Majors & Minors

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Philosophy
Old Main, Room 108
651-696-6141
651-696-6008 fax

Philosophy Major | Philosophy Minor

Full Time Faculty: Janet Folina, Geoffrey Gorham, Martin Gunderson (Chair), Diane Michelfelder

Part Time Faculty: Joy Laine, Karen Warren, William Wilcox

The Philosophy Department aims to foster rigorous, creative and productive philosophical activity at Macalester College and in the broader community. The central topics of philosophy — the nature of reason and knowledge, the structure of physical and mental reality, the meaning and value of life, how one ought to live and act, and the origin and function of society — are at the heart of liberal arts education. The Philosophy Department therefore encourages focused study of these core issues as well as interdisciplinary inquiry that emphasizes the hallmarks of philosophical method: critical thinking, open and respectful dialogue, conceptual clarity, and attention to ethical and political significance. Philosophy students develop strong skills of logical analysis and textual interpretation, clear and persuasive written and oral argumentation, moral and political sensitivity, and a deep appreciation for the rich history of philosophy and its diverse ongoing practices. Such training provides excellent preparation for nearly any career and for a lifetime of continual intellectual growth, moral reflection and critical social engagement.

General Distribution Requirement

All courses in the philosophy department count toward the general distribution requirement in humanities except PHIL 120 (which does not count toward any of the distribution requirements) and PHIL 369 (which counts toward the distribution requirement in mathematics and natural science).

General Education Requirements

Courses that meet the general education requirements in writing, quantitative thinking, internationalism and multiculturalism will be posted on the Registrar’s web page in advance of registration for each semester.

Additional information regarding the general distribution requirement and the general education requirements can be found in the graduation requirements section of this catalog.

Honors Program

The philosophy department participates in the honors program. Eligibility requirements, application procedures and specific project expectations for the philosophy department are available from either the department office or the Director of Academic Programs.

Topics Courses

PHIL 194, PHIL 294, PHIL 394, PHIL 494

Courses, not regularly offered, which are designed to meet student interest in something not in the list of catalog courses. Recent offerings include: Ethical Theory; Mill’s Utilitarianism and On Liberty; Existentialism; Ecofeminism; Ethics of Information & Computing Technologies, Modern Political Philosophy, Human Rights and Healthcare, Philosophy of Biology, Social and Political Philosophy, and Kant. To be announced at registration. (4 credits)

Independent Study

The department offers independent study options in the form of tutorials, independent projects, internships, preceptorships and Honors independent projects. For more information contact the department and review the Curriculum section of the catalog.

Philosophy Major

Major Requirements

A major in philosophy consists of at least nine departmental courses, which must include the following:

In addition, majors in philosophy are required to write a senior paper to be submitted to a journal (such as an undergraduate student journal), though it is not required that the paper be accepted for publication. The paper is due mid February of the senior year and a copy should be given to the department chair. The senior capstone requirement in philosophy is normally satisfied by a senior paper written for PHIL 489 and presented at the senior Philosophy Day. While the required courses constitute the core of the philosophy major, there are many ways to supplement a philosophy major, though only courses listed in philosophy will count for the philosophy major itself. The following are a few suggestions.

Asian Philosophy: Students interested in Asian philosophy might complete their major by choosing from PHIL 119 - Critical Thinking, PHIL 236 - Indian Philosophies , PHIL 238 - Philosophy of Religion, PHIL 614 - Independent Project or PHIL 604 - Tutorial. Numerous supporting courses in Asian studies are available in other departments. Macalester also offers students the opportunity for study abroad in India, Japan and China.

Mind Sciences: Students interested in cognitive science or neuroscience studies might complete their major by choosing from PHIL 369 - Advanced Symbolic Logic, PHIL 360 - Philosophy of Science, PHIL 362 - Philosophy of Mind, PHIL 364 - Philosophy of Language and PHIL 365 - Philosophy of Mathematics. Other supporting courses would be available in computer science, linguistics, mathematics, psychology and cognitive and neuroscience studies.

Political and Legal Philosophy: Courses relevant to political and legal philosophy, in addition to those required for the major, are: PHIL 119 - Critical Thinking, PHIL 120 - Introduction to Symbolic Logic, PHIL 227 - Bioethics, PHIL 229 - Environmental Ethics, PHIL 250 - Philosophy of Human Rights, PHIL 301 - Philosophy of Law, and Topics (PHIL 194, PHIL 294, PHIL 394, PHIL 494), when the subject is in ethics or political/legal philosophy. A philosophy major is an excellent background for law school and for careers in public policy and service.

Science and Mathematics: Philosophy majors who are interested in mathematics and the natural sciences might complete their major by taking PHIL 369 - Advanced Symbolic Logic, PHIL 360 - Philosophy of Science, PHIL 365 - Philosophy of Mathematics, and PHIL 364 - Philosophy of Language.

Philosophy Minor

Minor Requirements

A minor in philosophy consists of five courses in the department approved by an advisor in the philosophy department, including PHIL 125 - Ethics, and either PHIL 115 - Introduction to Philosophy or PHIL 231 - Modern Philosophy.