Philosophy

Philosophy

The Philosophy Major
Philosophy for Lunch More About P4L
2025 Courses More About P4L
Faculty and Staff
Careers for Philosophy Graduates
Business and Philosophy

Contact the Philosophy department in the following ways:
• Philosophy Chair, Tiger Roholt, roholtt@montclair.edu
• Find faculty contact information on our faculty page.

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What Is Philosophy?

Philosophy is the rational inquiry into our most basic beliefs and values. Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This examination involves seeking answers to questions such as: How should I live? • What is truth? • How is the mind related to the body? • Do we have free will? • What is justice? • How should we make ethical judgments when there seems to be no clear right or wrong answer?  • Are we more likely to know what is real through reason or through the senses? • How am I related to the world and to others? • What is the value of art? • How does technology mediate our engagement with the world and with others? A philosopher’s examination into these and other issues is grounded on evidence, reasoning, and argument. If you are a curious person who enjoys intellectual challenges, then you may find a philosophy classroom invigorating.

(Trevor McKenzie, pictured, completed our Philosophy BA/MBA program, which begins in our Philosophy department and ends in the Feliciano School of Business.)

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The Practical Value of Studying Philosophy

By studying philosophy, students develop powerful, cognitive transferrable skills that pay off in a variety of professions—transferable skills such as Logical Reasoning • Analysis • Abstract Conceptualization • Problem-Solving • Creative Thinking • Clear and Persuasive Writing • Mental Dexterity • An Ability to Assess Different Perspectives and Frameworks • Information Management. For more info see our Careers page.

2018 earnings data show that the national median salary of Philosophy graduates is now higher than nearly every other major in the social sciences, humanities, and higher than many other majors in the university—higher than Psychology, Criminology, Communication, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Business Management, Political Science, History, English, and so on. (For one data source, see Payscale.com.)

Which professions do philosophy graduates pursue? Technology • Business • Law • Publishing • Government • Advertising • Journalism • Teaching • Sales • Human Resources • Public Relations • Activism • Public Policy, etc., etc.

The philosophy major is also exceptional training for many post-graduate paths, such as law school. Philosophy majors perform extremely well on a variety of entrance tests for post-graduate and professional study. See “Graduate Study” at the bottom of the Careers page.

(Amanda Vargas, pictured, is a Montclair Philosophy graduate; she is a healthy-food restauranteur, Founder and CEO of Fettle + Fare, and a TEDx speaker.)

Philosophy Club

The Philosophy Club—run by philosophy majors—is a place of passion and curiosity, where students are welcome to explore a variety of topics in a fun, relaxed, and collaborative way. Come by and get a feel for our community. It will leave you with a new perspective on life.  The club meets every Thursday in fall 2024, from 1:00 to 3:00, in Dickson 114.The club has recently discussed topics such as love, authenticity, Reddit, money, the Marvel universe, the self, art, knowledge, truth, and the question—”What is a sandwich?”

Philosophy for Lunch

Philosophy for Lunch is a weekly event where students, professors, and other philosophy enthusiasts close-read and discuss a few great passages of philosophy. Everyone is welcome! No preparation or previous knowledge of philosophy is needed. Recent sessions have focused on free speech, the gun debate, Aristotle on friendship, thought experiments, Foucault’s Panopticon, and so on.

When? 11:30 AM–12:30 PM, Thursdays • Where?  Schmitt Hall, Room 104.

Philosophy for Lunch More about P4L

Photo of Madison Gamba, Philosophy Major

The Philosophy Major and Minor

Our philosophy Major and Minor are flexible programs that enable students to take advantage of the interesting, shifting selection of courses we offer every semester. The philosophy major is 12 courses. The philosophy minor is 6 courses. Almost all of the courses students take in these programs are taught by full-time professors. One of the benefits of the size of our small department is that students get to know their professors as well as their fellow majors and minors. Almost all of our 200-level and 300-level philosophy courses are small seminars, with an average of 15–19 students.

The Philosophy Major The Philosophy Minor

(Madison Gamba, pictured, is a Montclair Philosophy graduate; she recently earned an M.A. in Philosophy at the New School for Social Research, NYC.)

Our Philosophy Faculty

The philosophy faculty are dedicated teachers and productive scholars with expertise in many areas of philosophy, such as the philosophy of science, the philosophy of mind, feminist philosophy, phenomenology, political philosophy, philosophy of technology, philosophy of art, and the history of philosophy. We take an active interest in our students’ academic careers.

See Recent Research by Montclair Philosophy Faculty

Faculty and Staff

Our Philosophy Courses

Every semester we offer an interesting selection of courses. In recent semesters we have offered courses such as Philosophy of Technology; Social and Political Philosophy; Philosophy of Biology; Theories of Action; Philosophy in Science Fiction; Philosophy of Mind; Philosophy of Race; Philosophy of Happiness; and Knowledge, Belief, and Truth. See the list of recent course offerings.

Donate to Montclair Philosophy

The Philosophy Department is committed to supporting students and providing quality lectures and events for both the campus and community, such as Philosophy for Lunch and Philosophy Talks. Your gift to the Philosophy Department will help support events and scholarships sponsored by the department.

To give online, check “other” as the designation and specify “Philosophy Department.”

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