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Ite ad Thomam Sponsored Courses
Become a Thomist from the privacy of your own laptop!
Ite ad Thomam, sponsors year-long online Latin and Thomistic Philosophy courses, using live audio and whiteboard technology. The courses are perfect as a supplement to your college education, or as part of your homeschooling curriculum. The courses may be taken either as audit or for high-school credit via Regina Coeli Academy (RCA) a nationally accredited, traditional Catholic homeschooling system.
Course contents are taught by Dr. Romero (aka, Don Paco), and his associates. All administrative and technological aspects of the courses are handled smoothly and in a timely fashion by the experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly RCA staff.
Dates:
- Courses run for two semesters, Fall and Spring (early September to early June), with holiday breaks.
- Registration Open: April 8 - August 19.
- Late registration (fee applies): August 20-26.
- Orientation week: August 29 - September 2.
- Classes Begin: September 6.
- Thanksgiving Break: November 23-25.
- Christmas Break: December 18 - January 2
- Holy Week Break: April 1-7
- Classes End: June 1.
Course contents are taught by Dr. Romero (aka, Don Paco), and his associates. All administrative and technological aspects of the courses are handled smoothly and in a timely fashion by the experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly RCA staff.
Dates:
- Courses run for two semesters, Fall and Spring (early September to early June), with holiday breaks.
- Registration Open: April 8 - August 19.
- Late registration (fee applies): August 20-26.
- Orientation week: August 29 - September 2.
- Classes Begin: September 6.
- Thanksgiving Break: November 23-25.
- Christmas Break: December 18 - January 2
- Holy Week Break: April 1-7
- Classes End: June 1.
Four-Year Philosophy Cycle
Our philosophy cycle is unique in that:
- It is nationally accredited.
- It is taught by traditional Catholics.
- It is unabashedly anti-modernistic.
- It follows the scholastic method.- It defends the "method, doctrines, and principles of St. Thomas."
- It follows the interpretation of scholastic-Thomistic tradition, not some novel version of 'Thomism'.
- It offers a synthesis between empirical (or 'modern') science and traditional Aristotelian science.
The following philosophy courses are offered. Only one of the two Natural Philosophy courses is required for moving on to complete the cycle.
- Introduction to Aristotelian-Scholastic Logic (Offered every year).
- Natural Philosophy I: Philosophical Physics (Offered every year).
- Natural Philosophy I: Philosophical Physics (Offered every year).
- Natural Philosophy II: Philosophical Biology (Offered every year).
- Ethics and Epistemology (Offered 2011-12).
- Metaphysics: Ontology and Natural Theology (Offered 2012-13).
Two-Year Latin Cycle
In addition, we offer a two-years cycle of Latin, with a Thomistic emphasis in the second year:
- First Year Latin (Latin grammar using Henle's Latin: First Year; offered every year).
- The Latin of St. Thomas (Reading course based on St. Thomas' texts; offered 2012-13).
2011-2012 Course Offerings
The following are complete course descriptions for Ite ad Thomam-sponsored courses for the 2011-2012 academic year. Discounts are available for those who enroll in multiple courses.
Introduction to Aristotelian-Scholastic Logic
RCA Course Code: Philosophy I.
Instructors: Francisco Romero Carrasquillo, Ph.D.; Hilaire K. Troyer de Romero (team-taught).
Days/Times: Mondays, 4:30 - 6:00 pm EST.
Course Tuition: $499.00 USD.
Course Description: This first course in the philosophy series serves as the necessary groundwork for the rest of the series. It introduces the student to the art of thinking, judging, and reasoning--teaching them how to argue and evaluate arguments and ideas. Both material and formal (content and structure) elements of logic will be studied, with an emphasis in formal logic. The course ends with a study of the scholastic method of disputation and a discussion on the division of the sciences. The course will also serve indirectly as a general introduction to the discipline of philosophy. Prerequisites: None.
Course Description: This first course in the philosophy series serves as the necessary groundwork for the rest of the series. It introduces the student to the art of thinking, judging, and reasoning--teaching them how to argue and evaluate arguments and ideas. Both material and formal (content and structure) elements of logic will be studied, with an emphasis in formal logic. The course ends with a study of the scholastic method of disputation and a discussion on the division of the sciences. The course will also serve indirectly as a general introduction to the discipline of philosophy. Prerequisites: None.
Required Texts (Available for purchase from St. John's Bookstore):
- D.Q. McInerny, Introduction to Logic (Pre-publication textbook developed for FSSP Seminary in Nebraska).
- Cotheran, Material Logic: A Traditional Approach to Thinking Skills.
- Cotheran, Traditional Logic I: Introduction to Formal Logic
- Cotheran, Traditional Logic II: Advanced Formal Logic.
Philosophical Physics
RCA Course Code: Physics (or Philosophy II)
Instructor: Francisco J. Romero Carrasquillo, Ph.D.
Day/Time: Wednesdays 4:30-5:45pm EST and Thursdays 4:00-5:15pm EST.
Course Tuition (includes both semesters): $559.00 USD.
