Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

There is a widespread view of philosophy in which philosophical study is viewed as purely theoretical, as purely speculative, and as having no practical relevance. “The Thinker,” a figure deep in thought and apparently doing nothing, best represents this image. Millikin contends that this view is a serious mischaracterization of philosophical study. Philosophical study is not a form of purely detached speculation and contemplation. Rather, philosophical study is a kind of activity, a kind of doing. It is practical in what is believed to be the most important senses, the senses that lie at the heart of Millikin’s mission. Serious philosophical study is a rigorous activity that facilitates the development and growth of skill sets that are essential to any occupation or vocation, to any effort to engage in democratic citizenship, and to any attempt to develop a life of meaning and value.