Why Study Philosophy?

Rachel Lopez, a student in our Critical Thinking First Year Seminar, speaking on the problem of power in a democracy

Why Not? Seriously. Philosophy is interesting, enlightening, stimulating and one of the oldest, most respected academic disciplines.

Philosophy is an exciting discipline dedicated to active inquiry and discovery. It's not about memorizing names and dates. It's about cultivating a love of wisdom, based on over 2000 years of tradition. It's a critical standpoint, a methodology, from which we seek to question everything.

Philosophy provides the foundation of knowledge and understanding, and as such is useful in most human endeavors. It helps us understand how others seek to sway our opinions and convince us of dubious notions. It opens our minds to the possibilities of alternate explanations and allows us to see the conceptual blinders with which we might be moving through life.

The study of philosophy stimulates creative thinkers who are capable of not only critically consuming information, but also producing and refining knowledge in a reliable way. Studying Philosophy sharpens your mind and equips you with the skills necessary to engage in a variety of disciplines. Studying Philosophy helps you ask the right questions - which is far more important than knowing the 'right' answers.

But don't let us tell you what Philosophy is, or what you can do with a Philosophy major. Discover it for yourself...