Philosophy

Philosophy teaches not what to think, but how to think.

Whereas studying other subjects typically involves learning answers to questions, studying philosophy involves questioning received answers. Philosophy wrestles with the enduring questions of life, including:

Can we know anything about the external world?

How do minds relate to the physical world?

Do we have free will?

What is it to live a good life?

What makes actions right or wrong, good or bad?

Does God exist?

While these sorts of questions are very difficult to resolve, studying philosophy fosters the skills needed to tackle them: to think critically, to construct and evaluate chains of reasoning, and to entertain many perspectives on any given subject—all of which are skills highly transferable to other fields.

The Philosophy minor at Fairmont State University is NOT about:

Dogma
Advice for daily living
A body of truisms or sayings

Instead, students will explore the foundations of our worldview, including:

Evidence, knowledge, and skepticism
Truth and rationality
Reality, possibility, and the basic constituents of the universe
Meaning and language
Minds and the physical world
Human nature and free will
Ethics and the good life
Objectivity and subjectivity
Religion, and God, transcendental reality
Art and beauty
The self and its persistence through time
Logic and good reasoning

Philosophy minors will evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various systems of thought, and the reasons for adopting or rejecting them.

Career Opportunities

Studying philosophy complements many other majors and serves as excellent preparation for graduate school. Law school administrators are well aware studying philosophy is one of the best ways to prepare for law school. The reasoning and communication skills developed by studying philosophy are the same ones required when studying the law. On average, philosophy majors score extremely well on the LSAT. In addition to law school, many students who studied philosophy have gone on to graduate school (for a variety of fields, including philosophy), business school, medical school, or seminary.

Many students starting careers right after finishing their undergraduate degree have used their studies in philosophy to complement another major, taking jobs in a variety of fields, including working as

Business consultants
Lobbyists
Public servants
Technical writer
Teachers
Web designers

Mission Statement

The principal aims of the minor are to prepare students to i) reason effectively and systematically, ii) to read and write clearly and critically, and iii) to reflect on major philosophical questions such as those concerning the basic categories of reality, the nature of knowledge and justification, and moral values and the good life.

Program Outcomes

The successful student will be able to accurately describe philosophical arguments and theories.
The successful student will be able to clearly identify potential criticisms of arguments and theories.
The successful student will be able to properly evaluate arguments using the standards appropriate to the form of reasoning used.
The successful student will be able to describe, discuss, and evaluate representative ideas, controversies, theories, and philosophical puzzles (from either the history of philosophy or in contemporary forms).
The successful student will be able to apply philosophical methods and arguments to issues and problems that face individuals and/or communities in the contemporary world.