Department Homepage
The College of Arts & Sciences
Cornell's philosophy department is home to a distinguished tradition of philosophical research and teaching. Students at every level and in every area of intellectual endeavor find opportunity to engage with great philosophical ideas and problems and develop the critical thinking and analytical skills necessary for advancing our understanding of them.
The study of philosophy provides students with an opportunity to become familiar with some of the ideas and texts in the history of thought while developing analytical skills that are valuable in practical as well as academic affairs. It affords the excitement and satisfaction that come from understanding and working toward solutions of intellectual problems.
The Sage School's graduate program leads to the Ph.D. in philosophy. Its distinguishing characteristics are small classes and a collegial atmosphere in which vibrant philosophical exchange among graduate students, faculty and visiting philosophers is the norm. Graduate students receive individual attention to their work from faculty members. And the intellectual community among graduate students is stimulating and supportive.
For Steinberg, the relevance of history extends beyond academia. He is heartened by the increasing number of philosophers engaging in public philosophy, especially in relation to contemporary issues like social media and AI.
Read more
I'm interested in understanding norms. There are moral norms that tell us how to conduct ourselves in relation to others, there are epistemic norms for how we should orient our beliefs in relation to the world [...] and then there are legal norms that tell us, for example, that no one should be depr...
Read more
"Is Fat Female? Evolution, Feminism, and Getting the Story Right” takes place in person March 5; a virtual conversation between the two will be livestreamed March 6.
Read more
Wednesday's executive order prohibiting transgender women and girls from competing in female sports discriminates not only against transgender people, but also against women, says philosophy professor Kate Manne.
Read more
The darker-than-darkly humorous comments and the horrified responses to them are compatible forms of righteous blame, says David Shoemaker, a professor in ethics and public life.
Read more
Philosopher David Shoemaker examines the complicated nature of both modes of response, teasing out their many varieties while defending a general symmetry between them.
Read more
The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election aren’t due to a simple dislike or distrust of women, but a reflection of America’s violent indifference to women.
Read more
Following former President Trump’s campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Cornell experts comment on the event's speeches and on Democrats' responses.
Read more