The Philosophy Department's primary learning goals are: (1) familiarizing students with the metaphysical, epistemological, psychological and ethical issues which have engaged human beings for centuries by reading both classical and contemporary philosophical texts, and (2) providing students with the critical and analytical thinking skills that are necessary for assessing arguments and that will allow students to clearly articulate (either in oral or written form) arguments in defense of their own views. Acquisition of these skills will allow students not only to engage creatively with ongoing discussion of philosophical questions but also to evaluate the goodness of arguments from any discipline (the sciences, economics, public health, medical sciences, technology, and so on).