To Exist And To Participate

Through an analysis of the essence of order in Augustine's thought,this research is trying to give an answer to the question that how should a common person settle himself in modern ethical dilemma.Augustine gave up the philosophical way that one can accomplish his ascending through reason,and made will as an inner part of human nature and the key to one's perfection or inner order.The source of evil is therefore not ignorance anymore,but the wrong direction turning of will.The further cause of will's wrong turning seems to be the limitation of human being who is created from nothing.Augustine took the right order between human being and God as the foundation of one's existence and social participation.In his understanding,the nature of sin is the collapse of this right order,and the nature of salvation is the reestablishment of this right order.In premise of this right order,friendship among human beings may be possible,and marriage,as an sacrament which settles persons who can not resist their sexual desires in the right order,may be with spiritual meaning.However,the reestablishment of the right order between human being and God does not mean that the inner order in human nature is reestablished.We should not just care about the renewal of our own existence,but also need to fulfill our responsibility of love to our neighbours.As to politics,we should bear the badness of the political system as an power order which is in the will of God,but also need to correct the evil behaviours of neighbours who are with political power,because we both need to respect any order established by God and fulfill our responsibility of love to our neighbours.Any kind of political violence including war is not righteous,only the good will behind it and the good result accomplished through it make it seems just.We should not espect an ideal political order with full justice and peace in this world,because only in heavenly order such fullness can be realized.The practical meaning of this research is to make it clear that one can be common and powerless but also be able to keep his moral bottom line through settling down in right order.