out that there is a human limitation in contemplating the full being of God because God himself has an infinite mind. To contemplate the full being of God in the relation of His Triune Being requires “the most pure Being Itself to come to our mind” (Bonaventure V. 3) and thus, a human can only grasp a part of the full being of God. The passage that I have chosen represents the conclusion of Bonaventure’s journey. Indeed, there are some ways that are achievable through human’s limited mind, but as long as humans are not the pure Being Itself, it is impossible to obtain the full being of God.

Secondly, I wanted to point out the similarities and connections that both philosophers have in terms of their concept in who are humans and how does human, as a being, should properly in touch with the world. Both Bonaventure and Socrates see the world as a place to search and practice the non- materialistic things, with one prominent example as wisdom. Those things are a part of the image and character of God, because whether human realize it or not, humans are “able to see God through yourself as though an image” (Bonaventure III. 1) and because “the Likeness of God alone has the character of that which is most beautiful, most sweet, and most wholesome,” human always tries to reach that “true delight” (Bonaventure II. 8). Gaining wisdom is one of the true delights that Socrates wants the people of Athens to practice because he values that obtaining wisdom is one of the “greatest benefactions” (Apology of Socrates 36c). Consequently, both philosophers have the same perspective that to properly be in touch with the world, a human must ride into the journey of the mind to God with one of the methods by acquiring the non- materialistic things, such as wisdom.

After understanding the differences and similarities of the worldview that Bonaventure and Socrates have, I have selected a recent news story from BBC News titled: “Do schools help or hinder social mobility?” It discusses a recent survey conducted that implies that education in school hinders social mobility in countries. The education system should have been able to moderate social inequality, instead, social inequality has grown. This survey gave a certain remedy for people with less income to bring their children to school, especially in countries where education is not emphasized. If Socrates was here during these times, he would certainly persuade or even force people to go to school to achieve the highest possible education. Education, or gaining wisdom, should have been the “greatest benefaction” (Apology of Socrates 36c) for people. Not only does Socrates would react on this news, but Bonaventure would agree that education is one of the possible ways to be in the journey of the mind to God. Although humans have limited capacities, pursuing education is one of the methods for being to properly be in touch with the world.

In conclusion, both Bonaventure and Socrates may have different principles and backgrounds. Socrates, a Greek philosopher, who was punished to death merely because he persuades people to become the “best and wisest” (Apology of Socrates 36c). While Bonaventure, an Italian philosopher, who “wishes to contemplate the invisible things of God” (Bonaventure V.3). However, those two philosophers are in agreement that gaining wisdom is important. Therefore, obtaining an education, or gaining wisdom, to its highest level is necessary for human beings to properly be in touch with the world and to be in the ride in the journey of the mind to God.