Date: Friday, March 13, 2026
Lyceum Seminar
During the morning, on March 13, students gathered in the 20th Street Seminar Room for Dr. Christopher Kaczor’s Socratic-style seminar on “The Four Levels of Happiness and Four Rival Views of Humans”. The event invited students to examine one of the most fundamental philosophical questions: What does it mean to be truly happy?
Drawing from philosophical and theological insights, Dr. Kaczor introduced students to four distinct levels of happiness and explored how different understandings of happiness shape broader views of human nature and human dignity.
Students considered how various conceptions of happiness—from pleasure and success to deeper forms of fulfillment—like altruistic love and love of God—can influence how we think about the purpose of life and the value of the human person.
The seminar fostered lively and thoughtful discussion, with students reflecting on competing perspectives about what ultimately satisfies human desires. Participants also explored how different visions of happiness correspond to rival views of what human beings are and what gives their lives meaning.
Fireside Chat
On the evening of March 13, guests gathered at the Seawolf Campus for a fireside-style conversation with Dr. Christopher Kaczor centered on his recent book, Is Belief Believable? Reasoning About God from Plato and Aquinas to C.S. Lewis and Jordan Peterson.
The moderated time of question and answer provided an opportunity for attendees to explore one of the most enduring questions in philosophy and theology: Can belief in God be rationally justified?
Dr. Kaczor guided the audience through key themes from his book, addressing the common claim that faith is irrational, incompatible with reason, or that the idea of God is logically incoherent.
Drawing on insights from philosophy and theology, Dr. Kaczor presented arguments that challenge the supposed conflict between faith and reason while highlighting how great thinkers throughout history have approached the question of God.
The event ended with time for question and answer from the audience and some signed copies of Dr. Kaczor’s book being handed out.
Speaker: Christopher Kaczor
Dr. Christopher Kaczor (rhymes with razor) is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University and Honorary Professor in Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire Institute. He graduated from the Honors Program of Boston College and earned a Ph.D. four years later from the University of Notre Dame. A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Kaczor did post-doctoral work as a Alexander von Humboldt German Chancellor Fellow at the University of Cologne. He was appointed a Corresponding Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life of Vatican City, a visting fellow of the University of Notre Dame, and William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University. The winner of a Templeton Grant, he has written more than 100 scholarly articles and book chapters. An award winning author, his sixteen books include Is Belief Believable?, Jordan Peterson, God, and Christianity: The Search for a Meaningful Life, Disputes in Bioethics, Thomas Aquinas on the Cardinal Virtues, Abortion Rights: For and Against, 365 Days to Deeper Faith, The Gospel of Happiness, The Seven Big Myths about Marriage, A Defense of Dignity, The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church, The Ethics of Abortion, O Rare Ralph McInerny: Stories and Reflections on a Legendary Notre Dame Professor, Life Issues-Medical Choices; Thomas Aquinas on Faith, Hope, and Love; The Edge of Life, and Proportionalism and the Natural Law Tradition. Dr. Kaczor’s views have been in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, National Review, NPR, BBC, EWTN, ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, MSNBC, TEDx, and The Today Show.