The American philosopher William James said that philosophy is “nothing but an unusually obstinate effort to think clearly.”
Aristotle said that philosophy begins with wonder. Philo, meaning “love of,” and sophia, meaning “wisdom,” combine to form philosophy—the love of wisdom. The American philosopher William James said that philosophy is “nothing but an unusually obstinate effort to think clearly.” Philosophy and religious studies students at Ursinus read Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, and Kant; they encounter Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism. At Ursinus, philosophy and religious studies students learn to think more clearly and deeply, to sharpen their writing so that it is direct and persuasive, to comprehend and analyze texts, and to carefully defend positions in conversation with others.
Where will a major in Philosophy take you?
Ursinus philosophy and religious studies students attend law school (philosophy majors get famously high LSAT scores), medical school, and graduate school. During his senior year, Robert Farley, a recent philosophy major from Easton, Pennsylvania, presented his work on animal minds at three student conferences, and was accepted at no fewer than seven graduate schools in philosophy – with several full-ride scholarships. Andrew Gianelli recently received a full scholarship to law school.
What can I do with a major in Philosophy?
Sample Courses
- The Meaning of Life
- Consciousness
- Bioethics
- The Ethics of the Human Genome
- Logic
- Freedom and Determinism