There are books you read.
And then there are books that seem to be reading you.
Tall Girl has been spending time with two of the biggest names in Western thought: Aristotle and St. Augustine.
So far, she has a preference.
Aristotle looks outward. What is this thing? What is it for? How does the world fit together?
Augustine has an unsettling habit of turning the question around.
Why are you asking?
What are you seeking?
And what does the question reveal about the person asking it?
That can be a little much when you’re just trying to finish the assigned reading.
At the Little Station, Ryan listens to the argument and somehow arrives at a surprisingly useful summary:
Aristotle explains the world.
Augustine explains why the world is bothering you.
Which leaves Tall Girl in the uncomfortable position of admitting that Ryan may actually have a point.
Today’s ROOK grew out of the same real conversation that inspired our Chesterton Radio deep dive, “Was St. Augustine Drinking? Aristotle vs. Augustine.” Two thinkers separated by centuries, approaching some of the same enormous questions from remarkably different directions.
And one college student wondering what, exactly, was going through Augustine’s head.
ROOK
Different adventures. Same journey.