SIGNS, LANGUAGE AND KNOWLEDGE IN AUGUSTINE’S DE MAGISTRO

SIGNS, LANGUAGE AND KNOWLEDGE IN AUGUSTINE’S DE MAGISTRO Abstract: In his dialogue De Magistro, Saint Augustine debates whether one human being can teach another something using language. For this purpose, he develops his semantics and a general semiotic theory. The first and minor objective of the paper is to show that Wittgenstein’s (1953) Augustinian conception of language applies to Augustine’s semantics. The second and major objective is to show that his skeptical conclusion is epistemic and derives from his strong requirements for justification. For Augustine knowledge requires acquaintance with the epistemic objects. In the case of sensible knowledge, justification consists of first-hand acquaintance; in the case of intellectual knowledge, it consists of understanding thanks to divine illumination. Keywords: Saint Augustine, Augustinian conception of language, Teaching, Significabilia.