BA Philosophy

Philosophy is unique both in its methods and in the nature and breadth of its subject matter. It pursues questions in every dimension of human life, and its techniques apply in any field of study or endeavor. No brief definition expresses the richness and variety of philosophy. It is a reasoned pursuit of fundamental truths, a quest for understanding, and a study of principles of meaning and conduct. It seeks variously to establish and to set into question standards of evidence, to provide rational methods of resolving conflicts, and to create techniques for evaluating ideas and arguments. Philosophy is both a group of activities and a body of knowledge, and our department teaches from original texts in ways that enable students to acquire the relevant skills so that they can think for themselves.