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Philosophy Degree Information

The Program in Knowledge, Responsibility and Society provides students with opportunities to investigate the connections between intellectual pursuits and moral and public virtue.  Questions to be investigated in courses include:

• What are the marks of an intellectually virtuous person?
• What are the qualities of wisdom and good judgement conducive to a successful life?
• Which character traits are conducive to finding truth?
• How are we responsible for the process and products of our investigations?
• What are the connections between knowledge and power?
• What is the relationship between intellectual responsibility, emotional responsiveness and social responsibility?
• How do academic pursuits prepare us for public citizenry?
• What is the relationship between theory and practice?

Grappling with such questions is of the utmost importance in a world too often characterized by interpersonal violence, cross-cultural misunderstandings, rapid technological development, and environmental crises.  Indeed, these are arguably among the most pressing questions of the new millennium.  The Philosophy Program in Knowledge, Responsibility, and Society aims to provide students with the theoretical skills and knowledge to engage with the complex issues of our time.

Epistemic responsibility . . . is to be found in intellectual virtue and in . . . a certain orientation to the world and one’s knowledge-seeking self as part of the world.  An intellectually virtuous person would value knowing and understanding how things ‘really’ are, to the extent this is possible, renouncing both the temptation to live with partial explanations when fuller ones are attainable, and the temptation to live in fantasy or illusion.  Such a person would consider it better to know, despite the comfortable complacency that a life indiscriminately governed by fantasy, and illusion, might offer.
- Lorraine Code

Philosophy Degree Faculty

• Dr. Shaun Gallagher, Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy
• Dr. Todd Bates, Visiting Instructor of Philosophy
• Dr. Mason Cash, Assistant Professor of Philosophy
• Dr. Kristin Congdon, Professor, Joint Appointment, Film and Digital Media and Philosophy
• Dr. Jane Compson, Instructor of Humanities, Philosophy, and Religion
• Dr. Harry Coverston, Instructor of Humanities
• Dr. Sabatino DiBernardo, Instructor of Humanities, Philosophy, andReligion
• Dr. Doug Evans, Instructor of Humanities
• Dr. Ronnie Hawkins, Associate Professor of Philosophy
• Dr. Bruce Janz, Associate Professor of Humanities
• Dr. Don Jones, Assistant Professor of Philosophy
• Dr. Husain Kassim, Associate Professor of Philosophy
• Dr. Jennifer Mundale, Associate Professor of Philosophy
• Dr. Shelley Park, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Former Chair, Department of Philosophy
• Dr. Claudia Schippert, Associate Professor of Humanities and Director, Religious Studies
• Dr. Nancy Stanlick, Associate Professor of Philosophy
• Dr. Michael Strawser, Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Honors in the Major

Students considering graduate school are strongly encouraged to take Honors in the Major.  Requirements are as follows:

1. Philosophical Foundations (12 Hours)
   Choose PHI 3130: Formal Logic I

2. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Knowing (6 Hours)
   Same as for Majors

3. Applications (9 Hours)
   Same as for Majors

4. Upper Division Restricted Electives (6 Hours)
   Choose 2 of the following:
   PHH 3100: Ancient Philosophy
   PHH 3200: Medieval Philosophy
   PHH 3360: Contemporary Philosophy
   PHH 3460: Modern Philosophy
   

5. Honors Thesis (6 Hours)
   PHI 4903H: Honors Directed Reading
   PHI 4970H: Honors Thesis

6. In addition, Honors in the Major Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA in Philosophy and a 3.2 overall GPA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Minor in Philosophy?
The Department of Philosophy offers undergraduate minors in Philosophy, Humanities, Religious Studies.  For more information, contact the Chair at (407) 823-2273.

Can I do Graduate Work in Philosophy?
Post-baccalaureate students and graduate students may enroll in the Graduate Certificate Program in Theoretical and Applied Ethics. This certificate program also constitutes a track within the new Master of Liberal Studies Program.  For more information on the certificate program, contact Dr. Gallagher in Philosophy at (407) 823-2273 or Dr. Elliot Vittes at vittes@mail.ucf.edu