A Biola philosophy major provides a broad-based liberal arts education. Courses bring faith and reason together and are structured to give you an understanding how to think critically from a Christian perspective about a wide range of issues. You will work in a close-knit community of colleagues at reading and engaging the world?s great philosophers and wisdom traditions, always with an eye on the question, What can be learned from these thinkers and traditions about more effectively practicing of the teachings of Jesus? Topics covered include:?
- Deductive and inductive inference: What are the marks of good reasoning?
- Argumentative writing skills: What makes for effective argumentative writing?
- The history of philosophy: Who are its main thinkers? What are its main themes? Which are its key texts?
- Metaphysics: What is real? How is reality structured?
- Epistemology: What is knowledge? What can we know? What differentiates rational from irrational belief?
- Philosophy of religion: What are the main arguments for and against God's existence? Does the existence, magnitude or distribution of suffering constitute evidence against God?s existence?
- Philosophical theology: What does philosophy have to teach us about the great doctrines of Christianity: Trinity, Incarnation, Atonement, etc.?
- Ethics: What makes an action right or wrong? What makes people virtuous or vicious?
- Practical wisdom: What is a good life? What practices and character traits aid in living a full human life?