Towson University is
committed to the Liberal Arts and Sciences as the pillar of its
educational programs; the discipline of philosophy stands at the base of
this pillar. Since its founding in 1967, the Towson University
Philosophy Program has been committed to curriculum diversity. In
addition to a strong commitment to the history of Western philosophy, it
has embraced philosophical traditions of other cultures, the ethical,
social, and political dimensions of life, and the various disciplines
and schools within philosophy.
The program has been in
the forefront of transforming the traditional philosophy curriculum by
offering courses in both non-Western and feminist philosophy long before
higher education embraced the importance of diversity. The skills we
nurture in students: close reading, critical thinking, reflection,
analysis, synthesis, argumentation, evaluation of arguments, and
probative and unlimited questioning are not only prerequisite to serious
study in philosophy and other disciplines, but also to leading a
meaningful life.
In support of the
general education mission of the university, philosophy courses prepare
students throughout the university to function as responsible and
contributing members of society by introducing them to the diverse
philosophical views that have shaped cultures, training them in critical
methods of thought, and inviting them to apply those methods to social
values, institutions and policies. Many of the program’s courses
contribute to both departmental and interdisciplinary programs across
the university. We actively reach out to both the Towson community and
the Baltimore metropolitan area by sponsoring colloquia, an
international conference, and two funded lectures series. The program
funds two student prizes and works with the student-run Philosophy Forum
to sponsor an undergraduate conference, the Journal of Philosophical
Ideas, and many public presentations and lectures.
Vision
The Towson University
Philosophy Program will continue to provide quality major and minor
programs in Philosophy. The program will remain committed to a balanced
and pluralistic approach to philosophy. In addition to providing
students with the opportunity to study various approaches to philosophy
in the Western tradition, the program will provide students with the
opportunity to study non-western philosophy. This balanced approach to
the teaching and learning of philosophy will serve our students well if
they should choose to pursue the study of philosophy at a higher level.
Whether they plan to
make a career of philosophy or not, the program will provide all of our
students with a thorough grounding in the history of ideas and views
that have shaped their society and the world. As we work to improve the
diversity of our course offerings, and remain open to new areas and
subfields in philosophy, the Towson University Philosophy Program will
continue to reach out to other philosophy programs in the Baltimore
Metropolitan area and strive for a widening of philosophical discussion.
8000 York Road | Towson, MD 21252 | 410-704-2000
