Philosophy
Available as a major or minor
The study of philosophy examines the essential questions of human existence: "What is the best kind of life to live?" "What is the difference between right and wrong?" "Is life meaningful or meaningless?" "What is truth?"
A philosophy major prepares you to make a strong case for yourself, wherever you wish to go. Recent graduates are now in exciting careers in law, higher education and government.
Curriculum & Courses
Sample Course Offerings
PHIL 212 Environmental Philosophy
PHIL 223: Ethics and Medicine
PHIL 251 Early Western Philosophy
PHIL 266: Power, Language, Politics
PHIL 290: Special Topics: Beatles vs. Stones
Student Experiences
Aristotle would be proud
Andrew Miles '15 majored in philosophy with a minor in creative writing. On campus, he was captain of the Ethics Bowl team and participated in the Fight Club Poetry readings. He worked as a tutor for the Writing Center and as a research assistant. As a Summer Scholar, he worked with Dr. Ned Wisnefske on "Can the Prisoner's Dilemma Solve the Problem of Enforcement in Social Contract Theory?"
Andrew plans to attend graduate school and hopes to become a philosophy professor after earning his doctorate. His main interests are in ethics and political philosophy.
Ben Cowgill '17 Explores a Different Side of Ministry Research
During his time at Roanoke College, Benjamin Cowgill '17 completed research on youth persistence in the Anglican Church.
"In my coursework, I found many authors focusing on the negative (why young people are leaving the church) versus the positive (why they stay involved), and I wanted to look at why some people chose the latter," Cowgill says.
"Roanoke gave me an excellent opportunity to take a question from a regular class and pursue it in a way I would not have been able to without the generous support and encouragement of my mentors at the College."
Learn By Doing
I eat therefore I am
In an intensive learning class, students explored the relationship between the perennial philosophical question — "How should one live?" — and the more mundane question — "What should one eat?" — through reading, discussion and hands-on experimentation in the kitchen.
How should we act? How might we live? | Learn from faculty experts
Philosophy Professor Brent Adkins authored an enlightening student guide tracing the history of ethics and morality through an examinination of six major thinkers: Aristotle, Spinoza, Kant, Mill, Nietzsche and Levinas.
The book, "A Guide to Ethics and Moral Philosophy" (Edinburgh University Press), helps readers learn how the important questions of moral philosophy have been answered through the years and leaves them better-equipped to pursue their own answers to those puzzles.
Adkins, whose particular interest is contemporary European philosophy, also helped create an interdisciplinary artistic response to Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari's philosophical piece, "1837: Of the Refrain," which was displayed on campus in Olin Hall Galleries.
Careers & Outcomes
Grad school
Philosophy majors do exceedingly well in graduate school testing, ranking at the top of LSAT and GRE scores. Furthermore, they are the most likely to be accepted into medical school, even more likely than biochemistry majors.
Grad School Sampling
News
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Join us in honoring these outstanding faculty members for their combined 73 years of dedication to higher learning and student success.
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Roanoke is now a full-fledged affiliate of the Oregon Extension, making it easier for students to join the 16-week study away experience.
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The annual conference will bring together students, faculty and community leaders to explore important aspects of racial justice, AI ethics and more.
