The Ethics of Love and the Universality of the City of God in Saint Augustine's Philosophy

Abstract

The emergence of a politically and socially harmonious city, according to Saint Augustine, is fundamentally grounded in the principle of love, which constitutes the foundation of moral values and the philosophy of civilization. Through the ethics of love, the human person either attains moral elevation or falls into spiritual decline, for an individual's true worth is determined by the nature of his or her love, which, in turn, defines one's ultimate allegiance and identity. The universality of civilization and the cosmopolitan vision of the city envisioned by Saint Augustine reflects diverse philosophical influences, including Platonic idealism, its engagement with the problem of moral evil, and Plotinus' conception of matter as the source of corruption and evil. Within this philosophical framework, the ethics of love emerge as the central value through which both the universality of the city and the coherence of civilization may be understood. Accordingly, this study addresses the following question: How can political and social equilibrium within the city and civilization be established through inner psychological balance and the ethical nature of love?