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Philosophy is born of discomfort. Whether it is the need to account for the tragedies of circumstance, the incongruities between our assumptions about the world and what experience and science reveal, or the shock of being exposed to hitherto unimagined conceptual alternatives, philosophy arises in those contexts in which serious questions emerge about the adequacy of our most cherished beliefs.
Philosophy is driven by the unsettling awareness that we are not beings who act exclusively on instinct but are instead able to choose from among a variety of ways of thinking about ourselves, the world in which we find ourselves, and our relations with others. Moreover, the beliefs we hold are not merely incidental facts about us like height or eye color. What we believe is often central to our moral identity, the nature of our personal relationships, the manner in which we regard ourselves and treat others, and the happiness and unhappiness that form the emotional contours of our practical lives. Philosophy is born out of our awareness that despite the centrality of our beliefs to our identity as moral beings, the truth of our beliefs can be uncertain, for on virtually any topic there is a variety of possible viewpoints, not all of which can be equally adequate.
In its attempt to ground our beliefs and justify them, philosophy becomes a reflective and critical conceptual activity concerned with foundational questions regarding our deepest assumptions and intuitions about the nature and extent of human knowledge (epistemology), about the nature of reality and the distinction between appearance and reality (metaphysics), about the nature, scope, and grounds of moral value (ethics), and about the nature and theoretical foundations of formal reasoning and valid inference (logic).
The major program in philosophy is designed to provide a broad exposure to all of these areas as well as a strong grounding in the history of the western philosophical tradition. The program emphasizes the close reading and critical evaluation of classic texts from ancient times to the present, and students can expect to develop sophisticated analytic and expository skills that will enable them to engage in original, critical reflection on their own. To this end, the major program involves a combination of required and elective coursework as well as the opportunity to develop and pursue individual interests under faculty supervision. In addition to its regular course offerings, the department also sponsors a variety of activities (e.g. the annual Selfridge Lecture, the Philosophy Forum, the Faculty Seminar, the Philosophy Club, and the annual Reading Party), all of which are designed to complement the course offerings and to promote a university-wide philosophical community.
The major program provides excellent preparation for graduate study in philosophy as well as a solid foundation for any career that places a premium upon clear, careful thinking and rigorous conceptual and expository skills.
For additional information about the faculty, frequency of course offerings, and departmental events, please contact the department for a copy of its brochure.
Ethics
1 course from PHIL. 105, 116, or 205
Logic
1 course from PHIL. 114, 260, 265, or 303
History of Philosophy
2 courses from PHIL. 131, 132, 135, 139, 231, 233, 235, 237, or 239
Three of the 10 courses (not including the senior thesis) must be at the 200 level or above.
Majors planning to pursue graduate study in philosophy are strongly encouraged to include the following specific courses:
PHIL. 105 Ethics
PHIL. 114 Fundamentals of Logic
PHIL. 131 Ancient Philosophy
PHIL. 135 Modern Philosophy
Senior Thesis The Senior Thesis (PHIL 390-1) is a year-long, independent project during which philosophy majors, with the consent and under the guidance of a faculty sponsor, investigate a topic of special interest to them. The topic may be historical or non-historical, pure or applied, interdisciplinary or disciplinary; the only constraint is that the student secure the cooperation of a faculty sponsor. During the fall (PHIL 390), the student's energies will be devoted to refining the topic under investigation, working through the bulk of the essential literature, and producing a paper roughly 20 pages in length. During the spring semester (PHIL 391), the student will investigate the same topic more intensively, expanding, revising, and refining the fall paper into a substantial senior thesis roughly 50 pages in length.
Honors Departmental honors in Philosophy are awarded to those graduating seniors who satisfy the following two criteria: (a) at the time of graduation, their GPA in philosophy is 3.5 or higher, their overall GPA is 3.25 or higher, and (b) their senior thesis is judged by two members of the philosophy department to show sufficient imaginative philosophical accomplishment to merit their receiving Honors in Philosophy.