Chair, Associate Professor Philosophy
Russell Marcus
Russell Marcus teaches logic and modern philosophy, as well as philosophy of language and philosophy of mathematics, his main area of research.
Philosophy
Philosophy is a practice at Hamilton, where your professors will encourage you to be engaged and to apply your training beyond the classroom. For instance, philosophy majors have developed and taught philosophy mini-classes to their peers and to local high school students. You’ll think creatively about what philosophy is and how it may (or may not) demand practical action.
About the Major
Most of the courses require students to give presentations or participate in discussions or debates, and in some courses, they take oral exams. The small, introductory classes require students to read primary sources rather than predigested material in textbooks. To encourage students to learn to read philosophical texts early, concentrators are required to take three courses in the history of philosophy — from the ancient through the contemporary.
I always took classes I was interested in or thought might potentially interest me, while at the same time trying to ensure that I was getting a well-rounded education that wasn't limited to just one subject. I never viewed it as ‘I need this course if I want to follow this career path.’ I think that's the real value of a liberal arts education – you can be an art history major, then go into law, or a biology major who goes into advertising.
Sean Sullivan — philosophy major
The department hires up-and-coming new scholars as postdoctoral fellows, allowing students to benefit from the latest philosophical research and trends in the country’s best graduate schools. Visiting scholars, speakers and conferences bring some of the most prominent names in philosophy to campus and into philosophy classes.
Careers After Hamilton
- Writer, Simon & Schuster
- Psychiatrist, SW Connecticut Mental Health
- Director & Counsel, Credit Suisse Securities
- U.S. Ambassador, Federal Republic of Germany
- Professor of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University
- Senior Scientist, GE Global Research
- Director, U.S. Department of Transportation
- Vice President, Goldman Sachs
- Principal Law Clerk, New York State Supreme Court
- Lieutenant, U.S. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Meet Our Faculty
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Justin Clark
Justin Clark researches ancient theories of virtue and various problems in moral psychology.
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Katheryn Doran
Katheryn Doran's interests include American philosophy, contemporary Anglo-American philosophy, and environmental ethics.
Professor of Philosophy and Africana Studies
A. Todd Franklin
Todd Franklin focuses on transformations of consciousness.
the John Stewart Kennedy Professor of Philosophy
Marianne Janack
Marianne Janack wrote What We Mean By Experience, published by Stanford University Press.
Visiting Assistant Professor in Philosophy
Alessandro Ramón Moscarítolo Palacio
Alessandro Palacio is also exploring new ways to bring philosophy to bear on social justice concerns.
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Alexandra Plakias
Alexandra Plakias’ research focuses on issues in moral psychology, such as the role of evolution and culture in our moral values.
Lecturer in Philosophy
Christopher Bousquet ’16
Chris Bousquet’s ’16 research focuses on social and political philosophy, philosophy of law, and their intersections with philosophy of language.
Lecturer in Philosophy
Will Kidder
His research focuses on the ability to empathetically engage with those whose moral views differ from our own.
Professor of Philosophy Emeritus (retired)
Richard Werner
Richard Werner’s research interests center on issues relating to applied philosophy.
A Sampling of Courses
Existentialism 115
An introduction to various theories and expressions of 19th and 20th century existential thought. Readings include Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Camus, Heidegger, Sartre, Wright, and de Beauvoir. Writing-intensive. Oral Presentations. Proseminar.
View All CoursesThe Black Self: Identity and Consciousness 242S
A philosophical exploration of a variety of historical and contemporary works that illuminate and influence the phenomenological experience of being Black. Writing-intensive.
View All CoursesPhilosophy of Science 310
Focus on the philosophical analysis of scientific knowledge, scientific method and the practice of science. Readings include classic texts in the philosophy of science as well as contemporary discussions of science as a social product and critiques of the notion of scientific objectivity. Taught in alternating years. Writing-intensive.
View All CoursesEvolution and Morality 452
It makes sense to see morality as adaptive, yet from an evolutionary perspective it’s puzzling that we follow and enforce moral standards even when it is costly for us to do so. This course will critically examine different sorts of evolutionary accounts of morality (e.g. group selection, cultural evolution), with methodological issues in mind.
View All CoursesToday and Tomorrow
Research and Discovery
Exploring the Morality of Cultural Appropriation
Read The Story
