Contact the Philosophy department in the following ways:
鈥 Philosophy Chair, Tiger Roholt, roholtt@montclair.edu
鈥 Find faculty contact information on our faculty page.
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Philosophy
What Is Philosophy?
Philosophy is the rational inquiry into our most basic beliefs and values. Socrates famously said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This examination involves seeking answers to questions such as:聽How should I live? 鈥 What is truth? 鈥⒙燞ow is the mind related to the body? 鈥 Do we have free will? 鈥 What is justice? 鈥 How should we make ethical judgments when there seems to be no clear right or wrong answer? 聽鈥 Are we more likely to know what is real through reason or through the senses? 鈥 How am I related to the world and to others? 鈥 What is the value of art? 鈥 How does technology mediate our engagement with the world and with others?聽A philosopher’s examination into these and other issues is grounded on evidence, reasoning, and argument.聽If you are a curious person who enjoys intellectual challenges,聽then you may find a philosophy classroom invigorating.
(Trevor McKenzie, pictured, completed our Philosophy BA/MBA program, which begins in our Philosophy department and ends in the Feliciano School of Business. Trevor is now a Financial Systems Analyst & Automations Engineer.)
News and Events
- Philosophy for Lunch 鈥斅燛very Wednesday, 2PM!Monday February 16, 2026
- New Psychology-Philosophy Double MajorWednesday September 24, 2025
- The Practical Value of Studying PhilosophyFriday August 30, 2024
- Recent Research by Montclair Philosophy FacultyTuesday August 27, 2024
The Practical Value of Studying Philosophy
By studying philosophy, students develop powerful, 肠辞驳苍颈迟颈惫别听transferrable skills that pay off in a variety of professions鈥攖ransferable skills such as Logical Reasoning 鈥 Analysis 鈥 Abstract Conceptualization 鈥 Problem-Solving 鈥 Creative Thinking 鈥 Clear and Persuasive Writing 鈥 Mental Dexterity 鈥 An Ability to Assess Different Perspectives and Frameworks 鈥 Information Management.聽For more info see our Careers听辫补驳别.
2018 earnings data show that聽the national median salary of Philosophy graduates is now higher than nearly every other major in the social sciences, humanities, and higher than many other majors in the university鈥攈igher than Psychology, Criminology, Communication,聽Special Education,聽Early Childhood Education, Business Management, Political Science, History, English, and so on. (For one data source, see )
Which professions do philosophy graduates pursue? Technology 鈥 Business 鈥 Law 鈥 Publishing 鈥 Government 鈥 Advertising 鈥 Journalism 鈥 Teaching 鈥 Sales 鈥 Human Resources 鈥 Public Relations 鈥 Activism 鈥 Public Policy, etc., etc.
The philosophy major is also exceptional training for many post-graduate paths, such as law school.聽Philosophy majors perform extremely well on a variety of entrance tests for post-graduate and professional study. See “Graduate Study” at the bottom of the聽Careers听辫补驳别.
(Amanda Vargas, pictured, is a Montclair Philosophy graduate; she is a healthy-food restauranteur, Founder and CEO of Fettle + Fare, and a TEDx speaker.)
Philosophy Club
The Philosophy Club鈥攔un by philosophy majors鈥攊s a place of passion and curiosity, where students are welcome to explore a variety of topics in a fun, relaxed, and collaborative way. Come by and get a feel for our community. It will leave you with a new perspective on life. The club meets every Thursday, at 1:30PM, Schmitt Hall, Room 242.The club has recently discussed topics such as love, authenticity, Reddit, money, the Marvel universe, the self, art, knowledge, truth, and the question鈥”What is a sandwich?”
Philosophy for Lunch
Philosophy for Lunch is a weekly event where students, professors, and other philosophy enthusiasts close-read and discuss a few great passages of philosophy.聽Everyone is welcome!聽No preparation or previous knowledge of philosophy is needed. Recent sessions have focused on free speech, the gun debate, Aristotle on friendship, thought experiments,聽Foucault鈥檚 Panopticon, and so on.
When? 12:00鈥1:00PM, Thursdays 鈥⒙Where? Cohen Lounge in Dickson Hall (Room 178)
The Philosophy Major and Minor
Our philosophy Major and Minor are flexible programs that enable students to take advantage of the interesting, shifting we offer every semester. The philosophy major is 12 courses. The philosophy minor is 6 courses. Almost all of the courses students take in these programs are taught by full-time professors. One of the benefits of the size of our small department is that students get to know their professors as well as their fellow majors and minors. Almost all of our 200-level and 300-level philosophy courses are small seminars, with an average of 15鈥19 students.
(Madison Gamba, pictured, is a Montclair Philosophy graduate; she recently earned an M.A. in Philosophy at the New School for Social Research, NYC.)
Our Philosophy Faculty
The philosophy faculty are dedicated teachers and productive scholars with expertise in many areas of philosophy, such as the philosophy of science, the philosophy of mind, feminist philosophy, phenomenology, political philosophy, philosophy of technology, philosophy of art, and the history of philosophy. We take an active interest in our students鈥 academic careers.
Our Philosophy Courses
Every semester we offer an interesting selection of courses. In recent semesters we have offered courses such as Philosophy of Technology; Social and Political Philosophy; Philosophy of Biology; Theories of Action; Philosophy in Science Fiction; Philosophy of Mind; Philosophy of Race; Philosophy of Happiness; and Knowledge, Belief, and Truth. See the .
Donate to Montclair Philosophy
The Philosophy Department is committed to supporting students and providing quality lectures and events for both the campus and community, such as Philosophy for Lunch and Philosophy Talks. Your gift to the Philosophy Department will help support events and scholarships sponsored by the department.
To give online, check 鈥渙ther鈥 as the designation and specify 鈥淧hilosophy Department.鈥