The Philosophy program at Muskingum University teaches students how to interpret and evaluate ideas and arguments about fundamental questions and issues. Philosophy, at Muskingum, challenges students to critically evaluate the basic assumptions governing personal life, social practices, and the dominant paradigms of knowledge in academic disciplines.   Philosophy develops the capacity to see the world from the perspective of other individuals and other cultures; it enhances one's ability to perceive relationships among the various fields of study; and it deepens one's sense of the meaning and varieties of human experience.

Students receive a basic grounding in the history of philosophy, as well as more focused contemporary applications, especially in theoretical and applied ethics. The department plays a vital role in promoting the liberal arts learning objective:  students demonstrate an ability to assess ethical and moral issues in society critically.

The philosophy program’s focus on the critical evaluation of moral values aligns it squarely with the core of the University’s mission, which states that the development of the whole persons requires critical thinking, ethical sensitivity and spiritual growth.