Welcome to Introduction to Philosophy.
SUBJECT OVERVIEW
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course introduces students to the study of philosophy and is the first subject of the philosophical biennium. It examines the nature of philosophy and philosophical reflection, which begins in wonder, and its method. The parts of philosophy are covered as well as a brief overview of the history of philosophy and key philosophers, the big questions asked in philosophy, and how they relate to life. We will look closely at the relationships between philosophy and science, and faith and reason. Students will also be introduced to the classical Christian philosophical tradition, especially St Thomas Aquinas, and Pope John Paul II’s great encyclical, Fides et Ratio, on faith and reason.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this course students should be able to:
- Recognise key figures in the history of philosophy and their principal contribution to philosophy
- Understand and explain the nature of philosophical reflection
- Understand and explain the importance of philosophical reflection for human flourishing
- Understand and explain the relationship between science and philosophy
- Understand and explain the importance of philosophy for the study of the Christian faith and theology
- Be familiar with the orientations of the Church’s Magisterium on Philosophy
- Identify philosophical errors underlying problematic ways of thinking in society and culture
PROGRAM
- What is Philosophy?
- Brief History of Philosophy
- Philosophy and Life
- Philosophy and Science
- Philosophy, Faith and Theology
- Philosophy and the Church
- Method and Branches of Philosophy
The full subject program is available here | VIEW
SLIDES
Slides 1 VIEW
Slides 2 VIEW
Slides 3 VIEW
Slides 4 VIEW
ASSESSMENT
Prepare a 3-4 minute video for university students explaining the nature of philosophy and the benefits of studying it.
CHRONOLOGY OF PHILOSOPHERS & MAJOR EVENTS VIEW
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Artigas, M., Introduction to Philosophy, Sinag-Tala, Manila, 1990.
De Torre, J. M., Christian Philosophy, Vera Reyes Inc., Manila, 1980.
Maritain, J., An Introduction to Philosophy, Sheed & Ward, New York, 1962.
Sullivan, D., An Introduction to Philosophy: The Perennial Principles of the Classical Realist Tradition, TAN, Illinois, 1992, pp. 1-6, 247-265.
Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter Aeterni Patris, 1979.
Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Fides et Ratio,1998, especially the following points
- 3-4: nature of philosophy
- 43-44: philosophy and the Church
- 73-76, 79: philosophy, Christian faith and theology
- 81-84, 103-4, 106: philosophy in human life
Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 2013, especially the following points
- 132-4: thought, culture & education
- 242-3, 257: dialogue between faith, reason & science
Encyclopedias
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy VIEW
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy VIEW
Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Religion and Science VIEW