The study of philosophy helps students to think critically, to understand and enjoy the contributions of the Western philosophical tradition, and to make reasonable decisions relevant to the problems of contemporary life.

The department of philosophy at Lafayette College offers a broad range of courses emphasizing the techniques and concerns of the Anglo-American analytic tradition. These courses include inquiries into the nature of the world and the self (metaphysics and philosophy of mind), investigations of the nature and reliability of knowledge (epistemology and philosophy of science), examinations of formal and natural languages employed in reasoning and communication (logic and philosophy of language), studies of the nature of what is valuable and how persons ought to act and live (ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics), and consideration of the history of the Western philosophical tradition (ancient, modern, and contemporary philosophy).

All of the courses emphasize the precise use of language and the exercise of careful judgment and judicious evaluation in thinking. Students are encouraged to broaden their study with special topics courses. Individualized tutorials are available for selected students who wish to study a specific philosophical problem or philosopher in depth.