Philosophy of education 10: 1
Sku: 20900A0E050
Archival Number: CD/mnp3 209
Author: Lonergan, B.
Language(s): English
Decade: 1950
Description:
CD/mp3 209, first part of tenth and final Cincinnati lecture on philosophy of education. Corresponds to CWL 10: 232-47. Sponsored by Rev. Christian A. Janson. Unlike other disciplines, history does not offer the opportunity for critical training until its later stages. But reflection on history is profound and rich. Lonergan considers first the history of a specialized science. To write the history of a science presupposes a thorough knowledge of the subject of the science. Otherwise one could not select the key elements in the development or notice the holes in the selection of data. If later the subject itself develops, the history will have to be revised. Next he considers the history of philosophy. Philosophers are not going to agree. There are three fundamentally different types of philosophy: empiricist, idealist, and realist. Consequently, there will be a plurality of histories of philosophy. But revision presupposes the three basic operations, and so philosophy cannot be changed by any revision. And so there will not be radical revisions in the history of philosophy. The one development will be the discovery that philosophy has a history, and progress in the history of philosophy will be the same as progress in philosophy itself. Next he moves to the history of theology. There can be a history of theology insofar as theology exists as a science. A science emerges when thinking moves to the level of system. In theology this happenedwith the discovery of the systematic notion of the supernatural order by Philip the Chancellor. And the emphasis is on 'order.' The discovery of an entitative order of grace, faith, charity, and merit settles the object or field, the method, and the fundamental criteria of theology. In the earlier period one can discern emergences of technical thinking on particular points, as well as another, prescientific field that cannot be handled in the same fashion.