Department of Philosophy
Philosophy Minor
Minor
Philosophy Minor
Philosophy is that inquiry whose special concern is to think seriously about such questions as “Is there a God?”, “Are values objective?”, and “Is your mind distinct from your brain?” There are no final answers to these questions but rather by posing such questions, philosophy enables us to understand what we believe. By providing us with the intellectual tools necessary to tackle these questions, philosophy helps us to open our beliefs to scrutiny and teaches us how to reason well about issues that are important to us. By acquainting us with the variety of ways in which these questions are answered, philosophy helps us to formulate provisional positions on pressing issues, while stretching our capacity to tolerate uncertainty and live with the open-endedness of critical dialogue.
In addition to broadened intellectual understanding of these kinds of questions, courses in philosophy help you develop skills in analytical thinking and effective communication that will prove useful in many areas of life.
The philosophy minor consists of a minimum of 18 credits including:
- Logic – One course (3 credits): Phil 121 (Critical Thinking) or Phil 322 (Symbolic Logic)
- History of Philosophy – One course (3 credits): Phil 325 (Ancient Greek Philosophy) or Phil 326 (17th and 18th Century Philosophy)
- Theoretical Foundations – One course (3 credits) drawn from a list of options
- Practical Applications – One course (3 credits) drawn from a list of options
- Electives – Two additional courses (6 credits) from the Philosophy Curriculum
School of Humanities and Global Studies