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
Moral philosophy, social and political philosophy, Chinese philosophy, philosophy of sport and games, philosophy of race
metaethics, moral psychology and ethics
philosophy of science (esp. biology), metaphysics (esp. personal identity), death
Faces & Spaces
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
Students Take a Deep Dive Into Philosophy Through HCSPiP
The Hamilton College Summer Program in Philosophy (HCSPiP) began in 2018 and has been a huge success ever since — including in an article featured by the American Philosophical Association. This year’s program welcomed students from as nearby as Hamilton and as far as Indonesia and Colombia. We sat down with Professor of Philosophy Russell Marcus, HCSPiP’s organizer, and two Hamilton students to learn about the program and what went on this summer.
TLS Publishes Review of Plakias’ Awkwardness: A Theory
A review of Awkward: A Theory, by Associate Professor of Philosophy Alexandra Plakias ’02, was published in the July 19 issue of The Times Literary Supplement (TLS).
Five Seniors Awarded Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships
Gabriela de Mendonca Gomes '24, a philosophy and literature major, was one of five recent graduates awarded a prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. She's heading to Peru, where she'll polish her teaching skills and serve as a cultural ambassador.
Contact
Department Name
Philosophy Department
Contact Name
Russell Marcus, Chair
Clinton, NY 13323
