Department of Philosophy

Department Chair: Dr. Nicholas Baima

Undergraduate Advisor: Dr. Clevis Headley

Program Assistant: Mrs. Simone White

What is Philosophy?

                                                                   

Unlike other fields of study, philosophy pursues fundamental questions in every dimension of human life. Philosophy develops our capacity for seeing the world from different perspective and deepens our sense of the meaning and variety of human experience.  For more detailed information on the field of philosophy, please see  "Philosophy: A Brief Guide for Undergraduates"   .

Philosophy is inescapable, because all thoughtful persons confront philosophical questions at some point in their lives, and nearly everyone is guided by philosophical assumptions, even if unconsciously.

Philosophical training enhances our problem-solving capacities, our abilities to understand and express ideas, and our persuasive powers. 

As the systematic study of ideas and issues, philosophy may examine concepts and views drawn from many perspective and fields.

Branches of Philosophy

Traditional branches

Logic  - Concerned with sound methods for distinguishing good from bad reasoning.

Ethics  - Concerned with the meaning of our moral concepts and principles to guide moral decisions, whether in private or public life.

Metaphysics  - Concerned with the ultimate nature of reality, of being, and of existence.

Epistemology  - Concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge and with the nature of evidence.

Philosophy of Science  - Concerned with the nature of scientific knowledge, the scientific method, and scientific explanations.

Philosophy of Art (Aesthetics)  - Concerned with the nature of art and of beauty.

Social and Political Philosophy  - Concerned with the nature of legitimate authority and society and how philosophy intersects with political and social theory.

New branches

• Philosophy of Law
• Biomedical Ethics
• Environmental Ethics
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Neuroscience
• Philosophy of Religion
• Africana Philosophy
• Eastern Philosophy
• Philosophy of Feminism
• Philosophy of Language

For more information on philosophy in general, see the American Philosophical Association's  Philosophy: A Brief Guide for Undergraduates  and  The Philosophy Major  at  www.apaonline.org   .

Why Study Philosophy?

Philosophy makes a central contribution to the educational enterprise through its demands upon intellectual activity.

As the recent blog post  Insights From the Inside   argues, philosophy serves as the backbone of higher education.

In addition to the many invaluable contributions discussed in the above-cited blog post, the study of philosophy also enhances the following skills:

Accuracy, Critical Thinking, and General Problem Solving Skills:  Analysis of concepts, definitions, and problems and synthesis of varied perspectives into a unified whole.

Logic and Analytical Reasoning:  Construction and analysis of arguments, ability to draw both deductive and inductive inferences, and ability to think objectively.

Effective Communication Skills:  Enhancement of communicative powers and elimination of ambiguity and vagueness from writing and speech.

Persuasive Powers:  Construction of clear formulations, good arguments, and appropriate examples.

Ethics and Empathy:  Understanding the foundations of ethical principles, resolution of moral dilemmas, development of empathy, and ability to determine the relevant ethical principles that apply in a variety of contexts.

Writing Skills:  Enhancement of writing skills, in terms of syntax, clarity, proper argumentation, and organization.

Understanding Other Disciplines:  Understanding of other disciplines and of the relation of philosophy to foundational issues in other fields.

Development of Sound Methods of Research and Analysis:  Ability to frame hypotheses, to do research, and organize problems in manageable form.