The Claritas Initiative
Enlivening education through beauty, goodness, and truth
Beauty, goodness, and truth are described in Catholic intellectual tradition as “transcendentals,” or properties of reality at its very roots. According to this way of thinking, beauty, goodness, and truth “transcend” particular things, and they pertain to everything that exists.
President Rob Vischer spoke about these values during his when he announced a new initiative to invite all St. Thomas community members to “experience the many ways in which truth, beauty, and goodness are lived out each day across our campus.”
Through its wide-ranging and interdisciplinary programming, the Claritas Initiative seeks to both reclaim and illuminate insights regarding beauty, goodness, and truth and, in doing so, reframe the education of students at St. Thomas.
Upcoming Events
Our discussions, performances and experiences are designed to help community members explore ways that all of us in our unique roles can nurture beauty, goodness and truth.
Beauty and Science: The Importance of Aesthetics and Theories of Beauty for Contemporary Scientific Discovery
Dr. Mark McInroy (Associate Chair, Theology) will be leading this Faculty Learning Community. Throughout the fall semester, faculty will gather for a book study and engage in cross-disciplinary conversations, exploring the role of beauty in scientific inquiry.
Registration has closed for this program. For further information, please e-mail mark.mcinroy@stthomas.edu
A Winter Journey: Luminous Night of the Soul
December 12, 2024 - Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas
The Cathedral Choir of the Basilica of St. Mary directed by Patrick Schneider joins Â鶹´«Ã½ faculty Jacob Benda in presenting music inspired by the seasons of Advent and Winter. Featuring Dreamweaver by Ola Gjeilo, The Nutcracker Suite for piano four-hands and orchestra by Tchaikovsky, and more.
Concert begins at 7:00 p.m. Reception to follow.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Beauty as a Guide to Truth: The Role of Aesthetic Judgment in Scientific Inquiry
February 11, 2025 - Woulfe Alumni Hall North
Dr. Nicholas Teh, University of Notre Dame
A striking feature of modern scientific inquiry concerns the extent to which aesthetic considerations (e.g., judgements about beauty) direct scientists' attempts to discern the fundamental nature of reality. Beauty, many scientists claim, serves as a crucial guide to truth in their disciplines. This presentation and discussion will explore the thinking that underlies this intriguing movement in contemporary science.
6:00 p.m. Social Hour, 7:00 p.m. Program
Admission is free and open to the public. To assist with preparations, is encouraged but not required.
About the Claritas Initiative
The Claritas Initiative cultivates appreciation of beauty, goodness, and truth with the aim of re-framing and enriching the educational experience of our students, and the professional lives of our faculty and staff.
About the Name
Why Claritas?
Thomas Aquinas uses the Latin term claritas in his theory of beauty. To Aquinas, beautiful things have claritas, which translates most straightforwardly as "clarity," but which also involves a certain luminosity, a shining quality. Things that are beautiful radiate something enthralling to the observer. The term claritas thus captures a potent, multifaceted aspect of beauty in Aquinas’ thought.
Beauty transports us out of ourselves and leads us to engage the world, goodness inspires us to reach our highest aspirations and truth provides shared understanding for our lives together.
Seed funding for the Claritas Initiative was generously provided by the .