The Ethics of Teachers in the Rhetoric of De doctrina christiana

ABSTRACT

Augustine converted rhetoric into teaching methods by putting the purpose of rhetoric in teaching truth in De doctrina christiana. In Augustine’s rhetoric, the speaker should be understood as part of the teacher s role. He is no different from a teacher. Augustine argues, however, that teachers character takes precedence over rhetorical techniques. Both classical rhetoric and Augustine rhetoric emphasize the ethics of the speaker. But while classical rhetoric focuses on what appears to be a credible figure with the aim of persuading the speaker s ethics, Augustine emphasizes the value of good life itself. Augustine emphasized the ethics of teachers because of a new rhetorical environment called truth education. Augustinus structure rhetoric by the purpose of truth and the order of divine love. Augustine embraces Plato s hierarchical world view, defining the purpose of human life and the right purpose of education as happiness itself. Augustine thinks that all things have access to happiness within the order of love, and reinterprets the ancient moral philosophy tradition of the four cardinal virtues in four forms of love. He changes the order of the four cardinal virtues and converts the main virtues, namely moderation and courage, justice and wisdom, into four forms of love. According to him, the educational purpose of happiness can only be reached when the free textbook conforms to the order of love. Teachers should never tell lies because teaching to Augustine is related to the truth of God, the divine happiness, and the order of love.