Philosophy
The goal of the Philosophy Department is to work with students to develop the skills of critical analysis, powerful speaking, and clear writing, skills alumni find of singular practical use in a wide variety of careers, and indispensable to their work as responsible citizens. We emphasize the value of philosophical examination for understanding broad issues that concern us all.
About the Major
At Hamilton, philosophy professors encourage students to engage actively in classes. Our small introductory classes focus on primary sources rather than predigested material in textbooks. All courses invite students to participate in collaborative conversations, with emphases on developing clear writing and presentation skills. Philosophy majors apply their training beyond the classroom through experiential learning projects or by participating in our exciting summer program. Visiting speakers bring some of the most prominent names in philosophy to campus and into our classrooms.
Students Will Learn To:
- Explain a range of philosophical views, historical and contemporary
- Identify philosophical problems in philosophy, other academic disciplines, or outside the academy
- Formulate their own views about philosophical problems in conversation with other philosophical works
- Defend those views cogently in writing and in speech
A Sampling of Courses
Environmental Ethics
Examines the appropriate relation of humans to the environment. Specific topics include ways of conceptualizing nature; the ethical and social sources of the environmental crisis; our moral duties to non-human organisms; and the ethical dimensions of the human population explosion. The goal is to help students arrive at their own reasoned views on these subjects and to think about the consequences of everyday actions, both personal and political. Preference given to environmental studies majors and minors, starting with seniors.
Explore these select courses:
Meet Our Faculty
Russell Marcus
Chair, Christian A. Johnson Excellence in Teaching Professor of Philosophy
philosophy of mathematics, logic, modern philosophy, and pedagogy
ethics, ancient philosophy, social and political philosophy
American philosophy; the problem of skepticism; contemporary Anglo-American philosophy; environmental ethics
A. Todd Franklin
Eugene M. Tobin Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Africana Studies
existentialism, African-American philosophy, and Nietzsche
epistemology; philosophy of science; philosophy of mind; theories of identity; feminist theory; philosophy and literature; American pragmatism
metaethics, moral psychology and ethics
Careers After Hamilton
Hamilton graduates who concentrated in philosophy are pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including:
- Writer, Simon & Schuster
- Psychiatrist, SW Connecticut Mental Health
- Director & Counsel, Credit Suisse Securities
- U.S. Ambassador, Federal Republic of Germany
- Professor of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University
- Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Virginia Tech
- Senior Scientist, GE Global Research
- Director, U.S. Department of Transportation
- Vice President, Goldman Sachs
- Officer, U.S. Marine Corps
- Principal Law Clerk, New York State Supreme Court
- Lieutenant, U.S. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Explore Hamilton Stories
Manguwa ’25, Kumar ’27 Named to National Humanities Leadership Council
Dylan Tinashe Manguwa ’25 and Aditi Kumar ’27 have been selected to join 30 other undergraduates from across the country on the National Humanities Center’s 2023-24 Leadership Council. Nominated by faculty, the students will receive professional development and mentoring from leading scholars and other humanities professionals as well as research support, opportunities for networking, and access to NHC programming and expertise.
Professor of Philosophy and Africana Studies A. Todd Franklin was recently interviewed for the social justice news organization Truthout.
Marcus, Schmitt ’24 Publish Article on HCSPiP
Professor of Philosophy Russell Marcus and Catherine Schmitt ’24 are the co-authors of an article appearing in the fall 2023 issue of APA Studies on Teaching Philosophy, a publication of the American Philosophical Association.
Contact
Department Name
Philosophy Department
Contact Name
Russell Marcus, Chair
Clinton, NY 13323