The study of philosophy involves fundamental questions basic to being human, such as: What is the nature of reality, mind, body, life and death? What is the nature of knowledge, truth, and logical reasoning? What is a good and moral life? What is justice? What is the nature of the Divine? What is beauty? We want to equip students not only to understand and appreciate the answers offered historically to such questions, but to enable them to develop their own ideas and thoughts about them in the context of reasoned argument. The crucial emphasis in philosophy on writing and verbal communication skills, imaginative interpretation of texts, as well as critical thinking and logic, offers a unique opportunity for self-knowledge as well as an ideal preparation for possible careers in education, law, business, journalism, medicine, or public service. Many of our students are double majors, finding that the rigorous demands of philosophy in reasoning, writing, and communication combine well with other majors (such as biology, psychology, or art).
Students majoring in philosophy develop with their mentor a program of study including a minimum of ten courses. Major requirements are as follows:
- The core course: PL101H-Introduction to Philosophy
- Two history of philosophy courses: PL202H-Happiness and Wisdom; and PL203H-Knowledge, Freedom, Power
- An ethics course: PL104H: Introduction to Ethics, PL204H-Animal Ethics, or PL243E-Environmental Ethics
- A logic course: PL102M: Introduction to Logic
- Either an academic internship or a research course: HU370H-Humanities Academic Internship; FD 330–St. Petersburg Immersive Internship; or HU388-Humanities Research Symposium
- Three electives, one of which must be at 300-level or above; with approval from the philosophy discipline coordinator, one of these elective courses may be taken in a humanities discipline other than philosophy (HI, AS, WG, RE, LI, FI, AM)
- A senior capstone course: HU498-Humanities Colloquium
A minor in philosophy consists of five philosophy courses, including PL102M: Introduction to Logic, PL104H: Introduction to Ethics (or another Ethics class approved by Faculty), and at least one course from the History of Philosophy sequence (PL202H: Happiness & Wisdom and/or PL203H: Knowledge, Freedom, Power). An approved course of study must be developed in consultation with the Philosophy Discipline Coordinator.
