Professors: Latiolais, Cherem (Chair)

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy involves inquiry into the fundamental questions that arise in trying to “make sense” of our lives. Broadly speaking, philosophy studies core features of the human condition, such as morality, knowledge, nature, society, happiness, justice, beauty, selfhood, and friendship. Philosophers search for knowledge that illuminates our understanding of self and society. Philosophy is a rational, systematic, self-critical process of inquiry that is committed to grounding its claims to knowledge. Contemporary philosophy examines the principles that guide our thought and action, our pursuit of knowledge, and our desire to live well.

Philosophy challenges students to (1) reflect upon taken for granted patterns of thought, action, speech, and perception; (2) identify how practices, institutions, and perceptions are shaped by prior philosophical traditions; (3) critically examine and assess the fundamental assumptions that inform social practices and institutions; and (4) do so through open and critical communication that is committed to mutual understanding and respecting differences. In philosophy, students learn the basic skills of identifying and analyzing arguments. The department actively fosters an environment committed to the vigorous, respectful exchange of ideas. Philosophy also cultivates ethical responsibility by balancing the articulation, justification, and application of normative principles with the deepening of moral imagination and sensibility.

Curriculum

The department offers eight “History and Traditions” courses that represent important periods and traditions of Western philosophy:

• History and Traditions Courses
  • Ancient Philosophy
  • Early Modern Philosophy
  • 19^th-Century Philosophy
  • Existentialism and Film
  • Analytic Philosophy and Science
  • Critical Social Theory: The Dialectic of Enlightenment
  • Postmodern Critical Theory: The Critique of Modernity.

These historical courses reconstruct the debates, issues, concerns, questions, and concepts that define a historical period. They also offer linkages among historical periods, allowing students to appreciate the larger “paradigm shifts” in the field. Students gain an awareness of how canonical philosophers characteristically address their own historical precedents and how they shaped their views in response to predecessors. Students engage in close textual interpretation and careful evaluation of original texts. Instructors connect traditional schools of thought to contemporary movements and examples to underscore the impact of these historical approaches. Students learn to write detailed, textually supported essays that are both expository and persuasive. Students learn to write in a way that balances interpretive charity with critical analysis. The department seeks to cultivate a student’s ability to reconstruct the historical debates among canonical philosophers so that they can then critically evaluate how those debates link up with contemporary concerns. Many of the Department’s history courses have interdisciplinary units of instruction that connect historical debates to either contemporary research within the natural and social sciences or to interpretive approaches in the Humanities.

The department also offers courses in the classic subfields of philosophy: logic, ethics, metaphysics, and aesthetics. These courses explicate the fundamental conceptual tools we need to systematically address particular types of contemporary issues:

• How do we know? (Theories of Knowledge)
• What ought we to do? (Ethics)
• What is beauty? (Philosophy of Art)
• What is good reasoning? (Logic and Reasoning)
• What is being and what is it to be human? (Metaphysics and Mind)

In these courses students identify, reflect on, and use the key concepts, theories, and viewpoints that allow us to address ethical, epistemological, logical, metaphysical, and aesthetic issues. Subfield courses cultivate a student’s ability to systematically, self-consciously, and flexibly manage a repertoire of conceptual tools to discern, analyze, and deliberate about contemporary problems. By gaining a sensitivity for different ways of perceiving and thinking about a single issue, students develop an appreciation for the complexity of problem solving.

The department also offers specialized subfield courses under the following three categories:

• Applied Ethics (Ecological Philosophy, Biomedical Ethics, Philosophy of Law)
• Applied Epistemology (Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of the Social Sciences)
• Linguistics (Philosophy of Language)
• Political Theory (Classical and Contemporary Social Contract Theory, Human Rights and International Law, Theorizing Citizenship and Immigration)

In these courses, emphasis is placed upon problem solving in contemporary circumstances. The applied ethics courses introduce students to the systematic analysis of contemporary problems encountered in jurisprudence, political legitimacy, healthcare practices, and environmental stewardship. Students learn to unravel the factual, conceptual, and normative threads that are involved in addressing current crises. They also develop the ability to adopt different theoretical perspectives towards a single, multifaceted problem. The applied epistemology courses examine fundamental questions concerning the logic and practices of the natural and social sciences. The philosophical linguistics courses analyze language competencies (semantics and pragmatics) and literary discourse (narratology).

