Philosophy grows in popularity

By Umaymah Rashid
The Collegian

Between the years 2000-2004 the number of students majoring in philosophy at Fresno State has nearly doubled, according to the California State University, Fresno Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning Student Data Book.

According to the Student Data Book, the number of students majoring in philosophy has steadily increased from 53 in the year 2000 to 90 student in the current academic year.

Karen Bell, a philosophy professor at Fresno State since 1987 said the department has seen tremendous growth and success over the past 20 years.

Some of the growth can be attributed to the addition of the pre-law option in 1989 and the outreach that followed.

“The university outreach to high schools and community colleges has really been augmented,” Bell said. “They are very, very active, so students come to us knowing about our program.”

The Department of Philosophy at Fresno State also ranks higher than the national average of 3

philosophy majors per 1,000 students with an average of 4.75 philosophy majors per 1,000 students.

Bell said the courses in the pre-law option appeal to students who are interested in philosophy and see law as a theoretical institution designed for justice. This is the focus of many of the courses offered, as opposed to corrective or legislative law.

She added that 100 percent of the students who have taken the pre-law option and applied to law school have been accepted.

“We are very proud of that and we work really hard for that,” Bell said. “We let our students know from the minute they come to us telling us why they love philosophy that we are behind them.”

Students agree the department has some good things to offer.

“I thought logic and reasoning would be good for my career in law,” Leanna Richardson, philosophy major, pre-law option, said.

Other students who are taking philosophy as a requirement also see value in the course.

“The point of the class is to enlighten you on different perspectives and philosophies and how to look at morals,” Steven Belcher, a mechanical engineering major said.

Barbara La Bossier, a philosophy professor, has also been instrumental in the growth of the department.

La Bossier previously taught for the Princeton Review Foundation at Florida A&M, University and helped to institute the inaugural chapter of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity at Fresno State.

She also created a GMAT preparation course through extended education that is available at a third of the price of a regular GMAT course.

The department offers a religious studies option, and Bell created a course designed specifically for students wanting to become elementary teachers.

Bell said the ideas of what is real, what is good, what is beautiful and what we can know are what makes philosophy appealing. She said this has encouraged the department to grow.

“Philosophy is called the perennial study because you will never finish studying a philosophy problem,” Bell said. “Philosophy problems are not the kind that you can settle in the legislature, or answer in the laboratory they are all those questions that are left over that science can’t answer for sure or we can’t legislate an answer to. There’s always more.”

Comment on this story in the News forum >>