Course Description: This is a conceptual physics that harmonizes empirical (or 'modern') physics with traditional Aristotelian natural philosophy. Using a conceptual approach, the course follows the topical outline of standard physics courses. Yet, unlike most physics courses, which limit themselves to the study of matter and motion from a strictly empirical-mathematical perspective (the modern understanding of 'science'), this course views physics from the perspective of the tradition of Aristotelian-Thomistic thought: as the speculative science of mobile being that integrates the standard empirical-mathematical perspective with a wholesome realist logical-philosophical methodology.
The course thus presents and refutes the positivist philosophical presupposition that impairs the minds of the vast majority of today's scientists: the idea that whatever is not empirically verifiable is not worthy of being called 'scientific'. This contradictory presupposition (contradictory because it purports to be the basis of all science, yet it itself is not empirically verifiable!!!) has, for the last three centuries, artificially handicapped and reduced the concept of 'science' to mean merely an exclusively empirical inquiry. It is undeniable that this reductionistic understanding of 'science' has had some good side-effects, especially the boom in the field of technology since the Industrial Revolution, but among its direct consequences we find the following: it has deprived many a modern scientist of any capacity to think philosophically; it has removed from science all sense of immaterial being (or at least has convinced modern scientists that there cannot be scientific knowledge of the immaterial); it has, in the eyes of many, invalidated Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophy (and even the Christian religion!); and, ultimately, it has been the philosophical vehicle for the creation of an agnostic and materialistic worldview and culture in the Western world.
As mentioned above, the course follows the topical outline of standard physics courses: Newtonian mechanics, kinematics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, modern physics, etc. Yet within the context and process of learning these topics, the student, having rejected the positivist methodology and embraced the traditional approach, will feel at liberty to delve more deeply into arational, non-empirical-yet-still-scientific inquiry concerning the most radical, fundamental questions about the physical world: What is science? What are the different kinds of science? What is physics? What is matter? (Not just what are atoms or electrons, and not just how do they move, but what is the essence of matter, in what does it consist?) Is there anything else beyond matter in the universe? Is there such a thing as a soul, and if so, what is it? What is the essence of time? Of space? Of motion? Of change? Was there a beginning in time or is time eternal? Is there such a thing as chance, or is everything predetermined? Is all reality relative to some given observer, or are there realities that are independent of any observer? Does the universe have one overall source or Cause of all its motion and change? Is there a grand "Designer" responsible for the order that is apparent in our universe? Is this "First Cause" or "Designer" itself a physical entity? Etcetera. These questions will be addressed and answered by relying on the self-evident principles of Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophy, aided by the empirical evidence and methodical experimentation that is typical of modern natural science.
In conformity with the nature and scope of the discipline of natural science as it has been practiced by the Aristotelian-Thomistic tradition throughout the ages, all conclusions will proceed strictly from empirical evidence and rational inquiry; they will be consonant with, but not based on, Christian revelation, as explained and interpreted by the infallible Magisterium of the Catholic Church.
Pre-requisites: Two years of Algebra and one year of Geometry. Concurrent enrollment in Philosophy I (Logic) is highly recommended.
Required Texts:
- Bretl, Conceptual Physics (Kinetic Books).
- V.E. Smith, Philosophical Physics (Available from ITOPL).
- Aristotle, Physics.
- St. Thomas Aquinas, On the Principles of Nature.
Philosophical Biology
RCA Course Code: Biology (or Philosophy II)
Instructor: Francisco J. Romero Carrasquillo, Ph.D.; Hilaire K. Troyer de Romero (team-taught).
Day/Time: Tuesday and Thursday 2:30 - 3:30pm EST.
Course Tuition (includes both semesters): $529.00 USD.
Course Description: This is an non-evolutionary, non-positivistic biology course that integrates empirical (or 'modern') biology with traditional Aristotelian-Thomistic psychology.
The course first presents and refutes the positivist philosophical presupposition that impairs the minds of the vast majority of today's scientists: the idea that whatever is not empirically verifiable is not worthy of being called 'scientific'. This contradictory presupposition (contradictory because it purports to be the basis of all science, yet it itself is not empirically verifiable!!!) has, for the last three centuries, artificially handicapped and reduced the concept of 'science' to mean merely an exclusively empirical inquiry. It is undeniable that this reductionistic understanding of 'science' has had some good side-effects, especially the boom in the field of technology since the Industrial Revolution, but among its direct consequences we find the following: it has deprived many a modern scientist of any capacity to think philosophically; it has removed from science all sense of immaterial being (or at least has convinced modern scientists that there cannot be scientific knowledge of the immaterial); it has, in the eyes of many, invalidated Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophy (and even the Christian religion!); and, ultimately, it has been the philosophical vehicle for the creation of an agnostic and materialistic worldview and culture in the Western world.
