Philosophy, Art & Critical Thought

The Division of Philosophy, Art & Critical Thought (PACT) brings together renowned philosophers, critical theorists, artists, and practitioners, offering seminars for students seeking a unique intellectual experience and degrees that can serve work in higher education, the arts, the media, or other cultural sectors. The Division pursues advanced inquiry of a cross-disciplinary character that traverses each of the fields indicated in its title, examining the foundations and significance of decisive currents in modern thought and artistic practice. As many of its faculty are leaders in their fields, this inquiry is defining for contemporary thought. Teaching in PACT is research-led in the very strongest sense, and it is undertaken at the highest levels. It also strives for an open, public character for the fact that it is addressed not only to specialists in any given field, but, more broadly, to those seeking creative and searching approaches to the fundamental questions facing contemporary society. There are two PACT programs of study: Philosophy, Art, and Social Thought (PAS), and Literary, Musical, and Visual Thought (LMVT). The PAS program reflects a strong inclination on the part of many PACT faculty to link their work to ethical and socio-political concerns. The LMVT program retains a significant reference to these concerns, but also allows students to concentrate their study on the forms of production involved in the respective areas of creative activity. The two programs have different emphases, but they overlap and inform one another in essential ways.