For the ancient Greeks, philosophia meant the love of wisdom. In the western tradition, philosophy has come to mean inquiry into the nature of reality as a whole, guided by reason. This examination of the nature of reality has led philosophy through the millennia of its development to investigate issues as diverse as the nature of the universe, the distinction between mind and body, the existence of God, the status of art, of ethics and morality, of history and politics, and, perhaps most significantly, to the question of what it means to be a human being – the sort of being that wonders about "philosophical" questions, for example – to be the particular human being that I am, and to live a good human life. More recently, western philosophy has begun to question it’s commitment to reason as the sole path to truth, and to examine the roles played by the emotions, feelings, and unconscious drives and instincts in forming the ways that we think about and understand ourselves and the world around us. The faculty of the UVU Philosophy department is strongly committed to the value of diverse views and approaches, both to the study of Philosophy and to higher education in general. We value both teaching and research, and believe that each enhances and informs the other. Our faculty have expertise in a very broad range of philosophical issues and periods, including Ethics, Philosophy of Religion, 19th and 20th Century European Philosophy, contemporary Analytic Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Social and Political Philosophy, Eastern Philosophy, and the Philosophy of Psychology. Students in the Philosophy baccalaureate program have the opportunity to enroll in a broad and growing range of courses representing both the history of philosophy, and the central problems and issues of philosophical inquiry. The faculty is committed to exposing students to the history and central issues of both continental and analytic streams of contemporary philosophy. We believe that the study of philosophy is interesting, fun, challenging, and intrinsically rewarding, and that the creative, critical, and analytic skills that develop through philosophical training are of tremendous practical value both to everyday life, and to almost any vocation one can enter. Many students majoring in philosophy take advantage of work study opportunities in the department, including assisting faculty with their research. Advanced students may also have the opportunity to become a teaching assistant and lead discussion sections in philosophy classes.
