Majoring in Philosophy
Major in philosophy and you explore 2,500 years of thought – starting with the ancient Greeks and Romans – and learn to make connections to such fields as law, gender, neuroscience, art and the environment. You are exposed to both continental and analytical traditions in philosophy, and you engage in a sustained way with the history of philosophy. In some courses, you spend a whole semester studying the work of a significant philosopher. Your professors are active scholars who have written and edited books on topics that include the philosophy of Hans Jonas, the philosophy of mind, German romanticism, the philosophy of paleontology, and God.
Research opportunities
Outstanding students devote a year to an honors project. Recent topics ranged from the concept of nostalgia to the ethical and legal underpinnings of the International Criminal Court. Students have presented conference papers at places like SUNY Oneonta and Pacific University in Oregon. Funding is available for students to work with faculty on research. It's unusual in our discipline, but professors have published with students and traveled with them to present co-authored papers at professional meetings.
Guest lectures
Our guest lecture series, "Pizza and Profundity," brings both up-and-coming and established philosophers to our campus. Recent speakers have included Tamar Gendler, Elizabeth Harman and Sally Haslanger. After each lecture, students join the philosophy faculty in taking the speaker to a local restaurant, where the conversation continues.
