A pertinência da crítica de Bertrand Russell ao conceito de tempo desenvolvido por Santo Agostinho em Confissões

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relevance of Bertrand Russell's critique of the idea of time developed by Augustine in Book XI of Confessions. This critique is contained in the works Human Knowledge: its scope and its limits, History of Western Philosophy and History of Western Thought. In the first of these, besides discord, Russell brings his own theories of time, stating that Augustine would have failed to neglect these other conceptions and in effect reduced the concept of time to excessive subjectivism. Having this censorship as a motive, the philosophical itinerary outlined by Bertrand Russell was briefly outlined with regard to the problems raised, in order to understand a little what his philosophy developed on the subject. Furthermore, we tried to look for the elements that motivated him to disapprove of the content built by the bishop of Hippo and to discuss which ideas he wanted to prevail in response to what he considered insufficient. This contextualization allows a better understanding of the dissonance highlighted later. Monographic research, in fact, focuses on the target of criticism, points out the difficulties observed by St. Augustine when he examined the difficult question, and provides evidence that there is more than one conception of time in Book XI of the Confessions. Therefore, if an analysis is not diagnosed or considered, the error pointed out by Bertrand Russell will not be pertinent.