Philosophy - Learning Goals

Philosophy - Program Student Learning Goals

Students should know:

• The fields into which philosophy is divided and the major issues within each field
• The basic tenets of major figures in ancient, modern and contemporary philosophy
• The basic tenets of historically significant moral theories

Students should be able to demonstrate:

• An ability to interpret philosophical texts written in the analytic tradition
• An ability to interpret philosophical arguments
• An ability to interpret explanations, including moral and causal explanations
• An ability to avoid fallacies, confirmation bias, and the uncritical acceptance of ideas, including one’s own ideas

Students should be able to apply:

• Metaphysical concepts, such as logical possibility and truth, and epistemological concepts, such as epistemic justification and evidence, to philosophical issues
• Important moral concepts, such as moral justification and consent, to philosophical issues
• Moral theories to ethical issues

Students should be able to evaluate:

• An argument by assessing the truth of the premises and the support they provide for the conclusion
• Explanations, including moral and causal explanations

Curriculum Map (click)