Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology

NOTRE DAME SEMINARY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

Course Syllabus for PH 113 Philosophical Foundations for Theology

Instructor: Dr. James Jacobs Semester: Summer 2014 Email: [email protected] Time: Sat., 8-5 Office: SJ 2nd Floor, ext. 707 Place: Classroom # 7

I. Course Description

This course is an overview of the methods, ideas, and goals of philosophy in preparation for theological studies. It will be composed of several units, each focusing on a branch of philosophy pertinent to the development of Christian Theology. These units will include a survey of Metaphysics, Epistemology, Philosophical Anthropology, Philosophical Ethics, and the Philosophy of God. While the aim is to expose students to the breadth of the Western philosophical tradition, special emphasis will be laid on the thought of Thomas Aquinas in achieving a synthesis of Christian faith and philosophical reason.

II. Course Rationale

Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know Himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves. (Pope John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, epigraph).

Man finds his ultimate happiness in the pursuit of truth. This truth is knowable through God’s revelation, as well as through man’s natural reason. But in order to fully grasp this truth, we must discipline our minds so as to penetrate to the real intelligibility of creation.

Through philosophy's work, the ability to speculate which is proper to the human intellect produces a rigorous mode of thought; and then in turn, through the logical coherence of the affirmations made and the organic unity of their content, it produces a systematic body of knowledge…. Faith intervenes not to abolish reason's autonomy nor to reduce its scope for action, but solely to bring the human being to understand that in these events it is the God of Israel who acts. Thus the world and the events of history cannot be understood in depth without professing faith in the God who is at work in them…. This truth, which God reveals to us in Jesus Christ, is not opposed to the truths which philosophy perceives. On the contrary, the two modes of knowledge lead to truth in all its fullness. The unity of truth is a fundamental premise of human reasoning, as the principle of non-contradiction makes clear…. The fundamental harmony between the knowledge of faith and the knowledge of philosophy is once again confirmed. Faith asks that its object be understood with the help of reason; and at the summit of its searching reason acknowledges that it cannot do without what faith presents. (Fides et Ratio, nos. 4, 16, 34, 42)

1 The constant touchstone for philosophical truth is the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas:

Among the scholastic doctors, the chief and master of all towers Thomas Aquinas, who, as Cajetan observes, because “he most venerated the ancient doctors of the Church, in a certain way seems to have inherited the intellect of all.” The doctrines of those illustrious men, like the scattered members of a body, Thomas collected together and cemented, distributed in wonderful order, and so increased with important additions that he is rightly esteemed the special bulwark and glory of the Catholic faith. With his spirit at once humble and swift, his memory ready and tenacious, his life spotless throughout, a lover of truth for its own sake, richly endowed with human and divine science, like the sun he heated the world with the ardor of his virtues and filled it with the splendor of his teaching. Philosophy has no part which he did not touch on finely at once and thoroughly…. Moreover, the Angelic Doctor pushed his philosophic conclusions into the reasons and principles of the things which are most comprehensive and contain in their bosom, so to say, the seeds of almost infinite truth…. Therefore, we exhort you, venerable brethren, in all earnestness to restore the golden wisdom of St. Thomas and to spread it far and wide for the defense and beauty of the Catholic faith. (Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Aeterni Patris, 1879)

We will also examine the errors of modernity that have led many to reject the unity of faith and reason; indeed, even to reject the power of reason itself. In this way, we will come to realize the fullness of the gifts God has given us to share in the light of reason so as to participate in the splendor of truth.

Religious and philosophical beliefs are, indeed, as dangerous as fire, and nothing can take from them that beauty of danger. But there is only one way of really guarding ourselves against the excessive danger of them, and that is to be steeped in philosophy and soaked in religion.—G.K. Chesterton

III. Course Goals/Intended Outcomes

 A deeper familiarity and appreciation of the themes and personalities of the Western philosophical tradition that has helped to shape the articulation of Christian doctrine.  A development of the critical assimilative and evaluative skills required to analyze arguments in philosophical and theological reasoning.  An appreciation for the significance of the relationship between faith and reason.  An understanding of the human capacity to know metaphysical and ethical truths, and to critique inadequate positions in these disciplines.  A preparation for theological studies by providing the intellectual groundwork on which theological speculation relies.

IV. Instructional Methods

1) Lecture; 2) Discussion; 3) Socratic Question and Answer.

V. Texts (Required and/or Recommended)

 Thomas Aquinas, Selected Philosophical Writings, tr. by Timothy McDermott (Oxford, 1993).  Thomas Aquinas, A Summa of the Summa, ed. by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius, 1990).  Baird and Kaufmann, From Plato to Derrida. 5th edition. (Prentice Hall, 2007).

2  Pieper, Josef. Leisure, the Basis of Culture, tr. by Gerald Malsbary (St. Augustine’s Press, 1998).  RECOMMENDED: John Paul II. Fides et Ratio (available online at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_15101998_fides-et- ratio_en.html).  NB: First, Be sure to get the 5th edition of Baird and Kaufmann. There are both older and newer versions, but they have different texts.  Second, it is recommended that you buy a used edition of the Baird and Kaufmann and the Pieper texts, as these are readily available and MUCH cheaper than new texts.

