Departmental Facilities

The Department of Philosophy has, in John Watson Hall, a seminar room and a lounge in which faculty and students can get together for informal discussion over coffee. Philosophy holdings in the Stauffer Library are excellent with respect to both books and periodicals.

A student-faculty ratio of approximately 2 to 1 provides not only for small formal seminars but encourages informal contact between students and faculty. The Department also maintains a weekly Colloquium in which graduate students, faculty, and visiting scholars present papers for discussion.

Financial Assistance

The Department provides remuneration to selected students in the form of Queen's Graduate Awards and teaching assistantships.

Concentration and Research

The Department offers concentrations in most major areas of philosophy. More details on this and other matters may be found in the Handbook for Graduate Students in Philosophy, issued annually by the Department.

Admission requirements, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Applicants for the Ph.D. degree are accepted under the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies provided that they also meet departmental admission requirements. Normally, an applicant with less than a first-class standing in a Master's program in philosophy (80 percent average) is not accepted for admission.

Admission requirements,  Master of Arts (M.A.)

Applicants for the degree of Master of Arts are accepted under the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies provided that they also satisfy the admission standards of the Department. Those whose average grade in philosophy is lower than A-minus (80 percent) have little chance of admission.

For those entering the program with an Honours B.A. in Philosophy (or equivalent) the Master's program normally requires one calendar year (three terms) of full-time study. A student whose preparation in philosophy is inadequate for acceptance into the regular one-year program may be accepted as a preparatory student if any previous work in philosophy is deemed sufficiently good.

Note: No student admitted to a Master of Arts program in philosophy should assume any commitment on the part of the Department of Philosophy to acceptance into its doctoral program.

Faculty

Head
Kumar, R.

Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Knight, D.

Professor
Bakhurst, D.J.¹, Fairfield, P., M., Kumar, R.⁴, Kymlicka, W.², Lehoux, D, , Miller, J., Mozersky, J., Schüklenk, U.³, Sismondo, S., Smith, M. (Mick)⁴, Sypnowich, C.A.⁴

Associate Professor
Gordon-Solmon, K., Knight, D.⁴, Mercier, A.^4, Paul, E.

Assistant Professor
Guenther, L., Krishnamurthy, M., Manning, D., Ruwe, D., Stinson, C.

Professor Emeritus
Bickenbach, J.E., Fell, A.P., Laycock, H., Leighton, S.R., Macleod, A.M., Overall, C.D., Prado, C.G.

Adjunct Faculty Professor
Davies, J.M., Salay, N., Smith, M. (Mark)

Cross-Appointed
Cline, C., Farrelly, C., Green, L., Lister, A., Moore, M. Murty, R., Pratt, M., Thomas, J., Webber, G.

¹

Charlton Professor.

²

Queen's National Scholar.

³

Canada Research Chair.

⁴

Ontario Research Chair.

Programs

The graduate courses offered, and the content of those courses, vary from year to year according to interests of members of the Department and students. A list of the expected offerings and detailed course descriptions is available at the department website at https://www.queensu.ca/philosophy/graduate/graduate courses

PHIL 802 Moral Philosophy I     
This course focuses on an examination of major issues in moral philosophy. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 803 Moral Philosophy II
This course focuses on an examination of issues and trends in moral philosophy. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Winter. K. Gordon-Solmon

PHIL 805  Social and Political Philosophy I  
An in depth exploration of topics across the spectrum of social and political issues. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Fall. W. Kymlicka   

PHIL 806 Social and Political Philosophy II   
Fall. M. Krishnamurthy

PHIL 807 Social and Political Philosophy III
An in depth exploration of topics across the spectrum of social and political issues. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 808 Philosophy of Law     
Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 809 Colloquium in Political, Legal and Moral Philosophy     
A colloquium course focused on exploring new work in political, legal, and moral philosophy. Fall. J. Thomas and G. Webber

