Philosophy Program
Why study Philosophy?
Do we possess free will? Are values real and objective, or merely the expression of people’s preferences? Can we really ever know anything? What, if anything, makes you today the same person you were yesterday, or ten years ago? Upon what values should society be built? Does God exist, and, if He does, should we worship Him? Are our minds simply our brains?
Philosophy is the attempt to resolve general and fundamental problems concerning existence, knowledge, value, reason, the mind, and language. The ultimate goal of studying philosophy is to gain the skills needed to think intelligently about these problems.
The Saint Mary’s approach
Philosophical problems arise when we notice that two ideas, each of which seems sound, conflict with each other. For instance, we might think that we are free to choose, but we might also think that everything that happens has a sufficient cause, which would seem to imply that we are not free to choose. In thinking philosophically, we seek to resolve these conflicts, either by rejecting one of the two ideas or by finding a way to interpret them so that they fit together harmoniously.
Students study and value philosophy for its own sake. Through the study of philosophy they also gain skills they can use in their other courses and in life generally. They acquire the ability to think precisely and analytically, the ability to craft arguments, and the ability to express themselves well. Above all, they acquire independence of mind.
Students who major in philosophy do better on average in graduate and professional school entrance examinations than students from any other humanities or social science discipline.
Sample courses offered:
- Critical Thinking: This course is an introduction to essential principles of reasoning and critical thinking. It is designed to develop students’ abilities to evaluate various forms of reasoning, to examine critically beliefs, conventions, and theories, and to develop sound arguments. Emphasis will be given to decision-making and arguments in ordinary language, particularly those addressed to issues of public concern and moral debate.
- Human Freedom: The traditional problems of free will and political freedom and different concepts and conceptions of freedom and liberation are considered. In addition, there will be an examination of some contemporary thought on freedom and liberation.
- Evil: This course is about the nature and significance of evil events, actions, characters, and institutions. Topics include historical accounts of evil, suffering, skepticism about evil, evil and mental illness, terrorism, torture, and genocide.
- Bioethics: Students consider the following ethical and legal questions that arise from developments in biotechnology and the biomedical sciences: What are appropriate guidelines for human and animal experimentation? Should limits be placed on the use of reproductive and genetic technologies? How should genetic engineering be used in agriculture?
Career opportunities
- Teacher/professor
- Writer
- Education administrator
- Government policy advisor
- Politician
- Lawyer
- Journallist
- Healthcare professional
- Business executive