Philosophy

Burt Hopkins, PhD, Chair

Objectives

The study of philosophy begins with questions that are as personal as they are universal: What truths can I know? How should I live? Who, or what, am I? Where is my place in the grand scheme of things? To respond fruitfully to such questions requires training in critical habits of mind, learning from the rich traditions and the great minds that have meditated on such questions, and engaging in lively discussion with a community of inquirers. Seattle University undergraduate philosophy courses communicate the value of philosophy and impart knowledge of its most influential figures. Even more, the courses help students bring their own intellectual concerns into dialogue with great minds of the past and present, and hone skills of reasoning and argumentation that make that questioning illuminating, reliable, and useful.

Elective courses support a major in philosophy that emphasizes skills of textual analysis, knowledge of the history of philosophy, and familiarity with contemporary figures and major trends.

Policy for University Honors Program Students

University Honors Program students who have successfully completed HONR courses listed below are exempted from PHIL 220  and ethics, but need an additional 35 credits to complete the philosophy major: PHIL 260 , PHIL 301 , PHIL 485  and 20 credits of approved electives. Those wishing to complete the philosophy major with departmental honors will also complete PHIL 477 , PHIL 478 , and PHIL 479  for a total of 40 additional credits. Students who wish to earn a philosophy minor, need an additional 10 elective philosophy credits.

They are credited with the following equivalents:

HONR 101  = PHIL 210 
HONR 102 /HONR 103  = PHIL 302 
HONR 201  = PHIL 303 
HONR 202  = PHIL 371 
HONR 203  = PHIL 365