Bachelor of Arts Philosophy, Concentration in Ethics, Law and Social-Political Philosophy

The study of philosophy is an attempt to understand the world in as unified and general a way as possible. Philosophers want to know what there is, how it works, how we know, how we should live, what is good, what is immoral, whether or not there is a God, and many other things —and, especially, how all these things fit together. One reason the study of philosophy is useful is that the methodology of philosophy—careful reasoning, precise application of logic, and thorough analysis of concepts—is applicable to any subject matter whatsoever. 

The philosophy major may be earned in one of three ways: (1) the traditional major surveys core areas of critical reasoning and logic, ethics and value theory, metaphysics and epistemology, (2) the major with a concentration in the philosophy of brains, minds, and machines focuses on questions at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science and artificial intelligence, and (3) the major with a concentration in ethics, law, and social/political philosophy centers on questions regarding the basis and nature of morality, the foundations of the law and the goals of criminal justice, our obligations with respect to the environment, and the like. The philosophy minor offers options for electives suited to nearly any companion major. The interdisciplinary ethics minor enhances and complements most other degrees.