Philosophy Program

The study of philosophy is at the core of a liberal arts education. The ideal of a liberal arts education is not simply to prepare you for a specific career but to prepare you for a meaningful personal life and for intelligent participation in your workplace and communities.

Philosophy and meaningful learning

The philosophy major exposes you to some of the greatest minds in human history. You are able to discuss and develop ideas with professors and peers, as well as build the reading, writing and critical thinking skills that are essential to a human being.

What can you do with a philosophy degree?

The philosophy major develops many transferable skills, including the ability to see different sides of an issue, present cogent reasoning for a position, detect fallacies in arguments and boil down complex data to its essence. After graduation, philosophy majors succeed and thrive in careers in business, education, communications, politics and law.

Three-year degree option

As a philosophy major, you have the option to earn your bachelor’s degree in three years. Do your part to stay on track, and you could shave a year off your undergraduate work. That means significant savings on tuition and you get a jumpstart on your career.

Meet Professor Michael Madary

Do you control your smartphone or does it control you?

Ever succumbed to “mindless scrolling” through your TikTok or Instagram feed? Philosophy professor Michael Madary’s research makes the case that while we might feel in control when engaging with our devices, we might actually be suffering from an “illusion of agency.”

A scientific approach to the paranormal

In this TED Talk, investigative journalist and Pacific philosophy alumna Carrie Poppy describes her encounter with a spooky feeling you'll want to warn your friends about and explains why we need science to deal with paranormal activity.

Student organizations

The following content is from the national offices of Phi Sigma Tau. For additional information on joining Pacific's chapter of Phi Sigma Tau, please contact department chair Lou Matz.

Undergraduate students
Undergraduate students are eligible for active membership if they have completed three semesters or five quarters of the college course, rank in the upper 35% of their class, and have completed at least two semester courses or three quarter courses in philosophy with an average grade of over the second highest grade of the working scale.

Graduate students
Graduate students are eligible if they meet the requirements established for undergraduates, or if they have completed at least one-third of the residence requirements of the master's degree with a grade average of at least half on the highest grade of the working scale and half in the second highest grade.

All Students
In addition to the special requirements for both graduate and undergraduate students above, note that Phi Sigma Tau operates under the umbrella of the Association of College Honor Societies and is a member in good standing of that Association. The Association of College Honor Societies requires that Phi Sigma Tau grant student membership only through a local chapter of our organization and not through the National Office. Consequently, students are eligible for membership in Phi Sigma Tau only if their school has a local chapter and upon the recommendation of the chapter adviser.

Think Tank is a student-run club for philosophy majors, minors and anyone else who has an interest in talking about philosophy. Membership is free. There is a Think Tank event almost every week during the academic year.

Previous activities have included:

A weekly informal discussion at Java Aroma. Some of the many topics were:
- Where does morality come from?
- What is art?
- Is the mind in the brain?
- Does God exist?
A viewing of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" at the Pacific Theater, followed by a discussion led by Professor Rennard
The Philosopher Dinner in the Redwood Room, featuring food from Papapavlo's Mediterranean Bistro
A two-day trip by students to the Pacific Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association in San Francisco
An end-of-the-year barbecue at the department chair's home