Best Catholic universities for philosophy?

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awatkins69

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Hello. I’m wondering which Catholic universities offer the best undergraduate philosophy programs and staff. Out of state recommendations are welcome, but I’d prefer to go somewhere in California. I’m particularly interested in analytic and scholastic philosophy. Thanks.
 
If you are looking for a very rigorous and orthodox program, the Catholic University of America (while perhaps not the most orthodox in every academic field) is especially known for its philosophy dept. My first recommendation would be Christendom College’s philosophy dept which I tend to think is the strongest.

In California, while Thomas Aquinas College doesn’t offer a major in philosophy per se, they simply have a liberal arts major, they have a strong focus on philosophy. Dr. Andres is especially good.
 
Just wondering. Why do you think Christendom is better than CUA? I looked on their respective websites, and Christendom seems to have little engagement with contemporary philosophy and problems, and more to be stuck kind of in the middle ages. Of course, that’s just judging by the stuff they’ve put up on their site and I could be wrong. And it’s entirely possible that CUA is no different. Thanks.
 
University of Dallas is an excellent school for philosophy, both undergraduate and graduate. If you’re willing to come to Texas, I highly recommend checking out UD.
 
awatkins69 said:
Just wondering. Why do you think Christendom is better than CUA? I looked on their respective websites, and Christendom seems to have little engagement with contemporary philosophy and problems, and more to be stuck kind of in the middle ages. Of course, that’s just judging by the stuff they’ve put up on their site and I could be wrong. And it’s entirely possible that CUA is no different. Thanks.
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You are right that the two schools differ in this regard. From a Catholic stand point, Modern Philosophy beginning with Descartes was not an improvement upon earlier philosophy, but a break with and a rejection of the Scholastic philosophy of the middle ages. Unfortunately the Scholastic philosophy was extremely sound, and its rejection didn’t lead the modern philosophers closer to truth, but only further from it.

The Church has officially recognized the role of Scholastic philosophy when Pope Leo XIII mandated that it be the basis of all seminary training throughout the entire Church. Specifically St. Thomas Aquinas is really the height of Catholic philosophy, and since Christendom spends more time on what is true than what is false, I think it is a better program for undergraduate level. CUA is also very Scholastically-based, or else I wouldn’t recommend them, but I don’t think that they develope the foundation in Thomism and Scholastic philosophy as much as they should before delving into Modern and Recent Philosophy.

I also think that Christendom has fairly rigorous program, and in all honesty, graduates I have talked to seem to have a better grasp and ability to think philosophically than graduates I have talked with from other programs.

punkforchrist also mentioned the University of Dallas. While I am not as familiar with the calibre of their program, I hear that is is fairly solid and would recommend it as well.
 
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not dissing Christendom. I really respect the way that they’re involved in what I consider a revival of traditional Catholic liberal education. And I love the medieval philosophers. However, this sometimes tends to be reactionary, and some of the most important philosophers of our day are completely ignored or unaddressed even though there is some truth and good that can and must be taken if Catholic philosophy is not to become an artifact in the world of philosophy. We must not forget that Saint Thomas was extremely revolutionary during his time, to the point that his works were at one point prohibited. He had no problem interacting philosophically with pagans, Muslims, and heretics. Modern logic, analytic and continental philosophy, and science have a lot to offer Scholasticism and vice versa.

With that said, CUA and UD are looking pretty good right now, although I really am not fond of the idea of Texas heat. I’ll look more into Christendom though perhaps. If anybody else has other ideas I’d definitely like to hear. Thanks.
 
And I love the medieval philosophers. However, this sometimes tends to be reactionary, and some of the most important philosophers of our day are completely ignored or unaddressed even though there is some truth and good that can and must be taken if Catholic philosophy is not to become an artifact in the world of philosophy. We must not forget that Saint Thomas was extremely revolutionary during his time, to the point that his works were at one point prohibited. He had no problem interacting philosophically with pagans, Muslims, and heretics. Modern logic, analytic and continental philosophy, and science have a lot to offer Scholasticism and vice versa.
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Modern philosophy took its starting point from a denial of the truth and an attack on our very ability to know anything. The problem isn’t that some philosophy is newer or that it is developed by non-Catholics, but that unless a philosophy accepts that true and certain knowledge can be derived from the senses, what good can it be?

