Abstract

There may be few works of philosophy that accurately integrate dialectical and rhetorical aspects such as Contra Academicos, to the point that it becomes difficult at times to separate these two discursive techniques. This, despite the tension that Augustine points out between, on the one hand, his impulse to move away from the vanity of the rhetoric he learned in his youth, and, on the other, its convenience in achieving the persuasion of his audience. Regarding rhetoric, there are two moments in which it is clearly recognizable in the work: 1) Direct references to “persuasion” and to technical elements specific to oratory; and 2) The implementation of a rhetorical discourse, in this case necessary and not accidental, to complete the argument. In this article, I analyze both aspects systematically, in order to investigate the reasons why this Augustinian dialogue invokes, to achieve its objective, both dialectic and rhetoric.