About Philosophy
What is philosophy? Why Study Philosophy? Here are just a few of the many reasons.
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The Department of Philosophy at Amherst welcomes all students, from those who would like to sample a course or two, to those who would like to major in the discipline and perhaps even study the subject in graduate school.
Department Highlights
About the Major
An Amherst philosophy education conveys a sense of wonder about ourselves and our world, through exploration of philosophical texts and personal engagement with philosophical issues.
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Lecture in Philosophy
Every year, the Amherst Lecture in Philosophy brings a distinguished philosopher to campus for a public lecture.
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Our History
The teaching of philosophy has a rich history at Amherst College.
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Alumni
Meet our alumni, including those teaching philosophy at colleges and universities around the world.
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Current Courses
PHIL 111
Philosophical Questions
Description
Explore issues pertaining to religious conviction, knowledge, mind, freedom, ethics, and value through critical engagement with written work in the philosophical tradition.
PHIL 335
Theory of Knowledge
Description
This course will address why we should care about what knowledge is, and what it requires; the relationship between our reasons for belief and the biases that we have.
PHIL 360
Language, Method, and Nonsense
Description
In this class, we will explore language and the nature of meaning, the search for a philosophical method, and the limits of logic and of what can be thought.