These quite general questions and the answers to them that have been advanced represent some of the most important themes in the history of our civilization. Acquaintance with this material is a necessary component of a balanced liberal education.

A philosophy major, however, does more than simply learn the views held by various philosophers. In attaining a grasp of those views, he or she must extract the principal points from complex material, evaluate the soundness of the arguments involved and, most important of all, justify his or her own position on any given topic. Writing, an integral part of any philosophy class, requires the ability to express one?s thoughts in a lucid and concise fashion and to defend them cogently.

These components of a philosophical training enable the philosophy major to develop sophisticated skills that are valuable in almost any field in which he or she might work, from business to law to scientific fields, including medicine. Two benefits of a balanced liberal education are knowledge and skills that will last a lifetime, and the philosophy curriculum provides exactly those benefits.