Philosophy, Religion & Classics Home Page

Department Chair: Dr. Michael McInturff

The Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Classics brings together three of the core disciplines in the humanities. The department offer majors in philosophy and religion; an interdisciplinary major in religion and philosophy; and minors in philosophy, religion, and classics.

Philosophy

In the western world, philosophers from Plato to Whitehead have attempted to do systematically and consistently what every reflective person does fragmentarily and haphazardly: to reflect on beliefs about the physical world, moral and religious commitments, aesthetic experiences, relations of the individual to the community, and other phases of human experience. In doing so, philosophers have hoped to deepen their insights into the meaning of human existence and to explore the possibilities for individuals to participate creatively in the reconstruction of their values to meet the new conditions of the contemporary world. In this process, philosophers also have undertaken the task to examine critically what is elsewhere taken for granted. They have developed analytical techniques, such as various systems of logic, studies of the nature and limits of the human understanding, and linguistic analysis.

Collegiate courses in philosophy are invitations to modern undergraduates to participate in this intellectual heritage and to develop analytical techniques essential to it.

For more information about the Philosophy program, contact Dr. Bill Myers.

Religion

The purpose of the study of religion is to introduce the student to the religious heritage of humankind and to challenge the student to think critically and constructively in dialogue with this heritage. An academic understanding of religion is an essential ingredient of a liberal arts education, and thus the faculty of religion teaches a variety of courses in Biblical studies, religious thought and practice, and history of religions to aid students in interpreting the religious dimension of life.

For more information about the Religion program, contact Dr. Larry Brasher

Classics and Classical Languages

Classics is the study of Greco-Roman antiquity from prehistory to the end of the Roman Empire. As an interdisciplinary field, classics synthesizes the disciplines of language and literature, history, art history, and archaeology. By studying classical material, one gains an understanding and appreciation of ancient cultures, which continue to influence our own. Students not only study primary materials, such as ancient texts and archaeological remains, but learn to integrate a variety of materials. The ability to synthesize materials provides the student with an intellectual foundation leading to graduate work in a variety of fields.

For more information about the Classics program, contact Dr. Michael McInturff .

For more information on these disciplines, including a course listing, please visit the Disciplinary Major/Minor section of the most recent issue of the Birmingham-Southern College Catalog.