Education and Philosophy

(2.5-5 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Taught at a host institution. During this course, students will: 1) critically analyze the education phenomenon -- principles, practices, and sentiments -- from a philosophical perspective. 2) comprehend the interconnected role of education, the multidimensionality of human beings, and the the various visions underlying educational discourse. 3) appreciate the anthropological response to the Western Christian tradition and to evaluate its content regarding the educational process. 4) Analyze the consequences of education in a national and international context. When offered in London: In this London Seminar course we will read and discuss Newman’s classic Idea of a University. We will also do some preliminary secondary reading to help set the work in its historical context; in addition we will read some letters and memoranda from Newman’s time at the Catholic University in Dublin, to help fill in the gap between “idea” and “reality”. Our primary concern will be, first, to get control of the vision outlined in the book itself, and second, to use that as a point of reference in reflecting upon, and making articulate in conversation and writing, our own aspirations and experiences as students especially during our time together abroad in London.