Philosophy at BU - Bishop's University

The Bishop’s Philosophy Department is a close community that has a great deal to offer. Small class sizes mean that your teachers get to know you personally. You’ll take a variety of courses and study a broad spectrum of the great thinkers while being encouraged to pursue academic interests outside the Department.

It is common for Bishop’s students to take a minor or second major in a different field, ranging from fine arts to business, filling our philosophy classes with many new perspectives. You’ll also have the chance to attend conferences, both at Bishop’s and occasionally on class trips, to hear papers or even give one yourself.

Academic programs at Bishop’s encourage you to pursue your own passions, and the Philosophy Department is no exception. If there’s a book or issue you’re crazy about but no course is offered, you can write an independent study with a supervisor. In more than a few cases, these kinds of studies have led to Honours Thesis projects and even graduate work.

Social Life

In past years, the Department held potluck dinners before the presentations by our guest speakers, made a big appearance at the BUHF Brew with the Humanities Crew at the Lion, and closed things off with a great end-of-year BBQ, attended by our favourite teachers. We’ve also brought back Thursday nights at the Lion, a tradition from a few years ago, as well as the long-running wings night Wednesdays with folks from many other departments. There’s no shortage of ways to have fun with your fellow students and teachers.

Here are just some of the events organized in the philosophy department in recent years:

Students and teacher pub night get-togethers
Dinners where students can enjoy a good meal and thoughtful company
Support groups that encourage each other’s writing on major projects
An ongoing community reading group studying the dialogues of Plato
Wine and cheese receptions
Special guest speakers on a variety of topics

In addition, Philosophy at Bishop’s is one of the faculties belonging to BUHF (Bishop’s University Humanities Federation), a council which organizes trips and events for the community of humanities students. You are part of a vibrant social network that perfectly complements philosophical reflection.

Guest Speakers

Bishop’s is part of a wider network of scholarship. In recent years, the Philosophy Department has hosted many guest speakers, students and professors from other schools (including some who are graduates of Bishop’s) who present their work. This might be a good place for the picture of Bruce interviewing Charles Taylor.

Conferences

Here are some of the conferences we have hosted in recent years:

Transcendence and Ethics: A One Day Workshop on Emmanuel Levinas, 2021
Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy – Annual Meeting, 2019
The Philosophy of Martin Heidegger, 2018
Symposium on Nietzsche’s Social and Political Thought, 2017
The Problem of Evil in Modern European Philosophy, 2017
Nietzsche Speakers Series, Fall-Winter, 2015-16
Hegel on the Romantic Arts, 2015