Tulane Philosophy Program

• About the Ph.D. and M.A. Programs
• Political Philosophy at Tulane
• About the 4 + 1 M.A. in PhilosophyAbout Philosophy

The word "philosophy" is derived from the Greek meaning "love of wisdom."

Along with mathematics, philosophy is one of the two oldest intellectual disciplines and it has always been a central component in the university curriculum.

There are many areas of philosophical enquiry. Perhaps the easiest way to begin to understand what philosophy is all about is by considering the kinds of questions which prompt philosophical reflection. (For undergraduate degree requirements, please see our major and minor page.)

Three of the most important kinds of questions that philosophers ask, along with a number of examples, are as follows:

• Questions about life and how we should treat each other:
  These include: What is the good life? How should we treat each other? Is ethical truth relative to a culture? What political system should we have? Why are liberty and democracy important? Questions like these are considered by political philosophy and ethics (or moral philosophy).
• Questions about the ultimate nature of the world:
  These include: Is there a God? Is everything made of matter? Are minds separate from bodies? Do people have free will? What is it for one event to cause another? These questions fall under the jurisdiction of metaphysics.
• Questions about what we know and how we know it:
  What is knowledge? Could the things we believe about the world be radically wrong (might you really be brain in a vat on Alpha Centauri, being stimulated by a mad neuroscientist to have the sensory experiences you in fact have)? Is religious belief rational? This is the domain of epistemology.

In philosophy courses, questions like these may be approached directly or through the writings of influential thinkers of the past (for details, look at our courses page).

One of the most distinctive things about philosophy is that philosophers are concerned not just with stating particular views. They attempt to develop reasons for their views by giving arguments. So, in addition to looking at particular issues, philosophers have always been interested in logic and the nature of reason. As a result, most philosophy students develop a keen sense of how to think well.

Political Philosophy at Tulane

The department has two faculty members with their main research interests in Political Philosophy:

Eric Mack

Jonathan Riley

In addition, the department has six other full time faculty members who work in Political Philosophy:

Bruce Brower	Ronna Burger	Oliver Sensen
Richard Velkley	David Shoemaker	Alison Denham

Studying political philosophy at Tulane is especially enhanced by the Center for Ethics and Public Affairs (CEPA). CEPA supports three to four faculty fellows each year; these are visitors from other universities in ethics, political philosophy and allied fields who spend the entire year at Tulane. So every year there is a core group of eight or nine scholars in the political philosophy group, a very impressive concentration. In addition CEPA and the Philosophy Department sponsor an extensive series of seminars for faculty and graduate students by eminent visiting scholars. Overall there is an exceptionally lively intellectual life in political philosophy and ethics.

In addition, CEPA sponsors each year several one-year dissertation completion fellowships for Tulane graduate students writing dissertations concerning ethics and political philosophy, allowing them to devote themselves full-time to finishing their dissertations. Students on these fellowships also assist in planning CEPA activities for the year, and nominate visiting scholars in their fields.

Political philosophy graduate students are also eligible for a one year editorial fellowship with Politics, Philosophy and Economics, which provides a stipend and tuition waiver.