Philosophy
Overview
School of Arts and Sciences / Philosophy
The word "philosophy" is derived from the Greek words meaning "love of wisdom." Philosophy majors understand it as the pursuit of a meaningful life. At La Salle, we provide a better context to help students answer life’s biggest questions through the study of human nature, the nature of goodness, and the many masks that evil wears.
Course Descriptions
Beyond the core philosophy curriculum, students enjoy a wide range of interesting and unique courses including:
THE HUMAN PERSON
This course is a study of the human person that integrates the biological, social, and religious dimensions of human life. Possible topics include freedom and determinism, body and soul, the individual and society, and mortality and immortality.
MORAL INQUIRY AND MORAL CHOICE
This course is an investigation of classic moral theories. Possible topics include virtue and happiness, social justice, moral relativism, and moral obligation. General principles will be applied to concrete moral issues.
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
This course is a critical examination of the nature of society through the reading and discussion of primary philosophical texts. Themes include: person and society, the foundation of the political order, human rights and law, justice and society, and the natural and the social sciences.
PERSPECTIVES ON DEATH
This course is a study of various philosophical strategies for coming to terms with human death. Philosophical views on death applied to problems such as aging and dying, suicide and euthanasia, the medical conquest of death, and definitions of death are topics to be addressed. This course is of particular value for students choosing careers in the health professions.
CRITICAL THINKING
This course aims at developing the skill of analyzing, interpreting, and criticizing arguments from a variety of disciplines. Topics include: clarification of concepts, distinguishing between conclusions and reasons for conclusions, evaluation of arguments, and the recognition of fallacies.
PHILOSOPHY OF ART
This course is an introduction to the philosophy of art with emphasis on the metaphysics of beauty and on art’s role in politics and society.
PHILOSOPHY LOOKS AT FILM
This course is an application of philosophical perspectives to the study of film, with special attention to international cinema. The course will approach film either as a unique form of art or as a unique medium for engaging traditional philosophical questions.
PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACHES TO GOD
This course is a study of philosophical positions about the existence and nature of God. Themes discussed include various concepts of God; the possibility of proof for the existence of God; and the philosophical dimensions of the religious experience.
TOPICS IN EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
This course will study the major philosophers and philosophies of the East through a focus on one or more of the following philosophical traditions: Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Buddhist, or Islamic.
ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY
The course is designed to provide the student with an introduction to a wide range of philosophical issues and problems that are attached to the attribution of moral concern for the environment. Topics may include deep ecology, ecofeminism, social ecology, social action, and the moral standing of animals as well as other living beings.
EXISTENTIALISM
This course is a critical study of existentialist thinkers and themes from the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics may include absurdity, nihilism, subjectivity, freedom, authenticity, and the other.
PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
The course looks at the practice of science, its aims, its methods, and its relation to society. Possible topics include the justification of scientific findings, the nature of scientific progress, the various branches of science, morally responsible scientific practice, and science and religion
THE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS
This course is an in-depth study of a single major thinker from the philosophical tradition. Emphasis is on the critical reading of texts, although attention will be given to the historical setting of the thinker’s work. Previous thinkers have included St. Augustine, Karl Marx, Simone de Beauvoir, Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Hannah Arendt, and Michel Foucault.
GENDER, BODY, AND CULTURE
This course provides a philosophical analysis of social and cultural practices that construct gender identity. Strategies of resistance to dominant modes of embodiment and concepts of sexual difference will also be explored.
MINDS, BRAINS, AND ZOMBIES
This course examines human consciousness. Topics include the relation between the mind and the brain, the possibility of building conscious machines, the mental life of animals, and conceptual puzzles posed by zombies.
SPECIAL TOPICS
Recent topics have included:
- Harry Potter and Philosophy
- R.R. Tolkien as Philosopher
- Tao and Zen
- Art and Fascism
- Revolution to Romanticism
- Philosophy of Islam
- Memory, Identity, and the Self
- Evolution and Creation
Program Highlights
La Salle’s Philosophy Department serves qualified students by offering an unbeatable liberal arts education defined by:
Guidance and dedication from professors who are recognized scholars of their industry.
Flexibility that allows students to change the direction of their career preparation through their junior year without any notable effect on their ability to complete the program in four years.
Individualized, one-on-one attention.
An average class size of 22 students provides the individualized attention that you deserve.
An invaluable location with Center City Philadelphia at your doorstep.
A close-knit community our well-read cohort of faculty, staff, Christian Brothers and fellow students ignite meaningful discussion and collaboration, as well as lifelong friendships.