Outcomes

The philosophy program is committed to five overarching outcomes for students in our classes and in our major:

1. Knowledge: Gain appropriate breadth and depth of knowledge of the major traditions, figures, issues, and theories.
2. Skills:
   1. Write in a style appropriate to scholarly philosophy;
   2. Think clearly, rigorously, and logically about conflicting philosophical points of view;
   3. Engage in open, critical, cooperative discussion and interrogation;
   4. Cultivate philosophical insights and employ philosophical techniques;
   5. Comprehend, represent, and originally construct arguments;
   6. Conduct independent philosophical research;
   7. Present independent research in a professional setting.
3. Integration:
   1. Connect philosophical learning to other abilities, career goals, daily life, and roles in the world;
   2. Deepen a shared commitment to critical self-reflection.
4. Preparation:
   1. Thrive in selected post-graduate studies;
   2. Address vocational challenges by mobilizing critical thinking, writing, and verbal skills;
   3. Confront personal challenges with an awareness of philosophical perspectives and traditions.
5. Attitude: Gain a “philosophical sense” of curiosity, a willingness to engage in “meta-level” thinking, a determination to understand complex issues, and a cooperative and constructive spirit of deliberation with others.

Preparation

Philosophy is a sound choice for those seeking a broad liberal arts education and for those who value the skills and outlook of our discipline. The major program prepares students for graduate studies in disciplines such as philosophy, law, public policy, and political theory. Students preparing for graduate studies in philosophy are strongly advised to follow a more structured major trajectory with additional course recommendations chosen in consultation with the department.

Transfer and Study Abroad Credit

The Philosophy Department’s transfer policies are as follows. All transfer courses in Philosophy must be approved by the Philosophy faculty. Faculty will review a course catalog description and syllabus for the course (to be provided by the student). If the course is taken during a student’s enrollment at Kalamazoo College (for instance, on study abroad or during the summer), then the approval must be obtained before the course is taken. The Department will only consider courses taught by instructors with a Ph.D. in Philosophy, or who are “ABD” (all but dissertation) in Philosophy.

Requirements for the Major in Philosophy

Number of Units

Minimum of 8 total units are required, which may include the SIP.

Required Individual Courses

• PHIL 107 Logic and Reasoning
• PHIL 208 19^th-Century Philosophy
• PHIL 490 Philosophy Seminar

2 Required History and Traditions Courses from the following list:

• PHIL 109 Existentialism
• PHIL 205 Ancient Philosophy
• PHIL 206 Early Modern Philosophy
• PHIL 218 Analytic Philosophy & Science
• PHIL 310 Critical Social Theory: The Dialectic of Enlightenment
• PHIL 311 Postmodern Critical Theory

Majors Preparing for Graduate Studies in Philosophy are Strongly Recommended to pursue the following programs

Number of Units

Minimum of 10 total units are recommended, which may include the SIP.

Required Courses

• PHIL 107 Logic and Reasoning
• PHIL 208 19th Century Philosophy
• PHIL 490 Philosophy Seminar

4 History & Traditions Courses chosen in close consultation with the department:

• PHIL 109 Existentialism
• PHIL 205 Ancient Philosophy
• PHIL 206 Early Modern Philosophy
• PHIL 218 Analytic Philosophy & Science
• PHIL 310 Critical Social Theory: The Dialectic of Enlightenment
• PHIL 311 Postmodern Critical Theory: The Critique of Modernity

Requirements for the Minor in Philosophy

Number of Units

Six units are required.

Required Courses

• PHIL 208 19^th-Century Philosophy
• Two History & Traditions courses (See list under Required Courses for the Major in Philosophy)
• Three electives chosen in consultation with the department. We also recommend either supervisory or advisory involvement with the SIP.

A SIP in Philosophy does not count toward minor requirements.

Philosophy Courses