Project Xavier

Welcome to Fundamentals of Catholic Philosophy!

Fundamentals of Catholic Philosophy is a course that we have developed, comprised of a series of lectures, to begin to give our students a foundation in Catholic philosophy.  The course covers the nature of the human person, objective truth, ethics, virtue, and happiness.  The hallmark of Catholic philosophy is its understanding of the human person as a physical and spiritual being whose ultimate end is God.  Through this course, we hope to develop our students’ understanding of the soul so that they might be better equipped to proceed toward their final end–God, who is true happiness.

Session 1: What is philosophy? Challenging our worldview

Session 2: Finding the nature of a thing: the what, how, and perfection of things

Session 3: The nature of the human person, part 1

Session 4: The nature of the human person, part 2

Session 5: The nature of the human person, part 3

Session 6: Perfecting the human person: the four levels of happiness

Session 7: The four levels of happiness: Level 2

Session 8: A more in-depth account of the soul

Session 9: The four levels of happiness: Level 3

Session 10: The four levels of happiness: Level 4

Session 11: What kind of worldview does a person have in each of the four levels of happiness?

Session 12: What kind of worldview does a person have in each of the four levels of happiness?

Session 13: Ethical behavior seen through each of the worldviews

Session 14: What acting ethically has to do with virtue

Session 15: Norms of right and wrong conduct

Session 16: Evaluating moral acts: action, intention, circumstances

Session 17: What is conscience, and what does it have to do with choice? Can my conscience be right or wrong?

Session 18: What is justice?

Session 19: Specific topics in ethics: abortion

Session 20: Transforming our worldview