Philosophical Anthropology

A course for adults

Online class offered Thursdays, 7:00-8:00pm CST

Suggested Donation for the semester: $280.

REGISTRATION OPEN NOW

(You may email us to receive access to the recordings of our past classes.)

Instructor: Sister Bernadette-Marie of Jesus Christ Crucified, F.L.M.

Course Description and Syllabus:

This course studies what it means to be a human person, that is, a being made in the image and likeness of God, that is, a being endowed with freedom and the capacities to know and to love. Topics include: basic philosophical principles; man as a body-soul composite; the powers of the rational soul and its immortality; the faculties of man (the senses, the passions, the intellect, the will); the inviolability of the human person.

Through a greater understanding of human nature, students will be better able to fulfill the end for which they were made: to know, love, and serve God in this life so as to be happy with Him forever in the next. While the course is intended for adults, mature high school students are also welcome.

There will be twelve one hour classes in the semester offered online via Zoom. Classes will be recorded in case a student is unable to attend live. Participants are encouraged to turn on their camera/audio for the interactive part of the class so that they can join and enrich our discussion and get to know one another.

If you are unable to donate but would like to attend, please email us at schoolofmarywithflm@gmail.com. May God reward you!

Course Objectives

1) To grow in a greater understanding of our God-given nature so as to better understand how grace builds upon it.
2) To learn some basic philosophical principles which will facilitate further study of the Catholic Faith and of philosophy
3) To be able to give a reason-based defense of the inviolability of all human life from the moment of conception

View Syllabus and Class Reading PDF

Class Schedule

2/27 Lesson 1: What is philosophy? Why study philosophy? What is objective truth?
3/6 Lesson 2: Order and hierarchy in creation; begin basic philosophical principles: form and matter; four causes; the telos of things
3/13 Lesson 3: Continuation of basic philosophical principles: intrinsic and extrinsic principles; potency and act; first and second act
3/20 Lesson 4: Categories: substance and accidents; change; prime matter; secondary matter
3/27 Lesson 5: The Soul: kinds, powers, activities of the soul; vegetative powers of the soul
4/3 Lesson 6: Sensitive powers of the soul: sensation, appetition, locomotion; external senses

4/10 Lesson 7: Internal senses; sense appetite

4/17 NO CLASS - HOLY THURSDAY

4/24 Lesson 8: Rational Powers: intellect and will. Begin the faculty of the intellect

5/1 Lesson 9: Continue the faculty of the intellect

5/8 NO CLASS

5/15 Lesson 10: Spiritual Soul: subsistent, immortal, immaterial; what it means to be a person

5/22 Lesson 11: The faculty of the human will; begin human freedom

5/29 NO CLASS - ASCENSION THURSDAY

6/5 Lesson 12: Continuation of human freedom; the summum bonum and happiness (if time, human nature as elevated by grace)

Please note that the class schedule is subject to change. Students will receive an email/will be notified if a class is cancelled or rescheduled.

See below for Class Readings. (Some readings have not been posted yet but were sent by email.)

Class Reading PDFs Class Handout PDFs

To donate by check, please email us at schoolofmarywithflm@gmail.com for our address.

May God reward you abundantly!