Language and Knowledge: The Teacher (De Magistro) of Saint Augustine

In Language and Knowledge: The Teacher (De Magistro) of Saint Augustine, Michael Young offers a groundbreaking exploration of one of the most profound yet often overlooked philosophical dialogues of late antiquity. Delving into Augustine's intimate conversation with his son Adeodatus, this book unpacks the enduring mysteries of language, teaching, and human understanding that remain as vital today as they were over sixteen centuries ago. Combining meticulous historical scholarship with insightful philosophical analysis, Young illuminates Augustine's revolutionary theory of signs—words as pointers rather than vessels of knowledge—and his visionary concept of the "interior teacher," the divine light awakening understanding within the learner's soul. Traversing the rich intellectual heritage from Plato and Aristotle through medieval scholasticism to modern philosophy of language, the book reveals how Augustine's De Magistro laid the foundation for centuries of thought about how humans communicate, learn, and seek truth. Accessible yet erudite, this volume invites scholars, students, educators, and anyone fascinated by the power and limits of language to rediscover Augustine's timeless insights. It challenges readers to reconsider what it truly means to teach and learn, offering a profound meditation on the dialogue that shapes human knowledge and the inner light that guides it.