DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is the study of the most fundamental issues concerning

reality, knowledge, and value. Through the study of philosophy,
students build skills of critical reflection, careful reading and writing,
and creative thinking—skills that will be invaluable throughout their
lives as workers and citizens in a democratic society.

Philosophy graduate students tutor undergraduates

in the department’s common space.

Education STUDENTS (Autumn 2018)

The Department of Philosophy is a vital center for teaching and research in core areas 123 Undergraduate majors
of philosophy. The department prides itself on being inclusive and interdisciplinary, with
many faculty holding joint or adjunct appointments in other units of the university. We 55 Undergraduate minors
aim to make contributions all across the campus. 27 Graduate students

Our department encourages students to explore a wide range of foundational issues DEGREES AWARDED (July 2017 -June 2018)
concerning what to believe, what to value, and how to live meaningfully. We support our
students to develop mental tools to appreciate and evaluate significant historical and 74 Bachelor of Arts degrees
contemporary discussions of such issues, often as stepping stone to developing their 1 PhD degree
own views. More generally, we teach our students to think critically and communicate
effectively while cultivating skills needed for life-long careers. MAJOR STUDENT AWARDS (Since 2010)
The department offers Bachelor of Arts and Doctoral degrees in Philosophy, a Bachelor
2 President’s Medalists
of Arts degree through the History & Philosophy of Science Program, and a minor in
Philosophy. Special areas of strength—areas in which there are several philosophy faculty 1 Bonderman Travel Fellow
members doing active research—include philosophy of science, applied ethics, history 10 University of Washington Endowed
of philosophy, and feminist philosophy. Humanities Scholarships
The breadth of the field of philosophy is reflected in the department’s course offerings. 1 UW Excellence in Teaching Award
In addition to a full range of courses in the standard areas of philosophy and the history
of philosophy, the department also offers courses relating to philosophical aspects of
4 Graduate School Presidential Dissertation
Fellowships
law, religion, formal and empirical sciences (mathematics, logic and the physical, and social
sciences), public policy, the environment, bioethics, and global justice and human rights. 1 GO-MAP Dissertation Fellowship

With its breadth and concern with fundamental intellectual issues, philosophy is an 1 John C. Flanagan Humanities Dissertation
Fellowship
excellent second major for students in the other units of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Of the department’s 123 majors in the fall of 2018, 49 of them are double or triple majors. 1 Endeavour Research Fellowship (Australia)

The department is home to the Program on Ethics, dedicated to research, teaching, and 1 Humanities Without Walls Summer
dialogue on ethical issues that arise across the disciplines. The program is committed to Fellowship (Chicago)
facilitating the multidisciplinary collaboration that is essential to finding practical and
3 Andrew W. Mellon Fellowships
insightful responses to today’s myriad moral problems. The members of the core faculty
are currently working on a variety of issues, ranging from climate change to disability 3 Joff Hanauer Graduate Student
Fellowships
rights to global justice. The program’s undergraduate minor and graduate certificate aim
to provide students with the background and training that are necessary for thoughtful, 1 Soden-Trueblood Endowed Graduate
rigorous, and sensitive engagement with ethical issues. The Program on Ethics presents Publishing Fellowship
an annual public lecture focused on one of today’s most pressing ethics issues.
2 Digital Humanities Summer Institute
Fellowships

1 Institute for Ethnic Studies in the US

Publication Fellowship

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY • BOX 353350 • 361 SAVERY HALL • UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON • SEATTLE, WA 98195-3350
PHONE: (206) 543-5855 • FAX: (206) 685-8740 • WWW.PHIL.WASHINGTON.EDU
Faculty FACULTY (Autumn 2018)
Faculty awards, honors, and noteworthy accomplishments include: 6 Professors
1 Distinguished Teaching Award 4 Associate Professors
1 Outstanding Teaching Award, Key International Honor Society 3 Assistant Professors
1 Joff Hanauer Honors Professorship in Western Civilization
2 Lecturers
1 Ben Rabinowitz Professorship of Human Dimensions of the Environment
12 Emeritus Faculty
1 First Prize for Most Creative Idea, National Institute of Health Peer Review Challenge
2 National Science Foundation Grants 16 Affiliate and Adjunct faculty

