How should we live? What gives our lives meaning and purpose? What should we believe, and how can we be confident that our beliefs are true? These are the questions that have occupied philosophers for centuries, and that occupy us as we live our lives. Philosophy seeks to give rigorous, well thought out answers to these questions, or, at least, to help us frame the right approaches in the search for truth. At Marquette, we pursue these and other perennial issues primarily through the study of Western philosophical traditions from their Greek origins to contemporary thought.
The Philosophy Department has 27 regular full-time faculty, with a wide range of teaching and research interests. The department has a long tradition of research strengths in Medieval Philosophy and Continental Philosophy. During the past fifteen years, the department has greatly expanded teaching and research strength in ethics, social, and applied philosophy.
For undergraduates, the department offers a major with three specialization tracks: History of Philosophy; Social, Political, and Legal Philosophy; and Ethics and Values. For graduate students, we offer a Ph.D. that allows for specialization in all areas of the history of philosophy as well as many systematic areas. We also offer an M.A with specializations in the History of Philosophy and Social and Applied Philosophy.
The Marquette Undergraduate Philosophy Conference will be held on Saturday, April 25. The conference, featuring presentations by several students, will begin at 10:00 AM in Cudahy 001 and conclude from 2:30-3:30 with the presentation of awards and a reception. Click here for the conference program.
The Seminar on Phenomenology and Hermeneutics will be hosting a conference entitled "The Ethics of Interpretation" on May 13-14, 2009. Please see the conference program for additional information.
The Midwest Seminar in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
and the Aquinas and the Arabs Project will be hosting a conference on “Thought and Action in Aristotle and the Aristotelian Tradition” from June 16-18, 2009. Please see the conference web site for additional information.