Out of curiosity, which modern philosophers in particular are you referring to? I was just a philosophy minor at Christendom, but my courses did cover everyone of importancehistorically even if they didn’t have the most insightful philosophy. Just because Christendom focuses on the truth, doesn’t mean that the errors go unexamined.
 
Katholish said:
Modern philosophy took its starting point from a denial of the truth and an attack on our very ability to know anything. The problem isn’t that some philosophy is newer or that it is developed by non-Catholics, but that unless a philosophy accepts that true and certain knowledge can be derived from the senses, what good can it be?

Out of curiosity, which modern philosophers in particular are you referring to? I was just a philosophy minor at Christendom, but my courses did cover everyone of importance historically even if they didn’t have the most insightful philosophy. Just because Christendom focuses on the truth, doesn’t mean that the errors go unexamined.
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I don’t mean the erroneous philosophers of the early modern period and Enlightenment (although Kant is interesting). I mean *modern *modern philosophers. More specifically people like Frege, Quine, Russell, Wittgenstein, etc. Most of their stuff had to do with logic and analysis anyway. Yes some of their thought was mixed with error. But I never said we need to just accept all their errors at face-value. And while I’m not the biggest fan of them, people like Husserl and Heidegger have a lot we should look at. Just look at Max Scheler, Dietrich von Hildebrand, and Saint Edith Stein.

I dunno’. I don’t think I could pursue philosophy at a university which remains basically stuck in the past. I certainly think the past scholastic philosophers had a lot of insight and more truth. Indeed, they pre-figured a lot of stuff that’s being “discovered” today. But again, if Catholic philosophy is going to be in the present the monster that it once was (and I mean that in a good way) then it must both keep to its roots and dialogue with modern ideas, taking what’s good and dispelling what is heresy. But it’d be absolutely wrong to give a draconian ban on everything that was created after the 17th century and then mostly ignore it as if philosophy were like revealed Scripture and 1600 was the end of the apostolic age.
 
Just because an institution focuses on Scholastic philosophy and Thomism (which isn’t a philosophy of the past, but one of the present upon which much of Catholic teaching is based), doesn’t mean it is “stuck in the past” unless of course you would accuse the Church of the same thing by virtue of its focus on tradition. I again state that it isn’t as if a program like Christendom excludes Modern Philosophy (i.e. Descrates to Kant) or Recent Philosophy.

The fact is that philosophy is not about reading all the different opinions, but rather philosophy is about learning the truth that is available to human reasoning. It is a science–the Queen of the natural sciences in fact. If philosophy isn’t focused on understanding the world and nature as it is, then what good is it? My point is that it is foolish to study the Modern and Recent philosophers without a strong foundation in the ancients and Thomas. (Christendom is also very good with Plato and Aristotle).

Lest I be misunderstood, I am not simply trying to “defend” my school. Philosophy as a science simply stopped asking certain questions after the Cartesian Revolution. Even people like Husserl and Heidegger are still caught up with the problem of epistemology. Without a foundation and acceptance of how we come to know things, you cannot move beyond the basics which is where Modern and Recent philosophy have been largely stuck.

After studying Philosophy, one is supopsed to learn something, i.e. come away with a more complete understanding of nature than they had before. What has recent Philosophy contributed to my understanding of nature?
 
Katholish said:
My point is that it is foolish to study the Modern and Recent philosophers without a strong foundation in the ancients and Thomas.
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If that’s your point my friend, then let’s say we agree. 😃

I love studying the ancients and moderns. They have a lot to offer us, no doubt. I’d consider myself a Thomist. However, I can study those pretty easily without teachers (not saying they’re easy or any less intelligent). All you have to do is buy the books, with maybe an introduction or two to their thought. However, modern logic and analysis is pretty hard. That’s what I’m interested in in a college. God bless.
 
Boston College has a great philosophy program. Professors include Dr. Peter Kreeft, Fr. Gary Gurtler, S.J., and Fr. Ronald Tacelli, S.J. just to name a few. It is a program that offers excellent preparation for graduate school, seminary, or law school.

And the St. Thomas More Society on campus offers a great way to meet other Catholic students and discuss philosophy/theology every week after Rosary and Holy Hour.
 
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