The department of philosophy educates students to recognize and think in an informed and reflective way about the perennially important issues of life?morality, what is truth, the nature of reality, how we know the world, beauty and art, faith and reason, evil and suffering, justice and society. Students learn to formulate opinions on these issues by engaging the best representatives (Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine, Kant, Kierkegaard, and Wittgenstein) in the history of philosophy. By extensively studying philosophy, students gain knowledge of foundational ideas that have shaped Western society (justice, logic, etc.). This knowledge equips the students to analyze the basic presuppositions and conflicts within culture. Also, the students become better able to read carefully challenging material and to think and write more logically. Finally, the students grow in the ability to sustain an informed inquiry and conversation about fundamental concerns (nature of reality, whether we can reason about God, and conflicting views of justice) and to continue to learn through the process.