Love of Wisdom
Philosophy literally means "love of wisdom," and for most of human history anyone who pursued knowledge was considered a philosopher. Today, the term "philosophy" refers to a narrower academic discipline, though philosophers still continue to seek answers to life’s broadest and most fundamental questions: How should I live? What can I know? Does God exist? Do numbers? What is the nature of language and the human mind? Of science and art? Of meaning, logic and truth? The Philosophy Department currently has 14 full-time faculty members with specialties ranging from ancient to recent philosophy, Plato and Aristotle, through Spinoza and Kant, to Kripke and Lewis. In addition to our specialists in social-political philosophy and applied ethics, we offer particular expertise in the region of analytic thought where issues in metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophies of mind, language, and science come together.
Why Study Philosophy
Philosophy investigates general topics of human interest including morality and the good life; law and the political life; good and bad reasoning; the nature of the mind, reality in general, evidence, the sacred or divine, language, art, and the beautiful.
Studying philosophy requires learning how to listen and how to discuss. It involves sifting through ideas and articulating thoughts in ways that others can follow. It is little wonder, therefore, that a degree in philosophy is not only valuable in itself, but is also widely recognized as an excellent preparation for careers in law, academia, medicine, and even business.