A faculty of fourteen plus three affiliated faculty and a graduate student enrollment of about thirty-five permits almost all courses to be small seminars of four to twelve students and also permits the possibility of arranging individual courses of supervised reading and research on topics and problems not covered in seminars. In addition, a great deal of informal faculty-student contact and discussion takes place outside the classroom, notably in the department lounge. The department is especially strong in the major Western philosophers, particularly Plato, Aristotle, the major Rationalists and Empiricists, Kant, and Wittgenstein; ethics, both classical and contemporary; legal and political philosophy; the philosophy of mind; contemporary epistemology and metaphysics; the philosophy of language and philosophical logic; and the philosophy of science. We are not strong in Continental philosophy, hermeneutics, post-modern philosophy, or Eastern philosophy; students for whom any of these is a primary interest may be better served elsewhere.
The Balz Philosophy Library is a small departmental library housing a collection of the most important philosophical books, journals, and research materials. It is intended as a quiet place for study and is used almost exclusively by graduate philosophy students. The library is run by graduate student librarians. Materials for graduate seminars, such as reserve readings of copies of seminar papers, are normally left on designated shelves in the library for the convenience of seminar members.
The Philosophy Club, composed of faculty and graduate students, arranges a series of guest lectures by prominent philosophers each year and organizes social occasions among students and faculty.
In addition to the Philosophy Club lectures, the department organizes a series of more informal talks each semester (and during the summer session as well) under the rubric of the Philosophy Colloquium. Talks are given by students and faculty from the department as well as by faculty from neighboring universities. Any member of the department wishing to present a paper for discussion may arrange to do so by contacting the Colloquium Director. Students working on theses or dissertations or preparing articles for publication are especially encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to present some portion of their work.
The Department also holds an annual weekend retreat to the University-owned Blandy Farm, near Winchester, Virginia. Lodging and meals at the farm are available at no expense to students. The retreat features the presentation of papers by students and faculty, communal meals, sports and relaxation in a peaceful, pastoral setting.
In addition to a number of computer resources and laboratories around Grounds the Department maintains its own computer lab for graduate students. This lab contains PCs and one Apple computer as well as a laser printer, and has an Ethernet hookup to the University-wide network and to the Internet. Also, the department falls within the range of the University wireless network coverage area.