About Philosophy

Thinking about a major?  Philosophy is a major in thinking.

Philosophers rethink everyday assumptions about what is real, what we can know, and whom we should strive to be.  In English, we say philosophy, derived from the Greek philos and Sophia, is the study of the love of wisdom. In Sanskrit, we say vidyā, the root of which is to reason upon, including knowledge of the knower and the known. In Buddhism, philosophy refers to the core values found in the universal truths or paths. Indigenous philosophical traditions on nearly every continent are rooted in values, such as harmony within community, and with the laws of nature. When applied to economics, law, science, education, and other practical areas, an awareness of how these traditions differ and what they share in common offers insights to attaining a peaceful and sustainable future.

At Ramapo, our Philosophy students learn how to formulate logical and effective argument — the key to philosophical discourse.  Students consider the over-arching questions of philosophical traditions such as: Does God exist?  What is the connection between my mind and body?  How do we know we exist?  What do we know for sure? How should we treat ourselves or other people?  Are we free or determined?  And, students have a wide choice of courses in applied philosophy, to consider the questions of our times such as: Is globalization good for humankind?  Is euthanasia morally permissible?  Is war ever justified?  Should art ever be censored?  What is the ethical obligation to sustainable living?