1 Career Enhancement Fellowship from the Mellon Foundation and the Woodrow
Wilson Foundation ENDOWMENTS
1 Editor-in-Chief of Philosophy of Science Kenneth C. Clatterbaugh Endowed
1 Samuel and Althea Stroum Chair in Jewish Studies Scholarship in Philosophy
1 top 10 best philosophy paper, judged by The Philosopher’s Annual (2014) Michael Podlin Endowed Fund in
Philosophy
1 Commissioner on the King County Board of Ethics
1 Berger Prize for Best Essay in Philosophy of Law, American Philosophical Association Benjamin Rabinowitz Philosophy
Chair in Medical Ethics

Melvin Rader Endowed Fellowship

Scholarship
Pamela Marie Saari Endowed Fund
Department of Philosophy faculty members teach and conduct research in most of the in Philosophy
traditional areas of philosophy. In addition, many hold adjunct or joint appointments in
Nicholas Hase Endowed Fund in
other units on campus.
Philosophy
The wide variety of interests found among faculty members is reflected in their recently
published or upcoming books, which include Achieving Justice in Genomic Translation:
Rethinking the Pathway to Benefit; Comparative Metaethics: Neglected Perspectives on the FACULTY JOINT & ADJUNCT APPOINTMENTS
Foundations of Morality; Compassionate Moral Realism; Debating Climate Ethics; Which Rights Anthropology
Should Be Universal?; Geoengineering, Political Legitimacy and Justice; Human Rights and Human
Bioethics and Humanities
Well-Being; Justice & Foreign Policy; Justice, Migration, and Mercy; The Oxford Handbook of
Environmental Ethics; A Perfect Moral Storm: The Ethical Challenge of Climate Change; Routledge Center for Neural Technology
Philosophy Guidebook to Aristotle and the Politics; Social Equality: On What It Means to be
Center for Statistics and the Social
Equals; Spinoza’s Theological–Political Treaties: A Critical Guide; Sufficiency, Justice and Health: Sciences
What is Enough?; and Philosophy in Schools: An Introduction for Philosophers and Teachers.
Center for Studies in Demography
and Ecology
Outreach Classics
The UW Center for Philosophy for Children offers a class each quarter introducing UW stu- College of the Environment
dents to methods of doing philosophy with K-12 students. UW students facilitate philosophy
classes that explore a range of philosophical questions in Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Dance
Children’s Hospital and Childhaven. Disability Studies Program
Department faculty frequently provide commentary on public radio and local, national, eScience Institute
and international news sources, including The Conversation, on topics varying from current
Evans School of Public Affairs
events to social norms. Faculty have advised government officials on the local, national and
international level on ethical concerns. Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies

Each year the department sponsors conferences, workshops, and a colloquium series. Top- Germanics
ics include ethics and climate change, medical ethics, global justice, philosophy of physics, Global Health
immigration, and human rights.
History
The No Narrow Thing podcast, created and produced by one of our graduate students, is
a conversational podcast that brings a philosophical lens to everything from the downfall Honors Program
of democracy to whether Bigfoot exists. No Narrow Thing is supported by the department Physics
through the Melvin Rader Summer Stipend.
School of Medicine
The Department of Philosophy Advisory Board provides an opportunity for interested
Stroum Jewish Studies Program
people outside of academia to contribute to the department by assisting with community
and public relations, and supporting the department’s fund development efforts.

In addition to sending out quarterly newsletters, the Department maintains an active pres-
ence on Facebook, and LinkedIn. Connect with us today! last update: February 2019

DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY • BOX 353350 • 361 SAVERY HALL • UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON • SEATTLE, WA 98195-3350
PHONE: (206) 543-5855 • FAX: (206) 685-8740 • WWW.PHIL.WASHINGTON.EDU