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Philosophy, B.A.

The Major in Philosophy

Patrick Doyle, Senior Academic Program Manager
Location: Baker Hall 161G
pdoyle2@andrew.cmu.edu 
https://go.oncehub.com/PatDoyle
 

Overview

The Major in Philosophy is intended to be flexible and to facilitate additional majors in other fields (including majors with a strong professional focus). It provides students with a broad humanities education and sharpens their analytical skills. We encourage, but do not require, students to choose a thematic concentration through their electives. Sample curricula emphasizing Law and Social Policy, Philosophy of Science, Ethics and Social Philosophy, and Philosophy of Mind are suggested below. However, alternative emphases can be proposed and approved by the Senior Academic Program Manager. The Major in Philosophy is a B.A. degree.

Curriculum

In addition to the general education requirements for the student's college, Philosophy primary majors and additional majors must complete 80-100 Introduction to Philosophy and nine Philosophy courses in the Areas listed below. The 80-100 Introduction to Philosophy requirement must be fulfilled before the first semester of the junior year. Only two of the remaining nine courses may be at the 100-level, and two of the nine courses must be at the 300-level or higher. All ten courses, if taken at CMU, must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of "C" or above. No more than two courses of the ten courses may be taken at another institution. Students are to choose one course out of each of the areas 1-4, two courses out of area 5, and may freely select three courses in area 6. Students may double count any course for the major with another major or minor. As per the requirement of Dietrich College, a student's Grand Challenge First-Year Seminar course may not count toward the fulfillment of the major requirements.                                

Introduction to Philosophy9 units
Units
80-100Introduction to Philosophy9
Area 1: Values and Normative Theory9 units
One of the following:
80-130Introduction to Ethics9
80-135Introduction to Political Philosophy9
80-136Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics9
80-234Philosophy of Race and Gender9
80-244Environmental Ethics9
80-245Medical Ethics9
80-246Moral Psychology9
80-249AI, Society, and Humanity9
80-330Ethical Theory9
80-335Social and Political Philosophy9
80-336Philosophy of Law9
80-348Health, Human Rights, and International Development9
80-447Seminar in Global Justice9
Area 2: Philosophy of Mind/Language/Metaphysics9 units
One of the following:
80-180Introduction to Linguistics9
80-270Problems of Mind and Body: Meaning and Doing9
80-271Mind and Body: The Objective and the Subjective9
80-276Philosophy of Religion9
80-260Dangerous Ideas in Psychiatry9
80-280Linguistic Analysis9
80-283It Matters How You Say It9
80-285Natural Language Syntax9
80-381Meaning in Language9
80-383Language in Use9
80-484Language and Thought9
Area 3: Logic/Philosophy of Mathematics9 units
One of the following:
80-210Logic and Proofs9
80-211Logic and Mathematical Inquiry9
80-212Arguments and Logical Analysis9
80-310Formal Logic9
80-311Undecidability and Incompleteness9
80-312Mathematical Revolutions9
80-315Logics for Knowledge and Belief9
80-411Proof Theory9
80-413Category Theory9
80-419Interactive Theorem Proving9
80-514Categorical Logic9
Area 4: Epistemology/Methodology9 units
One of the following:
80-150Nature of Reason9
80-201Knowledge and Justified Belief9
80-208Against the Algorithm: Critical Thinking as a Way of Life9
80-220Philosophy of Science9
80-221Philosophy of Social Science9
80-222Measurement and Methodology9
80-226The Nature of Scientific Revolutions9
80-261Experience, Reason, and Truth9
80-305Game Theory After Spring 20239
80-306Decision Theory9
80-324Philosophy of Economics9
80-329Philosophy and Causation9
80-325Foundations of Causation and Machine Learning9
80-405Game Theory Prior to Fall 20239
80-490Philosophical and Practical Aspects of AI9
80-516Causality and Machine Learning9
80-521Seminar on Formal Epistemology: Uncertain Interpretations9
80-524Topics in Formal Epistemology: Topological Philosophy of Science9
Area 5: History of Philosophy18 units
Two of the following:
80-150Nature of Reason9
80-226The Nature of Scientific Revolutions9
80-250Ancient Philosophy9
80-251Modern Philosophy9
80-252Kant9
80-253Continental Philosophy9
80-254The History of Analytic Philosophy and Its Influence9
80-255Pragmatism: Scientific Approach to Philosophy9
80-551Seminar on History of Philosophy: Smith and Hume9
80-260Dangerous Ideas in Psychiatry9
80-261Experience, Reason, and Truth9
80-350Adam Smith9
80-365Ramsey9
80-490Philosophical and Practical Aspects of AI9
Area 6: Elective27 units

Three other philosophy courses, or appropriate courses from other departments, with the permission of the Senior Academic Program Manager.

Sample Curricula

Here are four sample curricula, reflecting different emphases.

1. For an emphasis on Law & Social Policy, a student might take:
Area 1
80-335Social and Political Philosophy9
Area 2
80-180Introduction to Linguistics9
Area 3
80-211Logic and Mathematical Inquiry9
Area 4
80-208Against the Algorithm: Critical Thinking as a Way of Life9
Area 5
80-150Nature of Reason9
80-250Ancient Philosophy9
Area 6
80-336Philosophy of Law9
80-348Health, Human Rights, and International Development9
80-447Seminar in Global Justice9
2. For an emphasis on Philosophy of Science, a student might take:
Area 1
80-136Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics9
Area 2
80-270Problems of Mind and Body: Meaning and Doing9
Area 3
80-211Logic and Mathematical Inquiry9
Area 4
80-220Philosophy of Science9
or 80-221 Philosophy of Social Science
Area 5
80-250Ancient Philosophy9
80-226The Nature of Scientific Revolutions9
Area 6
80-150Nature of Reason9
80-221Philosophy of Social Science9
80-524Topics in Formal Epistemology: Topological Philosophy of Science9
3. For an emphasis on Ethics and Social Philosophy, a student might take:
Area 1
80-130Introduction to Ethics9
Area 2
80-276Philosophy of Religion9
Area 3
80-211Logic and Mathematical Inquiry9
Area 4
80-221Philosophy of Social Science9
Area 5
80-250Ancient Philosophy9
80-251Modern Philosophy9
Area 6
80-330Ethical Theory9
80-335Social and Political Philosophy9
80-348Health, Human Rights, and International Development9
4. For an emphasis on Philosophy of Mind, a student might take:
Area 1
80-130Introduction to Ethics9
Area 2
80-270Problems of Mind and Body: Meaning and Doing9
Area 3
80-211Logic and Mathematical Inquiry9
Area 4
80-201Knowledge and Justified Belief9
Area 5
80-251Modern Philosophy9
80-252Kant9
Area 6
80-521Seminar on Formal Epistemology: Uncertain Interpretations9
80-261Experience, Reason, and Truth9
80-271Mind and Body: The Objective and the Subjective9

Additional Major

Students who wish to pursue an additional major in Philosophy must fulfill the same departmental requirements as primary majors in Philosophy. Students can double count any course for the major with another major or minor.

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