There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.- Hamlet

The Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Classics unites three of the core disciplines in the humanities. BSC offers majors in philosophy and religion, an interdisciplinary major in religion and philosophy, and minors in philosophy, religion, and classics.

Philosophy

In the western world, the great philosophers from Plato to Whitehead have reflected 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. Together, we’ll pursue their work, deepening your insights into the meaning of human existence and exploring the possibilities for individuals to participate creatively in the reconstruction of their values to meet the new conditions of the contemporary world.

You’ll learn to understand the analytical techniques of the great philosophers, such as various systems of logic, studies of the nature and limits of the human understanding, and linguistic analysis.

Religion

Our study of religion will introduce you to the religious heritage of humankind and to challenge you to think critically and constructively in context of this heritage. An academic understanding of religion is an essential ingredient of a liberal arts education, so we teach a variety of courses in Biblical studies, religious thought and practice, and history of religions to aid you in interpreting the religious dimension of life.

Classics and Classical Languages

Come and explore the very foundation of education in Western civilization. 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, you gain an understanding and appreciation of ancient cultures, which continue to influence our own culture today. You’ll not only study primary materials, such as ancient texts and archaeological remains, but learn to integrate a variety of materials. It’s the ability to synthesize these materials that gives you an intellectual foundation leading to graduate work in a variety of fields..

To explore the philosophy major at BSC further, visit their Web site.

If you are interested in learning more about any of our majors and minors, you will find more information in the Disciplinary Majors and Minors section of the BSC Course Catalog.