Philosophy Minor

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 most important questions: How should I live? What can I know? Does God exist? Do numbers exist? What is the nature of language and the human mind? What is the nature of science and art? What is the nature of meaning, logic and truth?

The Department of Philosophy offers a minor in philosophy. The course of study is designed to provide students with a background in logic and argumentation, as well as a broad introduction to some of the most important philosophical themes and traditions from ancient to contemporary.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the philosophy minor, students should meet the following overall program goals.

Students will be able to:

• Goal I: Exhibit facility in the theory and practice of argumentation, reasoning, and critical thinking.
• Goal II: Identify, summarize, and compare and contrast several of the contemporary branches and traditional classics of Western philosophy from antiquity to the present.
• More detailed specifications of these learning objectives are available upon request.