What separates philosophy at Reed from programs at other schools is the commitment on behalf of the professors to the students. When I visited Reed for the first time, I met and spoke with a professor for over 45 minutes—four years later, he’s now my thesis adviser.
What You’ll Study in the Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy
Study the main branches of philosophy to explore difficult questions and our attempts to solve them. Learn the basic structure and types of thought and valid reasoning in courses on logic; examine the categories of being in metaphysics; and ponder how to live and what to do in ethics. In close collaboration with your professors, learn to state your views clearly, support them with careful argument, and defend them against objections. Consider majoring in philosophy together with another subject, such as religion, mathematics, or literature.
Roadmap to the BA in Philosophy at Reed
Year One
Lay Your Foundation
All students are exposed to philosophy in Humanities 110, exploring the overlaps with literature, history, religion, politics, and the arts. This is the time to embrace the breadth of humanities at Reed and explore the many possible paths of study.
Those who wish to major in philosophy should consider whether or not they will declare a cross-disciplinary major, combining philosophy with religion, math, physics, or psychology.
Year Two
Explore Methods for Inquiry and Study Abroad
Take Logic for an introduction to the formal logic of propositions, identity, and quantification. Continue digging into philosophy’s big questions with 200-level courses like Minds, Computers, Worlds and Introduction to Ancient Philosophy.
If you wish to study abroad, now is a great time. Studying abroad is an excellent way to deepen your philosophical perspective by immersing yourself in new cultures, approaches, and contexts.
Year Three
Develop Your Focus
Deepen your focus with courses like the Philosophy of Science and Topics in Logic. Study for and take your junior qualifying examination, which prepares you for your senior thesis. Get to know your adviser and fellow philosophy majors as you collaborate, share ideas, and form community within the department and beyond.
Year Four
Share Your Work
Demonstrate your abilities to manage time, locate a topic, summarize a debate, situate an issue, and write a thesis in this yearlong project. You will propose your thesis topic in the fourth or fifth week of the first semester, then get to work researching and formulating an original contribution to the field of philosophy.
Why Study Philosophy at Reed College?
Advanced Topics in Ethics
These courses rigorously examine a topic in ethics to consider such questions as whether loyalty is a virtue, what we owe to animals, and what it means to have a good life:
- The Ethics of Partiality: Examine the extent and limits of morally justified partial treatment, and ask, “Is impartiality a moral ideal we should strive toward?”
- Morality at the Margin: What We Owe to Animals, A.I., and Future Generations: Examine issues around the moral status of, and our moral obligations to things at the margin of what we might call “the moral circle.”
- Narrative and Aging: Situate ethical issues in aging within the context of larger questions of what it means to be a person, to have a good life, and to be part of a just society.
Explore Related Fields
The political science and mathematics departments also offer courses of interest to philosophy majors, such as Classical Political Philosophy, Modern Political Philosophy, Hegel and Marx, Judgment, and Mathematical Logic. Some students engage in cross-disciplinary majors, including:
- Philosophy-Religion
- Philosophy-Math
- Philosophy-Physics
- Philosophy-Psychology
My Favorite Courses
Aaron Ramcharan ’17
Genya Zhukova ’19
Prof. Eddie Cushman [philosophy] showed me that philosophy wasn’t just all old Greek dudes. Meg Scharle [philosophy] taught me that even the old Greek dudes can be engaging.
Careers
Reed’s philosophy department equips graduates with the research skills and knowledge to enter graduate programs or pursue roles in many fields. Here’s a sampling of positions held by our alumni:
- Paralegal, Clyde & Co
- Amazon SEO specialist, Diverse Marketing
- Philosophy and mathematics teacher, Great Hearts Academies
- Health advocate, Gay Men’s Health Crisis
- Cofounder, Wikipedia
- Managing partner, Blue Hill Partner, LLC
Most Attended Graduate Schools by Reed Philosophy Alumni
- The University of Chicago
- University of California, Berkeley
- Cornell University
- University of California, Los Angeles
- University of Washington
- Columbia University
- Lewis & Clark College
- New York University
- Yale University
- Harvard University
- University of Pittsburgh
Learn from Distinguished Professors
Reed’s 9:1 student to professor ratio ensures close interaction and support, fostering an environment in which students get to know their professors and truly benefit from their unique areas of expertise. Reed’s philosophy faculty is an accomplished, inspiring group of professors who are committed to supporting and educating students, helping them achieve their most ambitious academic goals.