VI. Bibliography—See Introductory Handout

VII. Glossary—See Introductory Handout

VIII. Lecture, Presentation, and Reading Schedule

NB: For specific selections, see the Extended Course Outline at end of syllabus

May 31: Introduction to Philosophy and the Problem of Being in Greek philosophy (Chapters from Pieper, Leisure the Basis of Culture, and selections from Kreeft, McDermott, and Baird and Kaufmann (henceforth, BK)).

June 7: Being: The Thomistic Synthesis (McDermott secs.3-9 and 20-22, pp. 65-129 and 195- 214)

June 14: Truth: Man’s relation to being (Selections from BK, McDermott, and Kreeft)

June 21: Philosophical Anthropology (Selections from BK and McDermott)

June 28: Good in History (Selections from BK). VOCABULARY QUIZ.

July 12: Good in Aquinas (Selections from Kreeft) PAPER DUE.

July 26: God in History (Selections from BK)

August 2: God in Aquinas (Kreeft, pp. 53-218)

IX. Course Requirements

 Read all assigned readings  Participate in class and maintain good attendance record  Study the notes from the class lectures

3 X. Important Dates

As this course is extremely condensed, there will be some manner of assessment (test, quiz, oral quiz, etc.) every week. There will be a quiz on the vocabulary list during the fifth week of class.

XI. Evaluation Criteria

1 Quizzes: There will be a variety of quizzes given periodically throughout the summer. Be prepared for some quiz every class. These quizzes will be worth 40% of your grade.

2 Brief Research Paper: There will be a 5-6 page research paper. The goal of the research paper is to familiarize yourself with the procedures and methods of writing research papers at Notre Dame Seminary. The topic as well as the sources to be used will be provided; you will construct an argument making use of the sources, and citing them according to the Turabian style. This will be worth 30% of your grade.

3 Attendance and participation: In-class accomplishment, as measured by periodic quizzes of varying formats and thoughtful class discussion—which, in turn, obviously entails your presence in class—is crucial for philosophical maturity. (NB: Anyone not present at the time attendance is taken is considered absent). This is worth 30% of your grade.

XII. Attendance Policy

Students are expected to be present for every class. Unexcused absences will cause an appropriate deduction in the class participation grade. The following is the general protocol for missing classes from Dr. Baglow:

MISSING A SATURDAY SESSION In the M.A. Program in Theology, courses meet in an intensive Saturday format. Because of this, missing a Saturday session is never allowable if a student has not sought and received permission from the instructor. If a student is allowed to miss a Saturday session, the following conditions apply: A) The student must seek and receive permission to miss the session PRIOR TO the session; B) The student must hand in all class requirements that are due on the date of the session missed no later than the date of that session; C) The student must arrange in advance to have a fellow student tape the entire Saturday session, and notify the instructor of the name of the student who will be taping the session; D) The student must take notes on all lectures and class activities from the taped session, and submit a typed copy of these notes to the instructor PRIOR TO the next class meeting (this can be done through email); E) The student cannot achieve a grade higher than a “B” in the course; F) If the student fails to meet the above requirements (A-D), then the student will receive an “F” for the course.

4 G) NO STUDENT IS ALLOWED TO MISS ANY ADDITIONAL SESSIONS. If a student misses an additional session they must withdraw from the course (with a grade of “W”, “WP” or “WF”) or receive an “F” for the course.

XI. Academic Integrity

Students are expected to take full responsibility for their academic formation. They are expected to “respect academic scholarship by giving proper credit to other people’s work, while at the same time preparing well for assigned materials and examinations in such a way that their academic integrity will never be questioned.”

5 Philosophical Foundations for Theology—Extended Outline

NB: THE READINGS FOR EACH CLASS ARE UNDERLINED.

I. May 31: Introduction to Philosophy and the Problem of Being in Greek philosophy A. Pieper, Leisure the Basis of Culture (Part I, Leisure, Chapters 1,3, and 5; Part II, Philosophical Act, Chapters 2 and 3; if possible, reading the whole work is recommended.) 1. Philosophy is the fruit of Leisure 2. Why do we need faith in addition to philosophy? (Kreeft I.1.1 and 8; pp. 35- 37 and 44-47). B. How do we get the transcendentals as the basic properties of being? McDermott sec. 2 C. The Problem of the One and the Many and the Problem of Change (Aristotle’s Metaphysics I.1-3, (BK 140-146) . 1. Plato’s Idealism, Republic V-VII (BK 109-124) 2. Aristotle’s Reaction, Metaphysics I.6-9 (BK 146-151), Categories (Discussed in class), and Physics II.1-3 (BK 129-134) 3. Plotinus, Enneads I.6 (BK 252-258) II. June 7: Being: The Thomistic Synthesis A. Principles of Nature (McDermott secs.3-4, pp. 65-75) and the Divisions of Being B. Essence and Existence, (McDermott sec.6, pp. 90-93 and 102-109), and the Principles of Unity-stability and Plurality-change C. The Ladder of Being, (McDermott secs.7-9, pp. 115-129). D. The need for Extrinsic Causes of being (discuss in class). E. God as the simple cause of being (McDermott secs 20-22, pp.200-209). III. June 14: Truth: Man’s relation to being A. Plato’s critique of sense experience and theory of recollection (Phaedo, BK 47-50). B. Nominalism as the source of all error: Ockham (discuss in class) C. Modern Errors: 1. Modern Rationalism: Descartes, Meditations I-III (BK, pp.384-400). 2. British Empiricism: David Hume, Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (BK 694-709). 3. RECOMMENDED: Modern Idealism: Immanuel Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics (BK 781-800). D. Modern reactions: Pragmatism and Phenomenology (discuss in class). E. Thomistic Realism 1. Sensation (McDermott sec.10, pp. 129-137).

