The Transformative Function of Knowledge in Augustine: Inner Enlightenment and Virtue

This article examines Augustine's understanding of knowledge not merely as a theoretical acquisition but as a moral process that transforms the human being. The first section of the study addresses the foundations of Augustine's epistemology, discussing the connection between knowledge, happiness, and wisdom, as well as the ethical dimension of knowledge and its role in the transformation of the soul. Furthermore, the epistemological role of memory and time is evaluated as dynamics that enable the pursuit of truth. The second section analyzes the influence of Augustinian epistemology during the scholastic period. In this context, Anselm's faith-based approach, Bonaventure's mystical interpretation, and Thomas Aquinas' Aristotelian synthesis are examined, with a focus on the nominalist critiques beginning with William of Ockham. The conclusion states that Augustine's epistemology presents a unique and enduring model that grounds the source of knowledge in inner enlightenment and its purpose in virtuous living, thus concluding the study.