Philosophy — a cornerstone of Jesuit education

Philosophy, then, has been a cornerstone of Jesuit education since the founding of the first Jesuit universities in 17th century Europe. Educators at Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States continue to recognize the special province of philosophy.
  • Philosophy embraces our human powers to think abstractly and thus to cultivate models of mental discipline and to broaden our capacities to understand and to enjoy living.
  • Philosophy raises critical questions and uses reasoned argumentation to develop normative standards for guiding a person’s relationship to his/her community.
  • Philosophy promotes reasoning about human nature and about human values to help provide bridges between religious belief and contemporary intellectual directions.
  • Philosophy values integrity and a commitment to truth, excellence, and understanding with an aim to enhance our expressive powers, our knowledge, foresight, and sense of direction.
  • Philosophy is an especially ennobling activity since it elevates what is common in being human while also nurturing individuality and self-esteem.
Philosophy holds a special place in a liberal arts curriculum at a Jesuit institution of higher learning just in its capacity to objectify the human condition and to contribute to our becoming more fully human. Philosophy helps to cultivate responsible citizenship by promoting thoughtful reflection on contemporary cultural and intellectual currents, by critically assessing the posturing of demagogues, and by identifying unfounded assertions and foolish opinions with an aim to replace them through reasoned argumentation.