 Boethius teaching his students (initial in a 1385 Italian manuscript of the Consolation of Philosophy.)initial  Born Rome 480 ADRome  Died Pavia 524/5 ADPavia  Era Medieval philosophyMedieval philosophy  Region Western philosophy  Main interests problem of universals, religion, musicproblem of universalsreligionmusic  Notable ideas The Wheel of FortuneThe Wheel of Fortune

 Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, [1][2][3] commonly called Boethius (ca. 480–524 or 525 AD) was a philosopher of the early 6th century. He was born in Rome to an ancient and prominent family which included emperors Petronius Maximus and Olybrius and many consuls. [3] His father, Flavius Manlius Boethius, was consul in 487 after Odoacer deposed the last Western Roman Emperor. Boethius, of the noble Aniciafamily, entered public life at a young age and was already a senator by the age of 25. [4] Boethius himself was consul in 510 in the kingdom of the Ostrogoths. In 522 he saw his two sons become consuls. [5] Boethius was imprisoned and eventually executed by King Theodoric the Great, [6] who suspected him of conspiring with the Eastern Roman Empire. While jailed, Boethius composed his Consolation of Philosophy, a philosophical treatise on fortune, death, and other issues. The Consolation became one of the most popular and influential works of the Middle Ages. A link between Boethius and a mathematical boardgame Rithmomachia has been made. [1][2][3]philosopherRomePetronius MaximusOlybriusconsuls [3]OdoacerWestern Roman EmperorAnicia [4]Ostrogoths [5]Theodoric the Great [6]Roman EmpireConsolation of PhilosophyRithmomachia

 Let's look at another text, in which Ockham discusses concepts. This is from his Ordinatio, I, dist. 2, q. 8, translated in William of Ockham, Philosophical Writings, ed. Boehner, pp In this text Ockham presents two possible theories of what a concept is. Read from pp. 41 to two-thirds down p. 43. Comment. In the second sentence the phrase 'that exists in a subject [of inherence]' translates the Latin habens esse subiectivum, more literally, 'that has subjective being'; and 'has being only as a thought object' translates habet esse obiectivum, 'has objective being'. The contrast between subjective and objective being is easily misunderstood. In modern philosophy subjective means 'coloured by the character, prejudices etc. of the knowing subject', and objective means 'really there in the object'. In medieval terminology subjective means 'really there in some subjectout there in the world' - e.g. a Julius Caesar shape in a block of marble, the block being the subject in which, 'subjectively', the Julius Caesar shape exists as an accident. By 'objective' they meant 'in the mind as object known': so when I think about the statue of Julius Caesar, it was said that this object, the statue, exists 'objectively', i.e. exists as object of thought, in my mind.

 Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius was born into a Christian aristocratic family, learned Greek and translated many works into Latin, wrote books on arithmetic, geometry, music, and theology, became Consul of Rome under King Theodoric in 510, had the honor of his two sons becoming joint Consuls in 522 when they were chosen by Theodoric and the eastern Emperor Justin, after which he was selected for the high position of magister officiorum, when suddenly he was accused of treason for defending the Roman Senate and the falsely accused Albinus and put in prison in 523 by Theodoric's command. In the context of this situation of his drastic fall from the heights of fortune, Boethius wrote while in prison the Consolation of Philosophy. After about a year's time in which the work was completed, he was brutally executed. The chronicle Anonymous Valesii states in articles 85-87:Consolation of Philosophy

 Political philosophy is, in one respect, simply that part or extension of moral philosophy which considers the kinds of choice that should be made by all who share in the responsibility and authority of choosing for a community of the comprehensive kind called political. In another respect, it is a systematic explanatory account of the forms of political arrangement that experience and empirical observation show are available, with their characteristic features, outcomes, and advantages (and disadvantages and bad aspects and consequences). Though in form descriptive and contemplative, and thus non-practical, this aspect of political philosophy remains subordinate, in its systematization or conceptual structure, to the categories one finds necessary or appropriate when doing moral and political philosophy as it should be done, that is, as practical thinking by one whose every choice (even the choice to do nothing now, or the choice do moral or political philosophy) should be a good use of opportunity.

 “Music is part of us, and either ennobles or degrades  “Nothing is miserable unless you think it is so” Nothing is miserable unless you think it is so  “A man content to go to heaven alone will never go to heaven A man content to go to heaven alone will never go to heaven  “Music is part of us, and either ennobles or degrades our behavior” Music is part of us, and either ennobles or degrades our behavior  “If there is a God, whence proceed so many evils? If there is no God, whence cometh any good?” If there is a God, whence proceed so many evils? If there is no God, whence cometh any good?

 The sorrowful writer is visited by a vision of a woman standing over him. A mystical vision, she is "full of years" yet with undiminished color and vigor. She appears to him of varying height, sometimes of normal human dimensions and sometimes scraping the heavens. Boethius carefully notes her robe, which he says consists of an "imperishable material" woven by her own hands. This magical dress, however, is covered with the dust of long neglect. She bears written on her hem the Greek letter Pi, and on the top of her gown the letter Theta. Between these letters is a ladder of steps going from the bottom to the top