3:30 CN 303A
05/01/2025
Risky Action and Moral Absolutes
Philosophy at MSU Denver
“Have the courage to use your own understanding.” -Immanuel Kant
Philosophy begins in wonder. What am I? How can I know things? What is the best life for a human being? What is justice? What is truth? Philosophy is the attempt to understand and answer questions such as these in a rigorous, critical and open-ended manner. No belief is left unquestioned. No prejudice respected. No authority bowed to. Philosophy is unlike other disciplines. It is not learning what others have discovered. It is discovering how to learn, in a genuine and personal way, to use one’s own mind to think about oneself, the world and the relation between the two. Learn more about the mission and goals of the Department of Philosophy at MSU Denver.
Fall 2025!
Philosophy Core
PHI 2440 001 Symbolic Logic 50307 TR 11:00-12:15 Hyflex^ (Dr. Sean Morris, Area 1)
PHI 3000 001 History of Ancient Philosophy 52041 MW 3:30-4:45(Dr. Vijay Mascarenhas, Area 2)
PHI 3000 002 History of Ancient Philosophy 52905 Online (Dr. David Sullivan, Area 2)
PHI 3020 001 History of Modern Philosophy 52042 TR 2:00-3:15 (Dr. James Reid, Area 3)
PHI 3020 002 History of Modern Philosophy 52906 Online (Dr. Jeff Ogle, Area 3)
We are also offering upper division electives:
PHI 3040 53503 Algorithms, Rationality, and Belief MW 12:30-1:45 (Dr. Nate Lauffer, Area 3)
PHI 3120 53498 Philosophy of Language MW 2:00-3:15 (Dr. Vijay Mascarenhas, Area 3)
PHI 3170 53502 Early Modern Women Philosophers TR 9:30-10:45 (Dr. Liz Goodnick, Area 5)
PHI 3350 53500 Ethical Theories MW 11:00-12:15 (Dr. Brian Hutchinson, Area 4)
PHI 3360 Business Ethics (Bill VanDusen and Dr. Thomas Schulte, Area 4)
PHI 3370 Computers, Ethics, and Society (Dr. Sean Morris, and Dr. Tony Giambusso, Area 4) Multiple Sections
PHI 3390 Aesthetics 53501 Online (Dr. David Sullivan, Area 4)
RLG 361A 54082 Love, Death, and Immortality in Ancient and Medieval Thought TR 11:00-12:15 (Dr. Caleb Cohoe, Area 5)
PHI 370F 53445 The Films of David Lynch TR 12:30-1:45 (Dr. James Reid, Area 4)
PHI 4100 Senior Seminar (Dr. Brian Hutchinson paired with PHI 3350 Ethical Theories) MW 11:00-12:15 *
PHI 4100 Senior Seminar (Dr. Liz Goodnick paired with PHI 3170 Early Modern Women Philosophers) TR 9:30-10:45*
^Hyflex: Instructional activities are facilitated through: A) In-person class meetings; B) asynchronous online instruction; and C) online instruction using live virtual meeting technology. Students have the flexibility to choose between in-person, asynchronous, and live virtual instruction throughout the course.
Meet our Advisors
We offer expert guidance on course selection, exploring general studies within philosophy, and advice on pursuing a philosophy major, minor, or a minor in religious studies.
Meet our Advisors
Career Options
What can I do with a philosophy degree? A lot. Philosophy may not prepare you for one specific career, but it is particularly good at preparing students for the variety of jobs and careers graduates are likely to have over a lifetime. Philosophy majors do better, professionally and financially, than, for example, business, biology, marketing and political-science majors (don’t believe us?). And if you are considering going on to graduate school, philosophy majors score higher than any other major on the GRE and are in the top ranks for the LSAT, GMAT and MCAT.
Already have a major? If you want to think more deeply, more critically, from different perspectives, about the things you learn in your major, the philosophy minor is for you. A philosophy minor (only 21 credits) is a great match for majors such as biology, physics, psychology, political science, sociology and anthropology. We also offer a minor in religious studies, in case you would like to critically examine the world’s various religious traditions.
Explore Philosophy Degrees
Bachelor of Arts
Minor
Minor
General Studies
Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry
The Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry (DPhi) aims to enrich Denver’s intellectual and cultural life via many avenues.
DphiDepartment of Philosophy
Contact Us
Need help finding a course? Need an override or advising?
Call Us: 303-615-0900Stop into the The Department of Philosophy in Central 303 or call 303-615-0900. Our Fall Hours are:
Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00
Phone: 303-615-0900
Location: Central 303
Mailing Address:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Department of Philosophy
P.O. Box 173362, Campus Box 49
Denver, CO 80217
Faculty & Staff
Meet our FacultyDepartment Highlights
Picture of Aaron Wells and Nathan Lauffer
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Nathan Lauffer and Dr. Aaron Wells to the Philosophy Department! Their arrival brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to our classrooms. We eagerly anticipate the fresh perspectives and enriching discussions that will emerge in the classroom as they interact with our student body. Welcome, Dr. Lauffer and Dr. Wells—we are thrilled to have you with us.
Giving to the Department of Philosophy
Your generous donations support MSU Denver students pursue their dreams.
Your tax-deductible donation will help the Department of Philosophy continue to provide a quality and competitive education for our students.
Burning candle on black table.
Donate to John Kennedy's Memorial Scholarship
John Kennedy, a longtime affiliate faculty member, passed away at the end of the Fall 2022 semester. He was known for his kindness and compassion towards colleagues and students and will be missed deeply.
John earned his Bachelor of Arts at MSU Denver, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in History. He went on to earn a Master of Arts in Philosophy at the University of Denver, focusing his studies on Continental Philosophy, especially Kant and Hegel.
John went on to study in Ireland and Iowa, as he put it in his own words. “Later I would have the privilege to read Philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, exploring the thought of George Berkeley with the noted scholar, E.J. Furlong. At the end of this brief excursion I spent a number of years at the University of Iowa as a student in the Graduate Department of Philosophy studying Kant and Ethical Theory with the guidance of Moltke Gram, the noted Kant scholar, as well as other members of their fine faculty.”
John was a valued colleague and friend and his loss has made a profound impact. In memorial of John, we are asking for donations to a scholarship in his honor. The John Kennedy Memorial Scholarship will help Philosophy students further their academic careers here at MSU Denver. You may donate by using this link.
3:00 PM
01/31/2025
"Christian Wolff and the Aplicability of Mathematics to Physics"