Self Transformation in Machiavelli and St. Augustine

This subject discusses self veeration as described in The Prince and Confessions. (3 pages; 2 sources; MLA citation style.\n\nI world\nSelf-transformation (or reinventing unityself) is not new; its been a necessary give way of politics of all kinds for centuries. This report looks at what Machiavelli and St. Augustine deal to enjoin about it.\nII Machiavelli\nIn his notorious little book The Prince, Machiavelli gives some very practical(prenominal) advice to princes who involve to be prosperous rulers. He says that although it would be courteous if a prince could keep his record book and live by legality not with craft, do it tells us that the great princes afford recognized that such things efficacy not be possible. Instead, they have conditioned that there atomic number 18 ii ways of contesting, the ane by law, the other by labor; the first is seize to savages and the second to men. (Machiavelli, PG). Thus, a prince must(prenominal) understand how to acc ess twain sides of his nature; and be, when required, a beast or a man.\nHowever, a prince who uses this technique must in addition know how to deceive his subjects so they atomic number 18 unaware of the point that he is using force rather than obeying the law. A prince must therefore learn to transform himself, as needed, while at the same time covert this transformation from his subjects. This need for perplexity is therefore one of the greatest limits of self-transformation for Machiavelli.\nIII St. Augustine\nIn one sense, all of the Confessions is a base of self-transformation, and its limits. The first eight books are an autobiography of Augustines life, his passions, pleasures, and hunting for truth. He was in any sense a military personnel being, which is why he is so much admired: he was a lusty new-fashioned man who had several mistresses, traveled, read, taught and learned what it was to lose a affectionately friend to death. He alike experimented with at lea st two other religions or philosophies before returning to Christianity (the true creed). He was, to use the novel idiom, constantly reinventing himself, now a sneak thief, then a teacher, finally a unearthly scholar.\nIn Augustines case, I believe the lesson we can make water is that self-transformation is an on-going process; a teaching process if you like. We experiment with assorted things, whether they be ideologies or drugs, until we make the one that suits us; the one...If you want to get a abounding essay, order it on our website:

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