Philosophy is the systematic study of reality using the rules of logic and language in order to (i) clarify strange and obscure questions, (ii) solve problems that humans find significant, and (iii) enrich human work and play.

The word “philosophy” is a combination of two Greek words which, together, mean “the love of wisdom.” In attempt to achieve “wisdom,” or at least to understand some aspect of it, philosophers study every aspect of human life. For almost any field you can think of there is a “philosophy of ___,” whether it is science, religion, psychology, morality, politics, law, literature, language, mathematics, history, or leisure. For this reason, philosophy has always played a central role in a liberal arts education.

The primary goal of a philosophy class is to help students reason better about questions they find important, and, in doing so, to make informed decisions in every aspect of life. Philosophy helps students think more clearly, write more effectively, and synthesize information they discover in philosophical writings as well as in other classes.

At Young Harris, philosophy courses are designed to enhance students’ learning in all areas of the liberal arts curriculum, heavily emphasizing reasoning skills and writing competency. In addition, philosophy professors work closely with professors in other fields to enhance the liberal arts education. Together, we identify areas in the classical liberal arts curriculum where students are having trouble (whether with writing, reasoning, comprehension, or conceptual analysis) and address these difficulties by guest lecturing in one another’s classes, learning how different instructors communicate difficult information in new and interesting ways, and involving students in conversations about our respective disciplines. Moreover, our philosophy professors participate in a program called Ethics across the Curriculum, which offers lectures and workshops to non-philosophy faculty to help students identify and resolve moral conflicts that arise in other disciplines.

• The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy  An online resource for numerous philosophical terms and concepts. Ideal for beginners.

• The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy   An online resource for more detailed philosophical topics. Aimed at professional philosophers, but perfect for the interested student who wants to further investigate a philosophical problem.

• The Nizkor Project: Logical Fallacies   An online database of errors in reasoning, known as “fallacies.” Useful to students writing argumentative papers.

Fun Philosophy Websites:

• Zeno’s Coffeehouse   A variety of logic puzzles.

• Philosophy Now Magazine  An online magazine dedicated to philosophical discussion on all topics.