The person who holds such a worldview can be said to be critically present in his or her culture, society, and political community and to be truly educated. Soren Kierkegaard Not only does philosophy raise these questions, it seeks to answer them as well. One important approach to achieving such a synthesis begins with an understanding of the history of philosophy, by which we acquire insight into the values, goals, and conflicts within our tradition.
Philosophy pursues a dialogue of human persons across the centuries and across cultures.
Philosophy is eminently practical since these problems are always relevant and contemporary. In all of the courses and program's of Creighton's philosophy department, the goal is the preparation of the student not for a job but for a lifetime of mature and reflective choices. Educating the student to be a better citizen, not just a better employee. To achieve this goal, Creighton philosophers teach students to develop skills of critical thinking and to appreciate the major movements of thought in Western civilization. The historical approach to philosophy emphasizes the relatedness of the philosophical problems of each age not only to that age's general cultural milieu but also to ours, engendering a sense of oneself as the product of a long and exciting intellectual adventure and producing a heightened self-awareness appropriate to an educated person.