Philosophy as the Principle of the Unity of Knowledge in John Henry Newman

Abstract

This article analyzes the thought of John Henry Newman from the perspective of philosophy as the integrating principle of the different forms of knowledge and sciences. The study argues that the core of Newman’s educational and epistemological proposal is grounded in an eminently philosophical conception of the unity of knowledge. In this sense, philosophy is understood both as an academic discipline and as an intellectual habit capable of integrating the various sciences into an organic, universal, and coherent vision of reality. Furthermore, the article highlights the mediating role of philosophy in the integration of science, theology, and culture, thus avoiding both scientistic reductionism and the relativistic dissolution of truth.