An Attempt to Interpret Augustinian Dialog De Quantitate Animae 32, 69 in the Context of Plato’s Theory of the Soul

The article tries to explain the problem of the number of souls as brought up by St. Augustine in his De quantitate animae 32, 69. Considering that De quant. anim. represents an early stage in Augustine’s thought in which was infl uenced by Platonism, the author discusses two possible ways of interpreting De quant. anim. 32, 69. One assumes that Augustin is referring to the relation occurring between the world soul and the individual soul. In the other, the author proposes that the text may apply to the structure of individual soul. Seen in this light, Augustin’s statement („unam simul et multas”) may express the notion that the plural powers with which the soul splits between many forms of its activity does not contradict its oneness and simplicity. Such an understanding of De quant. anim. 32, 69 may be implied by (1) concurrent arguments for complexity of the soul by Augustin and Plato (Rp. 436 B–C); and (2) similarity linking Augustine’s („unam simul et multas”) to Plotinus’ formula: („[...] Πολλή ή ψυχή και η μία”) (Enn. VI 9, 1)

The article tries to explain the problem of the number of souls as brought up by St. Augustine in his De quantitate animae 32, 69. Considering that De quant. anim. represents an early stage in Augustine’s thought in which was infl uenced by Platonism, the author discusses two possible ways of interpreting De quant. anim. 32, 69. One assumes that Augustin is referring to the relation occurring between the world soul and the individual soul. In the other, the author proposes that the text may apply to the structure of individual soul. Seen in this light, Augustin’s statement („unam simul et multas”) may express the notion that the plural powers with which the soul splits between many forms of its activity does not contradict its oneness and simplicity. Such an understanding of De quant. anim. 32, 69 may be implied by (1) concurrent arguments for complexity of the soul by Augustin and Plato (Rp. 436 B–C); and (2) similarity linking Augustine’s („unam simul et multas”) to Plotinus’ formula: („[...] Πολλή ή ψυχή και η μία”) (Enn. VI 9, 1)