Philosophy

While the pursuit of knowledge has evolved into specialized disciplines, philosophy continues to address the larger, fundamental questions underlying these disciplines such as "What is knowledge?", "What is truth?", "What is justice?". By studying philosophy, you will learn about the intellectual foundations of our society, but you will also develop critical thinking and problem solving skills that will enable you to re-examine society with an inquisitive mind and a discerning lens.

We will explore fundamental philosophical concepts, from Ancient Greek to the modern era, in order to understand contemporary thinking about ethics and justice in context. Our programs emphasize reasoning skills, oral debate, and writing proficiency with the balance of coursework dedicated to such philosophical topics as

• Gender
• Popular Culture
• Paranormal
• Love
• Biomedical Ethics
• Existentialism 
• Environmental

You will graduate from our program with the ability to:

• Analyze and interpret arguments
• Justify beliefs with reference to standards of proof
• Describe major philosophical trends
• Apply a historical understanding to key philosophical questions
• Identify theoretical assumptions 
• Plan and conduct research that is accurate, thorough, and broadly based

Due to the multidisciplinary relevance of the field, you may combine your studies with disciplines such as English, History, French, Indigenous Learning, Psychology, or Political Science.  We are also one of the few universities in Canada to offer a minor in Professional Ethics. This is a great option if you are interested in examining ethical issues in business, biomedical science, the environment, or - digital technology.

The Lakehead Advantage

While other universities tend to take- a fairly prescriptive approach to their programming, we provide you with the ability to define your area of interest within the discipline. Beginning in your first year, you may choose first year courses from amongst intellectual history, popular culture, the human condition, or the paranormal critical thinking to fulfill your introductory credit to the program. The power to tailor your philosophy education from the beginning is something that makes us unique and encourages our students become independent thinkers. 

The small size of our department facilitates one-on-one time with faculty, fosters great friendships among peers, and is conducive to providing students with research and job opportunities as they arise. Our professors have an open-door policy and are easily accessible.