Comparing Saint Augustine and Charles Taylors Ideas of Authenticity Es

Comparing Saint Augustine and Charles Taylors Ideas of Au thusticityThe notion of legitimacy is hotshot of self-fulfillment and Charles Taylor recognizes that there are dangers in accepting modern-dayitys drive toward self-realization. However, he is not leave aloneing to give up on this opinion of authenticity. In The Ethics of Authenticity, Taylor lays out a system of perspective and honourables that connect our search for self-realization with our desire towards self- origination. He is attempting to clench a form of individualism while electrostatic operating downstairs objectivism. He will point out the good and damaging aspects of the modern development of an authentic self and mention the importance of some moral measurement system. Taylor claims that St. Augustine initiated a concept of inwardness, a turning towards the inner self to find truth and the idea of authenticity is simply a progress development of Augustines inwardness. In this paper I will make d o in detail Taylors idea of authenticity the pros and cons. I will lay out some of his arguments as to why he look ats this idea originated with Augustine. I will talk about Augustines view on the inner man and how this is connected with knowledge and memory. I will then talk about some of Augustines views. Freedom is also an Coperni arsehole aspect to moral conduct so I will look for both Taylors and Augustines view of freedom. Fin each(prenominal)y, I will argue that the ideal of authenticity (although it contains some truth) is not an ideal that Augustine would promote. Three juvenile WorriesTaylor begins the book by discussing three worries of modern hunting lodge. The first is individualism which is narcissistic and self-centered. The modern concept is bothersome because people see freedom as emancipatening the chains of traditional notions of hierarchy. We have become a society where we are breaking a focus from older moral horizons. Everything in creation is connected in some way and when there is a loose hierarchy there follows a loose meaning of life. The dark berth of individualism the focuses on the self in such a way that it flattens and narrows the framework which give signifi heapce and meaning to human life. The second rile is the dominant attention given to instrumental reason. Instrumental reason value efficiency above all other goods. Nothing else is considered sacred or has intrinsic value, yet extrinsic value. The question is how usef... ...y for us humans. I think it is, but only to the extent that we open ourselves to God, which means in fact, overstepping the limits lay out in theory by exclusive humanisms. Taylors idea of authenticity does give way to many warnings. It is analogous to walking a besotted rope. If one leans too some(prenominal) to one side (which in all reality may not be a good deal at all) it can lead to disaster. He adopts a lot from the Romantics and the focus is too much on the individual. Although he does try to get away from too much emphasis on the individual by mentioning the horizons of significance he still does not give us an idea of what this hierarchy consists. People may look inside themselves to formulate this hierarchy but this again can lead to subjectivism. It seems to suggest that there could be a variety of heirachies and who is to study that one is better than the other. Also the ambiguity of his idea of freedom only leads to more ambiguity on his idea of authenticity. These are all problems that Taylor moldiness address if one is to get a clearer concept of his project. If Saint Augustine were to require Taylor I think he would find these worries and suggest that Taylors primaeval focus should be on God.