Philosophy - Marlboro College

Philosophy from Marlboro College is a Campus Bachelor Philosophy degree that prepares you for a Liberal Arts career. Philosophers question the assumptions that guide our thoughts and actions, exploring the nature of reality, how we understand the world, who we are and how we ought to live. The study of philosophy enables us to investigate our conceptions of ourselves and our place in the world, cultivating what Socrates called ?the examined life.? Philosophy is distinguished from other disciplines by its breadth; it reflects on the subject matter and methods of all the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and opens spaces of inquiry across the various realms of human experience. Philosophy is thus at the heart of a liberal arts education. The philosophy program at Marlboro introduces students to the history and diversity of philosophy while providing the necessary background and specialized skills for conducting original research and entering into contemporary philosophical debates. The philosophy curriculum is grounded in the study of canonical works that provide many of the concepts and strategies that inform the Western cultural heritage. These texts pose fundamental and challenging questions, offer a diversity of intellectual resources and possibilities for how we can understand ourselves and our world, and manifest the contemporary significance of the history of philosophy . At the same time, philosophy at Marlboro is shaped by an appreciation for the depth, richness, and relevance of philosophical traditions from Asia, Africa and the Americas. It also recognizes that contemporary thinkers provide important insights for understanding contemporary problems?for example: environmental challenges; questions of race, gender and sexuality; modern technology; social structures of oppression; and postcolonialism. Philosophy courses at Marlboro are conducted as seminars, with class meetings devoted to clarification of the most prominent themes in the assigned text and collegial reflection on the questions and ideas they raise. The process cultivates habits of careful textual analysis, critical and integrative interpretation, precise verbal and written expression and clear and creative thinking. This reasoned dialogue and rigorous engagement with texts transmutes presuppositions and cherished views into questions, thereby challenging rigid thinking and calling forth intellectual honesty and flexibility and a willingness to reconsider what might appear obvious. The creative, analytical and critical skills developed through the study of philosophy provide a strong foundation for a wide range of life paths. Some philosophy students pursue graduate training in preparation for a career of teaching and research in higher education. The majority, however, enter other fields such as public service, education, law, journalism and business where the fruits of philosophical training are highly valued. My primary research areas are in continental philosophy , environmental philosophy and Indo-Tibetan Buddhist philosophy . In addition, my research has addressed Greek thinkers, Early Modern philosophers and literary figures. These works engage questions in diverse philosophical areas, including ethics, aesthetics, phenomenology, deconstruction, epistemology, philosophy of religion, environmental thought, animal studies, climate ethics, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, phenomenology, feminism, philosophy of education, philosophy of technology, the body and cross-cultural philosophy . Students doing Plan work primarily in philosophy may develop interests in coursework that can be pursued and refined in tutorials. Because philosophy has so many different methods and areas of focus, Plans of Concentration in philosophy vary widely. Moreover, because philosophy engages with every other discipline in the curriculum, students are able to integrate philosophy into their Plan work in ways that are unique to their own particular interests. View more details on Marlboro College . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Philosophy courses.