Personal and spiritual development
Central to the St. Norbert College Mission is the commitment to providing an educational environment that is intellectually, spiritually and personally challenging. It is the particular domains of philosophy and religious studies to do this by focusing on the relation of faith and reason in the search for truth and wisdom.
Despite attempts historically to provide definitive answers or resolutions to the problem of the relation of the two, this continues to be a challenge for both teachers and students. Our philosophy courses reflect this challenge in the appropriate contexts in which it arises. Our approach is not to provide simple answers or make it seem as if resolution can be quick or easy. Indeed, the exploration of the relation of faith and reason is a lifelong endeavor that requires patience and a hope that our best efforts at understanding will eventually reap reward.
There are a variety of courses that either focus on this issue or deal with it in some significant way, including:
- Philosophy of Human Nature
- Medieval Philosophy
- Skepticism, Knowledge and Faith
- The European Enlightenment
- American Philosophy
- Asian Philosophy and Religion
- Existentialism
There are other important specific issues falling under the auspices of faith and reason that are addressed, such as proofs for the existence of God, the problem of evil, the problem of skepticism, the problem of the immortality of the soul, the problem of freedom and determinism, and other related philosophical problems that matter intellectually to the whole person.
The question of the nature and role of religion in life, as well as comparative study of the relation of Catholic to non-Catholic, non-Christian and non-Western religions, is explored not only in the Philosophy of Religion but also in courses such as Asian Philosophy and Religion, Living as a Community: Buddhist and Christian Paradigms, the Enlightenment and in some of the sections of Philosophy of Human Nature.
Our concern for the ethical development of students is evidenced in the attention we give to moral and social issues in our courses, some of the more prominent in this regard being courses in Ethics, Applied (e.g., Business, Medical) Ethics and Social and Political Philosophy.
In addition, at a very practical level we encourage personal and ethical development by attempting to model for our students honesty and integrity in academic learning, respect for persons of all faiths and beliefs as valued contributing partners in the quest for wisdom, and the importance of social justice and the common good.
Our philosophical methods presuppose the dignity of and common humanity in each person, while respecting differences and recognizing that culture, ethnicity and gender play a role in the formation of our pre-dispositions. This requires that we be pluralistic and accommodating of very diverse views when not antithetical to the mission of the College or the principle of academic freedom and integrity.
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Fulfilling the mission
Teaching the philosophical tradition
Emphasis on values and critical thinking
Personal and spiritual development
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