Philosophy
at Carthage College
“For
the argument is not about just any question, but about the
way one should live.” (Socrates, in Plato’s Republic
, Book I, 352d).
Philosophy
is the reason-guided attempt to move from what is believed
to be true to what really is true. This attempt arises from
the desire to know how one should live, and from the awareness
that how one should live is not just obvious. That desire
and that awareness move philosophers to get free of the
reigning assumptions of their time and place in order to
reflect on and judge them well, and to consider competing
assumptions and arguments. The intellectual independence
of the philosopher is a shining example of the intellectual
independence liberal education points toward. For this reason,
all students engaged in liberal education are encouraged
to take one or more basic courses in philosophy and even
to consider a major or minor in philosophy.
For
more information about the department, contact us at 262-551-5937
or jmarks@carthage.edu.
