Reflection of Aesthetic in the Idea of Saint Aurelius Augustinus

Abstract

In this study, Saint Aurelius Augustinus’ philosophical point of view and his understanding of art and his thinking are discussed. The aesthetic stance, aesthetic ideas and views in his mind were revealed. St. Augustinus, synthesizing Ancient Greece and Christianity in a Neoplatonic understanding, argues that the source of all knowledge is “God”. According to him, philosophy is an opportunity to find oneself as an activity of self-knowledge. Because, man approaches “God” and tries to discover “God’s source of knowledge with philosophy. For this reason, art is together with thought, and thoughts are together with art.

In St. Augustinus’ philosophical understanding, as man imitates “God”, he acquires the knowledge of beautiful, good, pleasant, happiness, love, etc., concepts. In this context, it uses aesthetic elements to acquire spiritual satisfaction. St. Augustinus’ aim is to reach perfection based on the movement from the part to the whole in order to achieve the ideal form. In addition, according to him, if unity and integrity are provided, beauty manifests itself. Beauty is not a temporary thing. According to him, harmony, order, measure, unity, equality and integrity are the basic principles of beauty, and absolute beauty is what manifests itself in these principles.