The Rev. Dr. James C. Pace C' 76
I majored in philosophy in the days when Dr. Hugh Caldwell was program chair, assisted by Drs. William Garland and Steve Brown. I was an honors grad and successfully defended a paper concerning early church fathers and the role of philosophy. I can truly say that a liberal arts degree with a major in philosophy has helped me in so many ways since my graduation in 1976. To begin with, a concentration in philosophy opens the mind to myriads of possibilities: cosmology, logic, ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, to name a few. I touched on all of these topics again and again as I entered graduate education in both ministry and the discipline of nursing at the doctoral level---my undergraduate degree equipped me with the necessary prerequisite knowledge. So many of my counterparts did not have this wonderful background. As an Episcopal Priest, the study of philosophy opened my mind to religion, religious thinking of many types, the realm of the spiritual, and how differently they can be conceived and entered into in terms of world views. As a nurse faculty member at Emory University, the degree has sharpened my ability to think logically, consistently, ethically, and (if I may say so) a bit more graciously. It has lent itself to my writing skills which include professional publications, correspondence, the preparation of sermons, and church newsletter materials. I also find the degree of essential in terms of coffee-table discussions and idle chit chat in a variety of settings. I shall never regret it and give thanks for it. I strongly recommend such preparation for a student who knows he or she is going to enter into a graduate program that demands a strong liberal arts background.
