The University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) has established a first of its kind centre in Australia that will dramatically elevate educational opportunities in the study of philosophy and transform how the discipline is understood down-under.
Building on one of UNDA’s celebrated core research strengths, the newly created Notre Dame Centre for the History of Philosophy promises to explore the deepest and oldest questions facing humanity.
The premise of the centre is that it will not just examine established philosophical principles, but also study the people, times and circumstances which lead to their creation.
UNDA Chancellor Hon Christopher Ellison officially opened the centre on Monday evening, setting the expectation that it will deliver something we previously have not seen in Australian academic institutions.
“The History of Philosophy is not a centre you find at every University. This academic discipline is about carrying on a conversation with the thinkers of the past,” Mr Ellison said.
Chancellor Ellison added that examining the actions of the past was always instrumental in seeking wisdom for our present and future.
“One thing I was struck by was the discovery of what past philosophical thinkers and texts spoke of and how that can speak to us today.”
Comprising some of Australia’s top academic experts in ancient, medieval, and early modern periods, the centre has also partnered with the History of Philosophy Forum at the University of Notre Dame USA to deliver co-sponsored events, joint research projects and visiting scholar programs.
Notre Dame University USA Associate Professor Therese Scarpelli Cory was given the honour of delivering the keynote inaugural lecture for the Australian centre, titled “The Mind as Part of Nature in Thomas Aquinas.”
Professor Cory declared that the history of philosophy is an area mission critical for Catholic Universities.
“Catholic and Christian theology has a long and venerable tradition that has developed over the course of two millennia. During that period it has had a quite positive relationship with the various philosophical traditions that have grown up in the surrounding cultures.”
Professor Cory added that the symbiotic relationship between philosophy and religion is that the former equips us with the skills and knowledge to have a meaningful relationship with God.
“Going back to the early days of Christianity you can find a pattern of enthusiasm for the resources that philosophers’ provide in understanding God’s creation.”
The centre is backed by $1.3 million in funding from the Australian Research Council and internal funding from Notre Dame’s Big Ideas pitch scheme, which creates an innovation pipeline for ambitious research partnerships.
The team behind the centre will produce world-class publications, secure research funding, host high-impact events, build partnerships and mentor the next generation of scholars in the history of philosophy.
The Notre Dame Centre for the History of Philosophy’s inaugural Co-Directors are Associate Professor David Bronstein and Dr Nathan Lyons.
