Philosophy

Philosophy helps us free ourselves from dogmatic or unreflective habits of mind. It examines the foundations of other disciplines and instills intellectual integrity and impartiality. Philosophy teaches critical and analytical skills. It enlarges our conception of what is possible and it enriches our imagination. For these reasons, philosophy is an important component in any sound education.

Philosophers use reason and argument to answer fundamental questions about existence, value and knowledge. They are most at home with questions about the nature of time and space, about conscious experience and sense-perception, about the acquisition and limits of knowledge and about subjects ranging from art and beauty, to character, morality and justice. For example, philosophers grapple with questions like the following:

• Does God exist?
• Do we have free will?
• Can we know anything with certainty?
• Is beauty in the eye of the beholder?
• What is the best way to live?
• Where does morality come from?

If these kinds of general questions interest you, you might enjoy the study and practice of philosophy.