Department of Philosophy
Philosophy in the GER
Situated in the Jesuit liberal arts tradition, the Philosophy Department shares with the University the belief that there exists a minimum of cultural knowledge and disciplined reflection essential to the education of an intellectually alert and value-oriented person in the world today. As one of the humanities, philosophy deals with those areas of human experience which help human persons understand themselves as human persons. More specifically, it is philosophy which requires students to face directly and without dependence on Revelation the ultimate questions concerning the meaning of human existence and to attempt to discover relevant answers.
Philosophy, therefore, seeks to provide an adequate, critical, and consistent evaluation of human experience. In a Jesuit university, philosophy insists on its own autonomy while at the same time leaving the student open to the discovery of reality on a theological level. Despite its autonomy, philosophical reflection assumes that the student possess sufficient knowledge of history, literature, psychology, science, logic, and other disciplines in order to relate them to the philosophical meaning of human existence.
To achieve the aims of philosophy in the University's GER, all students are required to take three courses; one in the area that deals with the human person, one in the area that deals with morality, and one in the area that deals with God, world and society. The course in the first area, PHL 1011, is a prerequisite to all other philosophy courses.
THE HUMAN PERSON AREA
The area deals with the nature and destiny of human persons. Traditional philosophical issues such as the mind/body problem and freedom and determinism will be considered.
PHL 1011 |
THE HUMAN PERSON |
3 credits |
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An introduction to the nature, methods, and relevance of philosophy through an attempt to answer the question, "What is a person?" The primary focus of the course will be an analysis of philosophical arguments concerning the mind/body problem, freedom and determinism, immortality, and the relation of the individual to society.
THE MORAL PHILOSOPHY AREA
This area deals with the ethical dimension of human experience and with applications of moral principles and human values to contemporary problems.
PHL 1031 |
MORAL PHILOSOPHY |
3 credits |
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The ethical dimension of human existence: 1) moral law and value, rights and obligations; 2) examination of traditional and contemporary norms and theories of morality, including natural law; 3) application to contemporary society--life, peace, sex, truth, economic and political justice.
THE GOD, WORLD, AND SOCIETY AREA
This area includes the remaining courses which fulfill the general education requirement in philosophy. They deal with the nature of reality, the challenges of the human condition, and the possibility of knowing anything about these things. Issues in this area include God, truth, language, science, values, society and culture. These courses also study the approaches of various major philosophers in examining these issues. Students may choose from among the following courses in order to fulfill the philosophy GER: (SEE "COURSES")