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Welcome to the Philosophy Department at SFU

We are an energetic and productive department dedicated to both teaching and research. Browsing our website will give you a better idea of what we do and where we excel, but here is a brief introduction.

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy literally means 鈥渓ove of wisdom,鈥� but it might also be called love of inquiry, love of thinking, or love of the big questions of life.

To ask and answer such questions, philosophers draw inspiration from a broad range of sources 鈥� literature, history, mathematics, the natural and social sciences, and legal jurisprudence. What sets philosophy apart is its desire to question the fundamental assumptions and methodologies of those disciplines, and even of human thought.

Where a scientific theory relies on causation, the philosopher asks what causation is. Where mathematics uses numbers, the philosopher questions their nature and existence. Where law helps itself to a concept of rights, the philosopher inquires into their very foundation.

For thousands of years, philosophers have wondered about the nature of reality, knowledge, truth, morality, and beauty. And we have expressed our findings chiefly through argument. Those arguments are neither table-pounding shouting matches nor challenges to juvenile intellectual duels. They are instead clear examinations and expressions of viewpoints backed by reason and sustained reflection.

Philosophy therefore nurtures our curiosity. These inquiries require the skills to think creatively, deeply, and analytically 鈥� and the skills to identify the right questions to ask. They also require that we engage sympathetically and charitably with others, so that we might better understand their views.

These skills are extremely versatile and adaptable across a constantly shifting workforce. Every employer wants someone who can think analytically and creatively, question assumptions that need doubting, see things from other perspectives, and articulate it all clearly to others.

But it鈥檚 not only that: By investigating the conceptual underpinnings of thought, perspective, theory, feeling, we will more profoundly understand ourselves and our world. That wonder, and the wisdom we thereby gain, is what makes life worth living. A nice salary is just a perk.

Our Undergraduate Programs

Why study philosophy? Consider , based on an analysis of their top 2000 companies; or  that outperform accounting, IT, and business management; or studies that show philosophy makes you a , and surprisingly good at the  and .

Interested? Consider:

For those pursuing law school, business, or public policy:

• Joint Major in Business, Philosophy and the Law
•  Certificate in Ethics: Theory and Application

For the scientifically inclined:

• Certificate in The Philosophy and Methodology of Science
• Cognitive Science Program 鈥� an interdisciplinary program that includes Philosophy 鈥� deals with the mind, consciousness, language, learning, information processing, and decision making
• Social Data Analytics 鈥� an interdisciplinary program that includes Philosophy 鈥� focuses on understanding, analyzing, and discussing big data in the social sciences

See a full list of our programs, and our wide range of undergraduate courses.

Our Graduate Program

Our department runs a highly successful, fully funded MA program for students who already have a Bachelor鈥檚 degree and would like to continue their study of philosophy. Our internationally recognized and extremely diverse program has a long and successful history of preparing students for top PhD programs, including NYU, Princeton, Stanford, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and more (see our placement record).

Dr. Alex King

Chair, Department of Philosophy