Philosophy Department

Garvey Fine Arts Center
Room 233
(785) 231-1010 ext 1542
www.washburn.edu/cas/philosophy

The Faculty
The Major
The Minor
Course Offerings
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Source: 2005-2006 Catalog

Philosophy focuses on fundamental questions concerning the nature of reality, knowledge, and values: metaphysics seeks to understand the true nature of reality in general and of humankind in particular; logic and epistemology endeavor to determine valid methods of reasoning and the limits and criteria of knowledge; and ethics attempts to formulate the basic moral norms by which our choices and actions should be governed. Through the study of philosophy, students can improve their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live; they can increase their command of intellectually responsible methods of establishing and evaluating beliefs and theories; and they can develop more effective ways of determining their moral duties.

In general, the study of philosophy helps to develop the ability to think clearly. If one understands how to think clearly, one can apply the techniques of critical and constructive thinking to the study of any discipline or to the concerns of any occupation. The department's curriculum provides an opportunity for all students, whether majoring in philosophy or not, to be educated in the methods of critical and constructive thought through reflection on the fundamental presuppositions of knowledge in general and of individual disciplines---such as science, mathematics, law, religion, and art---in particular.

The Philosophy Department offers a major and a minor in philosophy and administers a major and a minor in Religious Studies. In addition, the department offers individualized philosophy majors for pre-law and pre-seminary students.

Student Learning Outcomes

Philosophy students at Washburn University, upon graduation, are expected to have:

• achieved an introductory understanding of the major figures and movements in both ancient and modern philosophy;
• achieved an introductory understanding of symbolic logic;
• attained knowledge, beyond the introductory level, of some of the literature in each of the four major areas of philosophy (History of Philosophy, Logic, Metaphysics and Epistemology, and Value Theory);
• demonstrated the ability to evaluate philosophical positions critically and systematically;
• demonstrated the ability to formulate and defend philosophical positions;
• mastered the ability to write well-reasoned, well-integrated essays about materials recently studied;
• mastered the ability to conduct and present philosophical research in written form; and
• mastered the ability to defend orally positions taken in written work.

Majors will display an advanced competence (at the undergraduate level) in dealing with philosophy, including the abilities to critically and systematically evaluate philosophical positions; formulate and defend philosophical positions; write well-reasoned, well-integrated essays about materials recently studied; conduct and present philosophical research in written form; and orally defend positions taken in written work. Majors will be prepared to achieve their realistic goals after graduation.