Philosophy Major

Lisa J. McLeod, Assistant Professor, Chair
Jonathan W. Malino, John A. Weissenfluh Professor of Ethics and Religion
Nancy V. Daukas, Associate Professor
Vance A. Ricks, Assistant Professor

Joe Cole, Visiting Assistant Professor

Philosophy strives to deepen our understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us. It aims to articulate and examine our most fundamental assumptions, raising questions and encouraging reflection about generally unnoticed aspects of our everyday lives. Philosophical inquiry involves interpretation and analysis of a rich tradition of powerful philosophical texts; intensive discussion and analysis of problems, questions and theories that emerge from those texts; and probing reflection on everyday experience, human practices, and the entire range of human knowledge and study.

Philosophical inquiry requires, and enables students to develop, a wide range of skills, including reasoning, interpretative and critical reading, clarity in written and spoken expression, synthesis and analysis of information, problem solving, and appreciation of different perspectives. These skills, along with the enhanced awareness that philosophy enables us to develop, are foundational to most forms of intellectual endeavor, practical decision-making, and moral questioning. Thus philosophical training and reflection lay a groundwork for any path one may choose in life.

Given the nature of philosophy, combining a Philosophy major with a second major in the humanities, the natural or social sciences, the arts, or business and policy, is an exciting and natural option, with benefit to both the breadth and the depth of a student's studies.

Outside the classroom, lectures and informal discussions are sponsored by a philosophy club, which also arranges for students to attend lectures and colloquia at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Wake Forest University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Duke University.

Degrees Offered

The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered in philosophy.

Major Requirements

To major in philosophy, a student must complete nine philosophy courses (33 credit hours), among them PHIL 111: Ethics; PHIL 200: Informal Logic or PHIL 292: Formal Logic; PHIL 201: Ancient Western Philosophy; PHIL 202: Modern Western Philosophy; one course devoted to an individual philosopher (PHIL 333); PHIL 301:Third Year Seminar (1 credit); and PHIL 401: Contemporary Analytic Philosophy. Individually tailored independent studies are available to supplement regular course offerings.