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We are a lively community of philosophers with a broad range of scholarly interests.

We offer rigorous, competitive programs in traditional core areas of philosophy, as well as opportunities to explore sometimes-neglected subfields like feminist philosophy or aesthetics.

Our traditional strengths in logic and the philosophy of science remain central to the department, and they are now complemented by very strong programs in action theory, ethics and political philosophy, language, mind and epistemology, and the history of philosophy — especially ancient philosophy and Kant studies.

History of the Department         See Faculty Research Areas

Galileo statue

Engage Philosophy

Philosophy should be engaged and applied, addressing questions as they arise in the real world and within the practices of other disciplines. That tradition in Stanford Philosophy is reflected in our collaboration with a wide range of interdisciplinary programs.  Follow the links below to learn more. 

Undergraduate program overview

Graduate program overview

Upcoming Events

January
9
Date
Fri January 9th 2026, 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Location
Bldg 90-92Q
January
30
Date
Fri January 30th 2026 - Sun February 1st 2026, All day
Location
tba
February
27
Date
Fri February 27th 2026, 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Location
tbd

News

The Philosophy Department is delighted to announce the appointment of two esteemed professors as William H. Bonsall Visiting Professors in the Humanities – Elliott Sober and David Charles. They will join our faculty and teach 1-2 courses during the winter quarter.
June 10, 2025A Celebration of Life was held for Graciela and Michael at the Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center on June 10, 2025. Please enjoy a video recording of the event.
June 11, 2025"On Looking for—and Finding—Epistemology in the Aufbau. An Homage to Michael Friedman (1947-2025)"  Webinar delivered by Alan Richardson (University of British Columbia) on June 11, 2025.