PHIL 810 Topics in the History of Philosophy 
An in depth of examination of a central figure or topic in the history of Philosophy. Particular topic in any year will be determined by the instructor.
Winter. R. Murty – History of Philosophy
Winter J. Collins – Topics and Methods in the History of Political Thought 

PHIL 812 Philosophy of Culture
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to examining philosophy as it exists with culture. Winter. D. Manning

PHIL 820  Ethical Issues I
This course is focused on discussing questions of ethics from a philosophical lens. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Winter. U. Schuklenk 

PHIL 821  Ethical Issues II
This course is focused on discussing questions of ethics from a philosophical lens. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Winter. L. Guenther 

PHIL 831 Ancient Philosophy I     
This course is focused on exploring philosophical figures and topics in the Ancient World. Particular topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Winter. S. Leighton.

PHIL 832 Ancient Philosophy II
Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 835 Modern Philosophy
Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 836 19th Century Philosophy
Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 841 20th Century Philosophy I 
An exploration of topics and figures in philosophy focused on the 20^th century.
Fall. J. Mozersky – Origin and History of Analytic Philosophy
Fall.  L. Guenther – Critical Phenomenology
 

PHIL 842 Creativity
This seminar will be concerned with questions such as these: What is creativity? ls there a general structure to the creative process? In what sense, if any, does creativity involve freedom? Could a computer program be creative? What role, if any, does creativity play in living well, or in moral thought or action? Is there any truth to the popular idea that mental illness is linked to creative genius? Can creativity be measured? Can it be explained? Can it be learned? Can it be taught? Readings will be drawn from philosophy as well as cognitive science.  Not offered 2023-24.
EXCLUSION: PHIL 442

PHIL 844 Philosophy in the Community
A unique experiential course involving a volunteer internship in such fields as rehabilitation healthcare, local government, prisoners' advocacy, LGBTQ cultural activities, immigrant support, animal rescue, or speech therapy. The course also involves class meetings, regular reports, and a final research essay. 

PHIL 845  Major Figures I
An in depth of examination of a central figure in the history of Philosophy. Particular topic in any year will be determined by the instructor.
Fall. P. Fairfield – Gabriel Marcel
Winter. J. Miller – Ancient Stoicism

PHIL 846 Major Figures II
Fall. E. Paul – Rene Descartes

PHIL 847 Major Figures III
Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 850 Epistemology I   
 Not offered 2023-24.

PHIL 851 Epistemology II
Winter. S. Sismondo

PHIL 852 Metaphysics I
An exploration of topics and questions in metaphysics. Particular topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Winter. H. Laycock

PHIL 854  Feminist Philosophy   
Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 859 Philosophy of Language I
An investigation of the philosophy of language. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 860 Philosophy of Language II
Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 863  Metaphysics II
Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 864 Philosophy of Mind
Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 866 Philosophy of Art
An exploration of the philosophy of art and aesthetics. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Fall. D. Knight 

PHIL 867 Hermeneutics   
Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 870 Philosophy of Science     
An in depth exploration of issues in the philosophy of science and technology. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Winter. C. Stinson 

PHIL 871 Philosophy of Medicine
Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 873  Philosophical Logic     
An examination of issues within the philosophy of logic. Particular topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. 

PHIL 893 Ethics and the Environment     
An exploration of philosophical issues and questions concerning the environment. Specific topic in any year will be determined by the instructor. Winter. M. (Mick) Smith 

PHIL 897 Ethics and Animals
Not offered 2023-24. 

PHIL 898 Master's Research Project     

PHIL 899 Master's Thesis Research     

PHIL 989 Clinical Practicum in Biomedical Ethics
An in-depth study of clinical ethics and bioethics applied to healthcare setting. Winter. D. Campbell.   

PHIL 990 Philosophical Methods 

PHIL 991-995 Special Directed Studies

PHIL 999  Ph.D. Thesis Research