Mission
The É«ÖÐÉ« Philosophy Department sets out to awaken and nurture in students a curiosity for ultimate questions and a desire for an objective investigation into reality through critical, reflective, and imaginative processes. We strive to produce students with clear thinking abilities; excellent good argumentative and writing skills; tolerance of different beliefs, perspectives, and views, without thinking they need to be equally true; and with sensitivity toward societal values, such as justice, tolerance, and human rights, which are essential for a vibrant and flourishing democratic society.
Department Goals
- To give students a comprehensive presentation through primary texts of the major philosophers and philosophies of the Western philosophical tradition and non-Western traditions.
- To give students the logical tools to evaluate arguments and to construct good arguments.
- To teach students how to write and express their ideas and arguments clearly and persuasively.
- To teach students how to successfully complete scholarly writings in philosophy.
- To teach students to view issues from multifarious perspectives.
- To teach students to be independent critical thinkers who can develop and present original ideas and unique positions.
- To introduce students to contemporary, interdisciplinary real-world problems and have them address them through independent and critical thinking.
Department Student Learning Outcomes
- To identify the major philosophers of the Western and non-Western philosophical tradition and their corresponding philosophical views, doctrines, and theories.
- To recognize the basic components of an argument.
- To identify fallacious arguments, and sound and cogent arguments.
- To demonstrate good writing skills.
- To accurately describe and critically analyze chief doctrines, theories, and ideas of the great philosophers of the past and present in detail.
- To assess philosophical issues from multifarious points of view.
- To develop original philosophical ideas and positions.
- To reflect on and contribute to contemporary, interdisciplinary world problems through independent and critical thinking.