Friendship and Society: An Introduction to Augustine's Practical Philosophy

What can I know? What can I hope for? What should I do? These are three perennial questions of life, and few thinkers have offered such penetrating answers as Augustine. FRIENDSHIP AND SOCIETY is a fascinating volume meant for those interested in what one of history's greatest minds had to say about life in an imperfect world. Bridging expert scholarship and a popular readership, this volume assumes no in-depth knowledge of philosophy or prior acquaintance with Augustine's writings. An introductory reflection on the human predicament is followed by a clear and accurate outline of Augustine's thought on such relevant topics as ethics, politics, society, history, the family, war and peace, crime and punishment, and church and state. Unifying the book is a powerful argument that "friendship" can be the tie that binds us all.

Donald X. Burt, OSA, PhD, is a member of the Augustinian Order. A professor emeritus in philosophy at Villanova University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Father Burt has written thirteen books and numerous articles on the thought of St. Augustine, including Let Me Know Myself . . ., Let Me Know You . . ., and Reflections on a Dying Life published by Liturgical Press.