Second Dialogue [11 November 386]

In the previous dialogue, Licentius was stymied as to how to define "error." Today's debate returns to the concept with Licentius pointing out that error is the "approval of a falsehood as truth" [1.4.11]. In this way he can still defend the process of truth since it is only error when you have arrived, in this case erroneously--the process of finding is still a good since one is still not wrong unless one has identified something that is, in truth, error. The emphasis for him is still the search.

The dialogue then shifts into a semantic argument about the word "always." In this case, as "always" is connected with how much time one must invest in the search for truth. The example provided here is if you set out on a journey and you never arrive but you still maintain the journey you would not necessarily ever fall out of journeying (or no one would ever accuse you of such a thing). But, of course, you will eventually die. Always is irrelevant, in a certain way, because of the very finite nature of any search for truth. Thus, it is good enough to know that the journey is happening or the search for truth is happening even if every second of your day is not taken up with searching for the truth.

It took me awhile to make the connection between this argument over "always" and the next shift that occurs--the problem of a "way of life" as it pertains to wisdom. For Trygetius, "wisdom is the right way that leads to the truth" [1.5.14]. So, wisdom and truth are two different things. Wisdom is a path, while truth is the destination (for Trygetius, at least). In this way Trygetius has played into Licentius' definitional trap--by calling the search (wisdom) and connecting wisdom to truth and further connecting wisdom to happiness then the search itself is all that is required to be happy. So they reach a bit of an impasse here at the second dialogue. Wisdom is a kind of life, one in which you seek out truth, but on the way, knowing that you are seeking out truth, you are happy. In this way, always is merely an accidental quality of the path you are on. It is the one who is not searching, is not taking a path of wisdom, is not even knowing there is such a path, that is unhappy, lost, etc. Always is lost on them.

Augustine ends here. Trygetius is upset about falling into the trap. But, because it is too dark to transcribe, Augustine leaves us for another day.