Philosophy means "love of wisdom." Philosophy is the activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to each other. Those who study philosophy engage with life's most basic questions and apply the answers to real-world problems. For example, philosophers consider what we mean when we say that we "know" something, and different answers have implications for scientific research, psychology, and education. Philosophers debate how to define morality, and their definitions have implications for ethical dilemmas that arise in public policy-making, medicine, business, and so on.

Philosophy draws on material from all areas of human endeavor – science, the arts, religion, and politics. The study of philosophy develops a student's powers of analysis, expression, and imagination. It has been said that philosophy majors appear to do remarkably well in the "real world" because employers in such fields as computers and criminal justice value the skills the students bring to the job. Philosophy majors can be especially successful in gaining admittance to law school, medical school, and graduate programs.