Aaron Zimmerman, an associate professor in UCSB’s Philosophy Department, describes the diversity of opportunities and the creative potential within philosophy.

The Department of Philosophy explores the frontiers of today’s philosophical research as well as the history of philosophy, spanning thousands of years. We address fundamental questions that engage all reflective people yet remain unanswered by the empirical sciences: ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, logic, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language.

Undergraduates receive training in analytical thinking and the disciplined, rigorous arguments that characterize serious philosophical reflection -- an excellent preparation for careers in law, medicine, public policy, public administration, management, advocacy, finance, and computer science, as well as for graduate work in various humanistic and social scientific fields.

Students have the opportunity to study where the great philosophers lived and taught: Confucius and Lao-tsu in China; Nietzsche, Leibniz, Kant, and Hegel in Germany; Spinoza in the Netherlands; Descartes in France; or Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Wittgenstein in Britain. 

For more on the nature of Philosophy and careers for those with a Philosophy degree, please see the Why Philosophy page.

Why I Chose Philosophy at UCSB

NBC News’ Katy Tur reveals what drew her to UCSB – it wasn’t just the waterfront living – and how studying philosophy shaped her career today.

Featured
A New Generation Discovers Philosophy
A New Generation Discovers Philosophy

UC Santa Barbara's Philosophy Department boasts the fastest growing Humanities major among undergraduates. Along with three recent faculty hires, new courses such as the Philosophy of Economics have been added to the curriculum and there are plans to keep expanding. In this video by HFA intern Calvin Bruhns, faculty and students describe how Philosophy has become a go-to major to prepare for post-graduate work and professional schools.

AI Meets Ethics in a Human Simulation Project
AI Meets Ethics in a Human Simulation Project

Norwegian theologian LeRon Shults visited UCSB to share his work on Human Simulation, an interdisciplinary research project that combines the expertise of humanists and scientists to study the past and predict the future.

The Ethics Bowl: An Inside Glimpse
The Ethics Bowl: An Inside Glimpse

Writng student Beth Guluk Isensee offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Philosophy Department’s Ethics Bowl team, in which her roommate Natalie McCosker personifies the team’s motivation and dedication and they train for regional and national competitions.

A Philosophy Student Heads into the Aerospace Industry
A Philosophy Student Heads into the Aerospace Industry

During the fall of 2018, Kindra Ontiveros was offered a program management position. Shortly after her start, the government awarded her department a million-dollar contract for an aerospace research project. Ontiveros is now the lead financial advisor for the project.

In a recent interview she spoke about how she has been cultivating her confidence at work in the aerospace industry and the path she took to get there.

The Social Origins of the Minimum Wage
The Social Origins of the Minimum Wage

In her years researching the social origins of the minimum wage in the Western world, historian, author, and professor at SUNY at Binghamton Kathryn Kish Sklar discovered that American labor pioneer Florence Kelley’s efforts in the late 19th century to protect women and children in factories led to the minimum wage in America. Sklar shared these findings in a recent UC Santa Barbara lecture hosted by the Center for the Study of Work, Labor, and Democracy and the History Department.

A Community Soundtrack: How Radio Affects Life at UCSB
A Community Soundtrack: How Radio Affects Life at UCSB

Alex Meinhof is a second-year student majoring in philosophy at UC Santa Barbara.  He is involved in the music scene on campus and works at UCSB’s radio station, KCSB-FM, which serves as both a means of entertainment of place of community for students. Meinhof recently spoke to HFA about his experience in this interview.

The Philosopher in the Mirror
The Philosopher in the Mirror

It’s not an everyday occurrence that we look for hints of high philosophy in our mundane, everyday lives. Felipe Silveira seeks to change that headspace, zooming into the single, seemingly trivial moment of brushing one’s teeth to highlight the ways in which philosophy intersects with and influences our lives.

Focus on Faculty: Arts and Humanities Scholars Speak Out
Focus on Faculty: Arts and Humanities Scholars Speak Out

In a series of video interviews, Humanities and Fine Arts professors share thoughts on the merits of their fields and their most rewarding experiences as teachers and researchers.