Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Amaleq13 · 06-06-2008, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dog-on

I asked Jeffrey, straight up, did he believe that the stories where actually true. You are confusing that with the question I asked SM regarding what the ancients may have thought.

No, I am not. He gave you the answer to this at the start but you completely ignored it and continued, for whatever reason, to try to force him to label the story either true or fiction. Specifically, you ignored this sentence:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrey Gibson

I consider it a story which was intended to speak of the significance of Augustus. Therefore the evaluation of it in terms of "fiction"/"non fiction" not only is petitio principii and an engagement in the fallacy of bifurcation; it misunderstands what the story is intent to say and the function that it served.

Get it? He considers your question misguided. I suspect it is unlikely he is willing to pretend that he doesn't just to indulge your apparent desire to force him into what he no doubt considers a simplistic box.

Roger Pearse · 06-06-2008, 10:01 AM

Jeffrey is right. The idea of 'divus Augustus' contains quite a number of ideas foreign to modern religious discussion. For instance, even the Christian emperors were identified in this way, if I recall correctly; yet they certainly did not have this idea of divinity in mind. Anachronism is a persistent risk for those who come to antiquity with too much certainty as to what people 'must' say.

Toto · 06-08-2008, 11:58 AM

I will split off the somewhat prurient discussion of overshadowing.

eta: here

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06-06-2008, 10:01 AM	#52
Roger Pearse Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 4,370	Jeffrey is right. The idea of 'divus Augustus' contains quite a number of ideas foreign to modern religious discussion. For instance, even the Christian emperors were identified in this way, if I recall correctly; yet they certainly did not have this idea of divinity in mind. Anachronism is a persistent risk for those who come to antiquity with too much certainty as to what people 'must' say.

06-08-2008, 11:58 AM	#53
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	I will split off the somewhat prurient discussion of overshadowing. eta: here

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