Philosophy involves thinking critically - the student of philosophy must be able to identify theses, identify premises offered in support of those theses, and to develop alternative arguments and interpretations. The department requires that majors develop their critical thinking skills by completing at least one course in logic. Possible courses include:
- 210 - Logical Thought
- 225 - Symbolic Logic
Logical Thought focuses on basic critical thinking skills, including the identification of arguments, premises and conclusions, as well as strategies for distinguishing between good and bad arguments. Symbolic Logic delves more deeply into the philosophical analysis of argumentation.
Philosophy majors are highly encouraged to take Symbolic Logic (225), as the tools introduced in that course appear frequently in contemporary and past philosophic debates.
After Symbolic Logic, there is a wide array of additional courses in logic available for those students who find philosophical logic interesting.