The benefits of an undergraduate education in philosophy are those Francis Bacon attributed to reading, conversation, and writing: reading gives us material for our own thought; conversation, the facility to share and debate ideas; and writing, the ability to fix ideas with precision. A typical philosophy course involves reading: from the center and margins of the major world traditions, to modern thinkers framing today’s urgent issues. It also involves conversation, as philosophers like to test ideas out in the company and learn from those who see things differently to them. The final test of a philosophical theory or argument is to submit it to the rigor of writing. Philosophical writing, in the ideal, is clear, exact, and free of the rhetoric that may be able to temporarily sway an opponent in the heat of conversation.
 

Mga Resulta ng Pagkatuto

1. Demonstrated solid foundation in logic, the history of philosophy (ancient, medieval, and modern), ethics and value theory, and metaphysics and epistemology

2. Critical analysis and evaluation of arguments in historical texts and the contemporary philosophical literature

3. Demonstrated ability to formulate and clearly present valid and sound arguments

4. Development of oral and written skills that display skill at argument and the ability to engage honestly with difficult and controversial topics