BA Philosophy

This major provides in-depth study of fundamental issues that confront all people. Topics include ethics, social and political philosophy, and aesthetics--study of the good life, justice, and beauty; metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of religion--study of the nature of reality, mind, body, and the meaning of life and death; epistemology, philosophy of science, and logic--study of the nature of knowledge, truth, objectivity, and principles of sound reasoning; and subjects such as comparative philosophies, theories of race, gender, and class, and philosophical issues in technology, language, education, and the professions of law, business, medicine, communications, engineering, and agriculture. These studies enhance imaginative, interpretive, analytical, critical, and communicative capacities. Majors should acquire the intellectual abilities crucial for self-fulfillment, responsible participation in public life, and success in a wide range of careers--including law, business, education, journalism, medicine, and public service.