6 2. Mind (Kreeft, pp. 269-274; 278-9; and excerpts from 302-332: ST I. 79, arts 1,2,8; Q. 84. arts 1,6,7; Q. 85. arts 1,2,5, 6; and Q. 86. art. 1). 3. RECOMMENDED: Degrees of Abstraction and the Sciences ( McDermott, sec 1, pp. 1-50). IV. June 21: Philosophical Anthropology A. Platonic Tripartition of soul, Republic II-IV (BK pp. 65-69 and 82-91) B. Platonic Dualism, Phaedo (BK pp, 52-53). C. Aristotelian Hylomorphism, De Anima II-III (BK, pp. 156-162) D. Augustine and the Will (BK pp. 268-278). 1. Reorients Platonism from Love to truth and becoming to creation 2. Skepticism and Illuminationism 3. Time and eternity and soul as imago dei 4. City of God and City of Man E. Cartesian Dualism, Meditation VI (BK pp. 408-416). F. Hobbesian Materialism (BK pp. 424-428 and 441-445) G. Skinner and Behaviorism (discuss in class) H. Marxist Materialism (BK pp. 1008-1009) I. Sartrean Existentialism (BK pp. 1138-1142) J. Thomistic Synthesis (McDermott, secs. 13 and 15-19, pp. 150-152 and 156-193) K. Wojtyla and Personalism (discuss in class) V. June 28: Good in History (Relativism, Hume, Mill, Kant, Arisotle) A. Relativism 1. Protagoras (discuss in class) 2. Thrasymachus, from Plato’s Republic (BK pp. 65-66) 3. Nietzsche (BK, pp. 1022 and 1035-1038) 4. The Problem, from Plato Euthyphro (BK, pp. 12-15) B. Hume’s Fact-Value Dichotomy (discuss in class) C. Mill’s Utilitarianism (BK, pp. 924-939) D. Kant’s Deontology (BK, pp. 853-863) E. Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics (BK, pp. 163-172, 175-183, 190-196, and 220-224) F. VOCABULARY QUIZ. VI. July 12: Good in Aquinas (All readings from Kreeft) A. The Good and Creation (Part I, Questions: 5, 22, 47, 48) B. Human Nature (Part I, Questions: 78, 79 (a. 11-12), 80 (a. 1), 81 (a. 1-3), 82 (a. 1-3), and 83 (a.1) C. Happiness (Part II, Questions 1, 2, 3, and 5). D. Human Acts, Goodness, and Sin (Part II, Questions 18, 61, 62, and 71). E. Law (Part II, Questions 90-94). F. Positive Law (Part II, Questions 95). VII. July 26: God in History A. The Greek Question: Thales and Plato (discuss in class) B. Aristotle Metaphysics XII (BK, pp. 151-156) C. Epicureanism and Stoicism (BK, pp. 230-231 and 239-241, 245 (ch..31)) D. Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy V.6 (BK, pp. 296-299) E. Anselm, Proslogion (BK, pp. 302-304). F. Aquinas, Scotus, Ockham (discuss in class)

7 G. Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Pascal (BK, pp. 392-400, 475-482, 466-472). H. Hume, Enquiry Sections X and XI (BK, pp. 737-741, 750-755). I. Kant, Prolegomena to any Future Metaphysics (BK, pp. 826-833). J. Reactions to Kant: Positivism and Logical Positivism, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche (BK 975-983). VIII. August 2: God in Aquinas (All readings from Kreeft) A. Existence of God (Q. 2, pp.53-70). B. Divine Simplicity (Q. 3, pp. 73-85). C. Perfection, Goodness, Infinity (QQ. 4, 8 (a. 1-2), 9, 10 (a.1), parts of pp. 86-112). D. How we know and name God (QQ. 12 (a. 1,4,6,12) and 13 (all), parts of pp. 113- 133). E. God’s Knowledge (QQ. 14-15, pp. 134-143). F. God’s Will and Providence (QQ. 18-21 and 25-26, parts of pp. 151-185). G. Creation (QQ. 44-47, pp. 189-207). H. Evil (QQ. 48-49, pp. 208-218). I. Miracles (discuss in class).