Department of Philosophy
Introduction
The principal goal of the study of philosophy is to enable students to think more clearly, deeply, and appreciatively about themselves and their world. Study of philosophy enhances analytical, critical, and interpretive capacities that are applicable to any subject matter in almost any context. It provides many opportunities for expressing oneself, for reflecting on questions that human beings have pondered for millennia, for exchanging reasoned beliefs and engaging in focused debate, and for learning how to come to terms with problems for which there are no easy answers. A good philosophical education also helps to prepare students for responsible and intelligent participation in political and community affairs.
The most important outcome of philosophical study is the ability to engage in thinking that is at once disciplined and imaginatively creative. While such thinking lies at the heart of the philosophical enterprise, it is also needed for success in any complex intellectual or practical endeavor. Philosophy’s attention to critical thought, rigorous argument, and articulate expression makes the philosophical curriculum absolutely central to a liberal education and valuable as a basis for further training in a variety of pursuits.
Examples of philosophical questions are:
- How should we understand truth, existence, validity, fact, value, and free will?
- What are the principles or presuppositions of science, language, political systems, and religious and moral views?
- What is the nature of a person, of space and time, of a work of art?
- What is the wisdom of the past on these enduring questions? How do Western traditions differ from Eastern ones on these questions? And how do these historical approaches relate to our own, contemporary ones?
Students are encouraged to view philosophy not as a specialized, esoteric discipline, but instead as an activity integral to a liberal arts education, helping students to think more cogently and appreciatively about themselves and their world.
PHIL 101, PHIL 110, or PHIL 112 is recommended as a first course for those interested in philosophical issues and their cultural significance and for those who wish to examine a broad range of philosophical topics, problems, or historical figures. Other good starting points are PHIL 155, which deals with logic and the analysis of argument; PHIL 160, which deals with moral thought and experience; and PHIL 150, which deals with the concepts, methods, and foundations of the biological and physical sciences.
PHIL 155 is recommended for all students who major or minor in philosophy.
Advising
All majors and minors have a primary academic advisor from the Academic Advising Program. Students are strongly encouraged to meet regularly with their advisor and review their Tar Heel Tracker each semester. The department’s director of undergraduate studies works with current and prospective majors by appointment (see contact information above). Departmental academic advising is particularly important for those majors who are considering going on to graduate school. Further information on courses, undergraduate research opportunities, the honors program, careers, and graduate schools may be obtained from the department’s website. A brief video with information about the philosophy major is available here.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
A major in philosophy offers excellent preparation for many careers in which clear thinking and analytical ability are valued. Some majors choose to pursue graduate work in philosophy in preparation for college or university teaching (Ph.D. normally required), but the philosophy major also provides the form of rigorous and systematic intellectual training that is of crucial importance in law, medicine, business, and other fields.
Following the faculty member's name is a section number that students should use when registering for independent studies, reading, research, and honors thesis courses with that particular professor.
Distinguished Professors
Thomas Hofweber (42), Metaphysics, Philosophy of Language, Epistemology, Philosophy of Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence
C. D. C. Reeve (39), Ancient Philosophy, Metaphysics, Moral Psychology, Ethics
Geoffrey Sayre-McCord (25), Moral Theory, Metaethics, Epistemology, History of Modern Philosophy
Professors
Luc Bovens (52), Philosophy and Public Policy, Rationality, Moral Psychology, Formal Epistemology
Thomas Dougherty (55), Ethics, Political Philosophy
Markus Kohl (51), History of Modern Philosophy, History of Ancient Philosophy, Moral Psychology, Existentialism
Matthew Kotzen (46), Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Law
Mariska Leunissen (41), Ancient Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
Ram Neta (43), Epistemology, Philosophy of Mind
James Pryor (57), Epistemology, Philosophy of Language, Logic, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Action, Metaphysics
John T. Roberts (37), Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Physics, Metaphysics
Sarah Stroud (54), Moral Theory, Moral Psychology, Metaethics, Philosophy of Action
Rebecca Walker (53), Bioethics, Ethical Theory
Alexander Worsnip (50), Epistemology, Metaethics, Theory of Rationality
Associate Professors
Jessica Keiser (62), Philosophy of Language, Social and Political Philosophy
Patricia Marechal (63), Ancient Philosophy
Assistant Professors
Rosalind Chaplin (59), History of Modern Philosophy, Moral Psychology
Pietro Cibinel (66), Moral Philosophy, Decision Theory, Epistemology
Daniel Herrmann (64), Philosophy of AI, Game and Decision Theory, Formal and Social Epistemology, Philosophy of Science
Harry Lloyd (65), Moral and Political Philosophy, Applied Ethics, AI
Andrew Rubner (67), Philosophy of Cognitive Science, Philosophy of Mind
Margaret Shea (61), Ethics, Metaethics, Moral Psychology, Aesthetics
Professor of the Practice
John Bare (19), Philanthropy and Imagined Futures, Risk Management, Philanthropic Systems
Teaching Assistant Professors
Zoe Ashton (17), Philosophy of Mathematics, Philosophy of AI and Data, Epistemology, Philosophy of Science
Gabriel Broughton (16), Ethics, Metaethics, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Law
William Conner (14), Epistemology, Philosophy of Mind, Social and Political Philosophy
Katie Deaven (12), Epistemology, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Science
Paul Garofalo (13), Political Philosophy, Early Modern Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, Social Philosophy
Rory Hanlon (15), Ancient Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind
Adam Hollowell (18), Applied Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Social Inequality, Philosophy and Public Policy
Joseph Ross (20), History of Human Rights, History of Philosophy, Legal and Political Philosophy
Michael Vazquez (10), Ancient Philosophy, Ethics, Philosophy of Education
Professors Emeriti
Bernard Boxill Thomas E. Hill Jr. William G. Lycan Douglas MacLean Stanley Munsat Alan Nelson Gerald J. Postema Michael D. Resnik Robert D. Vance Susan Wolf
Department of Philosophy
Caldwell Hall, 240 East Cameron Ave., CB# 3125
(919) 962-7291
