Philosophy
BARRY J. FERST, PH.D.
EDWARD GLOWIENKA, PH.D.
ERIC E. HALL, PH.D.
ELVIRA RONCALLI, PH.D.
WILLIAM MARK SMILLIE, PH.D.
Mission
The philosophy program develops student understanding of enduring philosophical issues, encourages student capacities for clear thought and critical reflection, and instills in students the love of wisdom. In the study of philosophy, and especially when considering the most fundamental and important questions of human existence, Carroll students become explicitly engaged in the discussion of ultimate truth and ultimate good, described in the Carroll College Mission Statement. Philosophy majors and minors study and evaluate major philosophical issues that have perennially occupied philosophers throughout its history, and will be introduced to the ideas of its major thinkers. Our program will prepare students for future graduate study in philosophy as well as many other disciplines, and students taking our course of studies acquire a deeper understanding of the complexity of the contemporary world and critically engage its challenges. Finally, the philosophy department and faculty provide sound and engaging courses to meet the needs of Carroll’s liberal arts core.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students majoring in philosophy will:
- Analyze and evaluate important philosophical problems and positions
- Understand the historical development of philosophy and identify its main figures
- Understand normative principles and apply them to moral problems
- Cultivate and develop intellectual habits of clear thinking, critical reflection, sympathetic interpretation, and sophisticated argumentation