Philosophy Department
Can the ancient discipline of philosophy prepare you for a constantly changing world? Absolutely. In every walk of life you will encounter problems that need to be solved. Asking the big questions about God, reality, and life and death gives you practice analyzing arguments and working with ideas, so you can come up with innovative solutions. Whether you’re considering to major, minor, or earn a certificate, philosophy can help you think outside the box in any situation you face.
Get to the root of the problem
Courses in philosophy help you tackle questions like:
- What is the right thing to do?
- Do I have a duty to others?
- What is my relationship with the world?
- How do other people think?
- Does that line of reasoning make sense?
Our in-depth classes help you to understand the issues in question. Thorough and rigorous discussions show you how to look at an issue from all perspectives, essential in our global society to mediate conflicts, argue a position, and influence change.
Come up with a new answer
Learn to think for yourself, while you discover many traditional (and some rather unorthodox) schools of thought. Voice your ideas, and we will help you refine them like Socrates did for his students. Our outstanding faculty will work with you on a one-on-one basis, ready to answer your questions and open new lines of thought for you to discover.
Keep in touch with the world
Interaction with ideas from many cultures helps you pioneer new avenues of thought. The Department tries to bring unique extracurricular activities to the campus community. For example, a Fulbright scholar from Bangladesh recently came to campus to share her experiences with Islam and an Eastern Religions class visited a Buddhist monastery and a Hindu ashram.
You don’t have to travel far to experience diverse opinions. Our Civil Discussions of Controversial Issues series stimulated vigorous discussions, illustrating the diversity of opinions right here in our community on topics including stem cell research, intelligent design, and the Patriot Act.
Katie Edwards
During my first semester at FHSU, I stumbled in Dr. Rice’s Intro to Philosophy class due to a scheduling mishap, and I fell in love with the challenge. When the semester ended, I knew I wanted more, so I became a Philosophy major. During my three years in the Department of Philosophy, I took challenging classes, tutored logic, presented at a regional philosophy conference, and learned about what I really value in life.
The Senior Thesis project stretched my analytical skills to the limits. I chose to analyze the concept of fiction, specifically focusing on how we can make truthful statements about stories not based in fact, which turned out to be more complicated than I expected. By the time I made it to my presentation, I gained the confidence to present on virtually any topic, no matter how difficult. You can watch my thesis defense and get a sense of what your final philosophy project could be. (Due to technical difficulties, the first five or ten minutes of my thesis presentation wasn’t recorded, but hopefully you catch my drift!)
Building on the confidence and skills I developed during my time in the Department of Philosophy, I am currently studying for a Master's degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis.