Overview
Philosophy is one of the foundational disciplines of a Stonehill education. It is a particular way of asking the big questions and of thinking logically and critically, and it is rooted in history as well as in our current discipline. Courses that fulfill the Philosophy Requirement of the Cornerstone Program will introduce students to this philosophical way of thought.
Key Outcomes
Students will:
engage in critical thinking;
read, discuss, and write about primary philosophical texts;
restate philosophical positions and arguments clearly and subject them to criticism;
develop their own arguments and philosophical ideas, and engage in civil and intelligent philosophical dialogue with classmates and the professor;
relate the views of different philosophers to each other as well as to their own experiences
critically examine both their own presuppositions and the presuppositions of the philosophers in the readings.
Common Approaches
The department agrees that, in order to learn philosophy, students must:
read primary philosophical texts
write philosophical essays of their own
The Philosophy Department also agrees that introductory courses should introduce Philosophy not as a narrow and specialized investigation but as a broader mode of inquiry that touches on our deep human concerns. This goal can be met by a traditional history of philosophy course as well as by a course that focuses on philosophical topics. All intro courses will endeavor to show the importance Philosophy holds for human life.
Students’ understanding of the distinctive character of philosophical discourse, as outlined above, will be assessed through a variety of written and verbal exercises. Each course fulfilling the Philosophy outcomes will include at least two formal papers.
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