Unbeatable value based on a proven return-on-investment. That’s why Money magazine cited La Salle fifth on its list of “50 Colleges that Add the Most Value in 2016, along with mentions in U.S. News and World Reports, Forbes, and the Economist.
An alumni network that offers invaluable support from over 50,000 La Salle graduates and even more from our global Lasallian network.
“We hear again and again that employers value creative problem solving and the ability to deal with ambiguity in their new hires, and I can't think of another major that would better prepare you with those skills than the study of philosophy.”
— Lydia Frank, senior editorial director, PayScale
Blaze Your Own Path
Skills
In today’s demanding and changeable marketplace, employers seek thoughtful and innovative individuals who know how to use their heads. Philosophy majors are marketable because they receive a broad and adaptable education that teaches them to use their heads.
Among the skills and traits that training in philosophy seeks to cultivate, the following have a clear bearing on career options:
- Seeing issues from alternative viewpoints.
- A cultivated (Socratic) capacity for listening – both sympathetically and critically
- Skill at bridging dialogue between individuals who are divided by philosophical differences.
- Problem-solving resourcefulness based on a wide-ranging breadth of knowledge and on a habit of asking creative questions.
- Skill at developing a clear, orderly, and persuasive presentation of ideas.
- Logical rigor in building an argumentative case, and alertness to logical fallacies.
- Sensitivity to subtle differences in meaning.
- Analytical depth that reaches down to fundamentals.
- A cultivated habit of reflecting about larger ends (e.g., of a business enterprise, of a social project, of a political movement) and of charting a course that does not betray those ends.
- Attunement to the ethical implications of any practice (based on training in ethics, theoretical and applied).
- Capacity for independent thought.
Careers
A philosophy degree makes students think critically and communicate clearly, making them a valuable asset to careers in both expected and surprising fields including:
- Law
- Diplomacy & foreign service
- Government
- Intelligence analysis
- Criminal justice
- Public relations
- Marketing research
- Advertising
- Management
- Consulting
- Journalism
- Publishing
- Broadcasting
Service Opportunities
Education and service are the heart of La Salle’s mission. As a philosophy major, you will be able to dive into a wide range of service opportunities that fall under our Fellowship of Community and University Service (F.O.C.U.S.) umbrella including outreach programs, advocacy groups, mentoring and tutoring programs, and the service and immersion trips.
The groups that fall under the F.O.C.U.S. umbrella include Outreach Programs, Advocacy Groups, Mentoring and Tutoring Programs, and the Service and Immersion Trips. These programs strive to serve others, promote social justice, and work toward the common good. Programs include:
- Lasallian Immersion and Volunteer Experience (LIVE)
- Alliance
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Ambassadors
- Students for Environmental Action (SEA)
- AIDS Outreach
- Circle K
- Environmental Community of Olney (ECO)
- Neighbor to Neighbor
- Pheed Philadelphia
- REACHE (Special Olympics)
- Neighborhood Tutoring
- TEAM Lasallians
Beyond the Classroom
Clubs
Get involved outside of the classroom at La Salle
Clubs
There are always great ways to get involved outside of the classroom at La Salle. Many our Philosophy majors belong to clubs like:
English Society
The English Society promotes literature and writing, creating a network of both English majors and non-majors for the purpose of fostering literary impulses. The Society involves the greater La Salle community as well as its outside community by sharing writing and reading skills, networking with English majors and alumni, and organizing events intended to build an interest in literature.
Mock Trial
The La Salle Mock Trial Association (LMTA) is an extracurricular organization seeking to enhance members’ knowledge of the law, develop members’ communication and critical thinking skills, and instill in members the importance of commitment and leadership. Working as a team, the members will ethically compete with other colleges and universities pursuant to the rules established by LMTA.
Psychology Club
Psychology Club is a club that works to connect individuals who are interested in psychology. Meetings are held to discuss various opportunities and information about graduate school.
Social Work Association
The purpose of this association is to promote greater understanding and student input in development and implementation of various policies which affect student social workers, strengthen communications and unity within La Salle University and between other schools and outside programs, supply information of job opportunities and graduate school requirements, and create a spirit of knowledge.
Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology)
It is the purpose of the La Salle Iota Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta to promote excellence in scholarship in the study of sociology, research of social problems, and other social and intellectual activities that will lead to improvement in the human condition.
For a full list of clubs and organizations covering everything from chess to the Harry Potter club, visit our Student Affairs page.
83% of faculty hold a Ph.D. or the highest degree in their field.
Ranked in Forbes 2017 Top U.S. Colleges.
Listed by the New York Times in the Top 6% for median income of graduates at age 34.
Ranked 34th in the North Region on U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 list of Best Colleges.