Abstract
In 387, Augustine began his treatise on the origins of evil and free choice. He put strong emphasis on the will. Virtue depends on right and rational choices, so happiness lies in loving goodness of will. Misery is the product of evil will, which comes from a misused free choice. ‘Free choice’ looks at Augustine's views on free will and the nature and origins of evil. He saw the soul's instability as the root of evil and the cause of sin. It derives from being created out of nothing. Even so, the actual choice of the will to neglect the good is causeless and inexplicable. This dilemma long troubled his mind.
