which are contained in the memory even when they are not being
thought about (non cogitentur).^38In this manner, a man is said to know the letters when he does not
think about reading, as Augustine remarks. The act of‘begetting’
resembles the Trinitarian image, the relationship between the Father
and the Son, a relationship of love.^39
Recognition is thus for Augustine an act of recollecting something
from memory. In knowing oneself, the knower and the known
are identical, but we can nevertheless speak of recognition.
A metaphorical relationship of begetting and love emerges in such
recognition. This reflexive self-knowledge in some sense also evokes
the idea of self-recognition. As inRecognitions, the conception of self-
recognition is also secondarily present in Augustine’s overall idea of
recognition. While recognition may not be considered as a very
prominent theme in Augustine, it is noteworthy that his writings
contain features that are similar to those found in a condensed
form in the LatinRecognitions. The legal and collective dimensions
of recognition may be added to this picture.
2.3. Attachment, Feudalism, and Bernard of Clairvaux
At this point, we need to introduce a term and a conception that
remains prominent in historical discussions of recognition. The Latin
nouncommendatioand the verbcommendoexpress a cluster of social
practices and philosophical conceptions in which people give them-
selves to the service of others or, sometimes, achieve a self-
understanding as a result of this act. While the acts of commendation
can generally be understood in terms of gift transfer, they may also
be linked to identity constitution and self-recognition. While I distin-
guish between everyday, philosophical, and legal senses of commenda-
tion, the meanings overlap and are often used metaphorically in
religious contexts. The term ‘attachment’can be employed as an
umbrella concept that covers both self-attachment and attachment to
(^38) Trin. 14, 8. (^39) Trin. 14, 8.
58 Recognition and Religion