It studies the full range of biological topics: The Five Kingdoms: Monera, Protista Fungi, Animalia, Plantae; The Cell; Cellular Reproduction; Genetics; and Ecosystems. Yet, unlike most biology courses, which limit themselves to the study of organisms from a strictly empirical perspective (the modern understanding of 'science'), this course views biology from the perspective of the living tradition of Aristotelian-Thomistic thought, that is, as part of natural philosophy, which integrates the standard empirical methodology with the more wholesome approach of philosophical analysis and reflection. Thus, although the course follows the topical outline of standard biology courses, further biological questions are examined from a more profoundly philosophical perspective, such as: What is life? What is a species? Do plants and animals have souls? What is a soul? What is sensation and how does it work? What is intellectual thought, and how does it work? What is death?
The course also examines the controversial topic of evolution within the framework of Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophical biology, including not only a detailed empirical analysis of the mechanisms of evolution at the molecular level, but also a philosophical criticism of evolutionary theory.
Pre-requisites: None.
Required Texts:
- Wile and Dernell, Exploring Creation with Biology, 2nd ed.
- Behe, Darwin's Black Box.
- Aristotle, De anima.
Thomistic Ethics and Epistemology
RCA Course Code: Philosophy III
Instructor: Francisco J. Romero Carrasquillo, Ph.D.
Day/Time: Tuesdays, 4:00 - 5:30 pm EST.
Course Tuition (includes both semesters): $499.00 (USD).
Course Description: Semester I: Ethics. An introduction to the science of ethics. The concepts of human happiness, human act, the passions, the virtues, and natural law will be presented and discussed. A critique will be made of false modern ethical theories such as utilitarianism, positivism, relativism, and emotivism. In conformity with the nature and scope of the discipline of philosophy as it has been practiced by the Aristotelian tradition throughout the ages, all conclusions will be consonant with, but not based on, Christian revelation; they will proceed from rational inquiry and ordinary human experience. Semester II: Metaphysics I - Epistemology. The student will be given an in-depth introduction to the discipline of epistemology, the study of knowledge (episteme), where case will be made for realism: the view that our ordinary, common-sense perceptions of the world are grounded in reality and are not fundamentally deceived, as many modern thinkers want us to believe. Pre-requisites: Philosophy I or equivalent (or instructor permission).
- Oesterle, Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Science.
- Aristotle, Ethics and Politics; Posterior Analytics.
- St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae I-II; On Kingship.
First Year Latin
RCA Course Code: Henle I
Professor: Hilaire K. Troyer de Romero
Day/Time: Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:00 - 12:50 pm EST.
Course Tuition (includes both semesters): $499.00 USD.
Course Description:
Henle Latin I introduces basic Latin grammatical concepts, reviewing their English counterparts; it thoroughly covers all declensions of the Latin noun, all types of adjectives, the present system and perfect tense of the first conjugation. Emphasis is on absolute mastery of grammar, morphology, and a trim but highly efficient vocabulary. In addition to the material in the textbook, which is renowned for its thorough coverage and copious practice exercises, the instructor has prepared more than 50 supplemental lessons, and an average of three auto-scored quizzes per week.
The course covers Units I, II, and III of the textbook, namely:
- All five declensions of the noun.
- Nouns with special meanings in the plural.
- The present and perfect active systems of all four verb conjugations.
- The present system indicative of the verb sum ('to be').
- Special emphasis is placed on syntax analysis.
Basic format of the class is as follows. The student will:
- Access weekly study plan on Monday.
- Complete and check assigned exercises daily.
- Post questions in the class forum as necessary.
- Meet two live classes weekly.
- Complete a major examination every quarter.
The amount of time devoted to offline study is critical to course success; initially, students should budget least 45 minutes per day for preparing lessons, though the amount of time required will vary depending on individual aptitude and background in English grammar.
Henle Latin I introduces basic Latin grammatical concepts, reviewing their English counterparts; it thoroughly covers all declensions of the Latin noun, all types of adjectives, the present system and perfect tense of the first conjugation. Emphasis is on absolute mastery of grammar, morphology, and a trim but highly efficient vocabulary. In addition to the material in the textbook, which is renowned for its thorough coverage and copious practice exercises, the instructor has prepared more than 50 supplemental lessons, and an average of three auto-scored quizzes per week.
The course covers Units I, II, and III of the textbook, namely:
- All five declensions of the noun.
- Nouns with special meanings in the plural.
- The present and perfect active systems of all four verb conjugations.
- The present system indicative of the verb sum ('to be').
- Special emphasis is placed on syntax analysis.
Basic format of the class is as follows. The student will:
- Access weekly study plan on Monday.
- Complete and check assigned exercises daily.
- Post questions in the class forum as necessary.
- Meet two live classes weekly.
- Complete a major examination every quarter.
The amount of time devoted to offline study is critical to course success; initially, students should budget least 45 minutes per day for preparing lessons, though the amount of time required will vary depending on individual aptitude and background in English grammar.
Required Texts (Available for purchase from St. John's Bookstore):
- Henle, S.J., Latin: First Year.
- Henle, S.J., Latin Grammar.
- Henle First Year Latin: Answer Key.
Last day to sign up is August 26. Virtual seats are limited, so act now!
1 comment:
This is looks like a wonderful opportunity! But alas, time and money...
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