Matter in Saint Augustine
Abstract
In Augustine’s exposition of the concept of matter in Book XII of the Confessions, two moments can be distinguished: one in which he conceives a matter that is absolutely formless; another one –later in the chronology of the description– where it appears as formed matter. Although Augustine affirms the existence of formless matter, the characterization that he makes of it separates him completely from the Platonic and Manichean conceptions, where matter is considered an uncreated ontological principle and co-eternal with God. For Augustine, matter is not eternal, but is a creature that has been created “ex nihilo” but, nevertheless, has a being so deficient that it cannot even be temporary, it is an "almost nothing".Downloads
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