Emmanuel College

 

What is the meaning of humanity? God? Freedom? Knowledge? Good? Evil? Challenge your values to strengthen them. Examine your life to fulfill it.

Philosophy

Philosophy was originally defined by the Greeks as "love of wisdom". Wisdom is knowledge that enables us to understand reality and live a good life. In this spirit, the department strives to help students explore the meaning of humanity, God, freedom, knowledge, society, history, good and evil, and to construct a personal worldview.

Philosophy is one of the best ways to prepare for the rapidly changing world that awaits today's college graduates. It leads to personal growth, allowing those who study it to lead richer, fuller lives. Philosophy prepares people to participate fully in free and open societies, where different ideas and policies compete for attention. In other words, the study of philosophy is preparation for life.

Emmanuel's Department of Philosophy strives to help students explore the meaning of humanity, God, freedom, knowledge, society, history, good and evil, and to construct a personal worldview. The successful student of philosophy finds it to be intellectually exciting and rewarding, and is better able to interpret the meaning of his or her life.

Because of the thinking skills they develop, successful philosophy majors are extremely well prepared for many of today's most interesting careers. They develop high levels of the type of skills required for success in fields such as teaching, law, medicine, business and a variety of leadership positions. Successful students can question assumptions, analyze ideas carefully, reason accurately, solve problems creatively, think in an interdisciplinary fashion and develop other critical-thinking skills that are in great demand in today's world.

The Value of Philosophy »


Philosophy & the Liberal Arts »


Values-Based Education Program Newsletter »

 

Requirements for Departmental Major in Philosophy: 

  • PHIL 1115 Recent Moral Issues
  • PHIL 2108 Critical Thinking or PHIL 2119 Symbolic Logic
  • PHIL 2101 Problems in Philosophy
  • PHIL 2201 Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
  • PHIL 3109 Philosophy of Mind
  • PHIL 3115 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
  • PHIL 3215 Modern Philosophy
  • PHIL Senior Seminar

And three of the following courses:

  • PHIL1103 Philosophy of Religion (R)
  • PHIL1111 Literature and Philosophy (A)
  • PHIL1112 Aesthetics (A)
  • PHIL1207 Ethics at Work (M)
  • PHIL2104 Theories of Human Nature (M)
  • PHIL1205 Health Care Ethics (M)
  • PHIL2106 Ethical Theory (M)
  • PHIL1201 Global Ethics (M)
  • PHIL2115 History and Philosophy of Science (M)
  • PHIL2203 Philosophy of Law (M)
  • PHIL3107 Women in Philosophy
  • PHIL3201 Race, Ethnicity and Ethics 

Requirements for Departmental Minor in Philosophy:

  • PHIL1117 Critical Thinking
  • PHIL2101 Problems of Philosophy
  • Three additional philosophy courses, one of which must be a 3000-level course