Philosophy Department
The Department of Philosophy engages students with fundamental questions of existence, knowledge, and value, to encourage students to examine critically a variety of beliefs, attitudes, and social structures, and to foster creative thoughtfulness and self-reflection.
Studying philosophy teaches students to read and write critically, to analyze concepts and problems carefully, and to express solutions and arguments clearly and forcefully. Thus, studying philosophy prepares students for many different career paths: business, law, medicine, teaching, and post-graduate research in the humanities and sciences.
Philosophy majors are admitted to law school and medical school at a higher rate than any other major. Philosophy majors also outperform most other majors on the LSAT, GMAT and GRE. Their mid-career salaries are the highest in the humanities, and even higher than those of accounting, business management, and marketing majors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Department Info
-
Washington Hall
Ƶ
Lexington, Virginia 24450
Feature Stories
The philosopher will give a talk on AI and consciousness in Northen Auditorium on March 26.
The W&L Ethics Bowl team recently participated in an annual statewide competition.
To kick off the seventh season of “W&L After Class,” assistant professor of philosophy Angela Sun reflects on aesthetics from the lens of her field of research.
The team secured its bid with a runner-up showing at the APPE Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl regional competition in Baltimore.
The professor of philosophy’s book, “Philosophy of the History of Philosophy,” was published in November.
The Nov. 13 lecture on W&L’s campus is free and open to the public.
The Ƶ president discusses his role as an educator and the ways in which a liberal arts experience crafts an interesting mind.
This round of recipients marks a record-setting Gilman Scholar cohort for W&L.
A SHECP internship solidified Smith’s career path to become an advocate for those in need.
Five students from Ƶ participated in the annual statewide competition in February.
The team secured its place with a third-place finish at the APPE Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl regional competition in Chicago.
This neuroscience major takes advantage of W&L’s beautiful natural surroundings, including walking the back campus trails.