Selected Faculty Work
Professor Mark Johnson and his coauthor, George Lakoff, published Philosophy in the Flesh, a book that investigates changes in our conception of philosophy that result from taking the way meaning, concepts, thought, and language are tied to bodily experience. Johnson has taught courses on the philosophy of language and cognitive science, the philosophy of art, Kant, and moral philosophy.
Associate Professor John Lysaker has just finished a book that recounts some of the ways in which poetry affects the way we live our lives. Lysaker has taught courses in nineteenth- and twentieth-century philosophies, the philosophy of art, social and political philosophy, metaphysics, and philosophical psychology.
Associate Professor and Department Head Scott Pratt is the editor of two anthologies on American philosophy. He has just completed a book on the early history of philosophy in America and the intersections between Native American, European American, and American feminist thought.
Professor Naomi Zack’s most recent book is an analysis of biological ideas of race. She is at work on a book titled Inclusive Feminism: A New Theory for the Third Wave. She teaches courses on existentialism, contemporary ethics, philosophy of science, and philosophy of mind.
Internship Opportunities
Philosophy majors can participate in university internship programs in the same way as psychology or economics majors can. Such students have the opportunity to combine their classroom studies with work experience even before they graduate.
The UO Career Center offers students a host of internship possibilities. Angela Valinoti is completing an internship at Looking Glass Youth & Family Services, a homeless shelter in Eugene. She counsels troubled teens and earns academic credit at the same time. “Most philosophy students don’t do internships,” she says. “They go on to graduate school. But I wanted to do things a little differently, and my teachers totally catered to my needs. Although the department doesn’t have a work-study program, they found a way to make it work.”
Career Opportunities
Philosophy students learn to think about problems from a variety of perspectives and to communicate effectively. “In the long run,” Pratt explains, “philosophy students typically do well both in postbaccalaureate study and in careers because they tend to be flexible and creative thinkers.”
The study of philosophy provides excellent preparation for a broad range of careers that require critical intelligence as well as oral and written communication skills.