The 5th and 6th Centuries

(Originally written July 22, 2006 in Book 5)

The History of Western Philosophy
Bertrand Russell

Chapter V - The 5th and 6th Centuries

After Augustine died in 430 there was little philosophy.

The most important invaders of the Empire in the 5th century were the Goths. The Goths attacked the west. The huns attacked the East. The Ostrogoths ended the Western Empire in 476. The Vandals conquered Africa and Spain. The Visigoths conquered southern France and the Franks conquered the Northern part.

The Church was plagued by two central heresies, promulgated by Cyril and Nestorius. St. Cyril was patriarch of Alexandria from 412-444. Nestorius was patriarch of Constantinople. The heresies death with Christ's divinity and humanity.

Nestorius held that Christ was two natures: one human and one divine.

St. Cyril inhumanely burned a female philosopher and Alexandria was not troubled with philosophy anymore. Cyril held that Christ had only one nature.

The Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431 favored Cyril's view, partially because Cyril presided and the adherents of his view voted on the matter before Nestorius and his followers showed up. Nestorius was condemned as a heretic but did not recant and founded a Nestorian sect that became popular in Syria and the East. Nestorian beliefs were so popular in China that it almost became the established religion.

Monophysitism grew out of the orthodox view (that of Cyril's) which overemphasized the divine nature of Christ. It was condemned by Pope Leo at the Council of Chalcedon.

The Council of Ephesus declared that Christ was only one Person. The Council of Chalcedon declared Christ was one Person with two natures. But Monophysites still existed in Egypt after the council.

The heresies in Egypt and Syria led to their easier conquest by the Arabs as they were heavily persecuted by the Catholic Church.

There were four men of great importance in the 6th century:
1) Boethius
2) Justinian
3) Benedict
4) Gregory the Great

The Goths incorporated the Roman culture and preserved the Roman way of Life.

Boethius wrote The Consolations of Philosophy which was purely Platonic.

Boethius held that:
1) Happiness was blessedness and this was the good, not pleasure
2) Friendship was a most sacred thing
3) Platonic metaphysics
4) Stoic morality
5) The privative theory of Evil

Boethius was not superstitious or morbid like most men of his age and was not as obsessed with sin.

Justinian was the Eastern Emperor of Rom. He closed the schools of philosophy in Athens due to the Athenian paganism.

Justinian was very pious.

Justinian reconquered Italy and Africa but at the cost of both areas.