Philosophy

What Students Learn

Philosophy uses questions and texts to examine the assumptions and reasoning behind everyday beliefs. Students clarify concepts and compare different positions, developing reasoned judgments about questions of knowledge and ethics.

Learning Focus

1. Questions and concepts: formulate philosophical questions and clarify key terms

2. Argument and reasoning: examine relationships between premises and conclusions

3. Perspectives and responses: compare positions and consider counterexamples

4. Discussion and writing: explain judgments and revise arguments

Learning Outcomes

Students identify assumptions within arguments, evaluate reasoning, and explain their own judgments. Discussion and writing develop careful inquiry and considered responses to different perspectives.