Why Study Philosophy? http://www.philosophy.eku.edu/why.

htm
You should study philosophy. . .
Because you are curious or because you like to wonder.
Philosophers ask some really basic questions about the world and ourselves. hey ask
about the nature o! a "ood li!e# about the value o! the emotions# whether humans have
!ree will# about the limits and e$tent o! human knowled"e# whether there are !undamental
di!!erences between the se$es that e!!ect the way we look at ourselves and the world.
%ertainly one o! the better reasons !or studyin" philosophy is because you wonder about
such matters and would like to have some help in thinkin" about such thin"s. he help you
will "et will come !rom some o! the most !amous and respected thinkers who have ever
lived and !rom the !aculty at whatever university attend.
Because it will make your li!e work out well.
Well maybe to some e$tent: & suspect that the study o! philosophy has somethin" to do
with our ability to make our lives work out well. Some philosophers have thou"ht that only
philosophers can have truly happy lives. But even i! we think that is too much to swallow#
we can still believe that the sorts o! learnin" and re!lection on ourselves# our values# and
how we !it into the world can help in!orm our 'ud"ments about how to make our lives "o
well. Philosophy may not be able to promise us the best chance at a "ood and happy li!e.
But & suspect that it can help us increase our chances as it helps us to notice and !i$ some
aspects o! the way we think and !eel about people and thin"s.
Because you never will be bored.
he basic reason is that you will always have somethin" interestin" to think about# and
you will !ind that you can do this sort o! thinkin" anywhere((provided that you have the
time and quiet to do so. &n !act# !ar !rom bein" bored# at times & !ind mysel! irritated with the
many distractions that can keep me !rom philosphical thou"ht and conversation. &t is really
nice to be able to carry in your mind# wherever you may "o# somethin" that can continue to
amuse# surprise# pu))le# and even !rustrate you.
Because you will "et rich.
*o# that+s not true. But ,ristotle reports that hales# the !irst -reek philospher# in order to
prove that philosophers can make money i! they want# cornered the market on the olive
presses when he knew that there would be a "ood crop o! olives. & suppose the case# at
least# proves that philosophy is no barrier to makin" money i! that is what you want.
Philosophy will not leave you so con!used and distracted that you will be unable to !ocus
on practical matters# and it mi"ht even help you think more clearly and more humanely
about them.
Because it can help you "et into law school and other "raduate pro"rams.
he ,merican Bar ,ssoication lists philosophy amon" the ma'ors that are "ood
preparation !or law school. ,nd philosophy ma'ors have amon" the hi"hest avera"es on
the .S,# the law school admission e$am. Philosophy ma'ors also have amon" the
hi"hest scores on the -/0 aptitude tests# the principal tests used !or admission to
"raduate pro"rams. 1ere is the top o! the rankin"s by ma'or !or the -/0 "eneral aptitude
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he ne$t hi"hest ranked humanities discipline was ranked 3<th.
written by /on 9esserich
Why Study Philosophy? http://www.univnorthco.edu/philosophy/why.html
%ould there possibly be any "ood reasons to ma'or in philosophy? You bet# and here they are.
Because o! philosophy+s breadth# it has a bearin" on 'ust about every sub'ect and pro!ession# and
recent studies have shown that students who have stron" back"rounds in the liberal arts in "eneral and
philosophy in particular do much better than one mi"ht e$pect in the 'ob market. While students with
seemin"ly more use!ul de"rees may indeed enter the market with hi"her salaries# the !act that a liberal
education serves to broaden one+s understandin" and to cultivate one+s capacities !or critical thinkin" and
li!e(lon" learnin" means that students with liberal arts de"rees tend to rise hi"her in their pro!essions than
those who start out with what look like the more practical de"rees.
,mon" the liberal arts ma'ors philosophy is one o! the stron"est. ,s a "roup# philosophy ma'ors score
on the -/0# .S,# and -9, in the hi"hest percentiles. So besides preparin" students !or the "raduate
study that mi"ht lead to a career in philosophy# the study o! philosophy helps prepare students !or careers
in such !ields as law# medicine# "overnment# business# 'ournalism# publishin"# teachin"# and the ministry.
his may be enou"h to show that it+s not at all cra)y to study philosophy# but it only hints at what the
study o! philosophy can really do !or those who take it up. he study o! philosophy broadens one+s
intellectual hori)ons and it helps one develop a sense o! one+s intellectual roots. &n the process# it does a
"reat deal to make one+s thinkin" "enuinely !reer and less servile. he authors o! the ,merican
Philosophical ,ssociation+s 3448 publication on @he Philosophy 9a'or@ have put it this way:
he study o! philosophy serves to develop intellectual abilities important !or li!e as a whole#
beyond the knowled"e and skills required !or any particular pro!ession. Properly pursued# it
enhances analytical# critical and interpretive capacities that are applicable to any
sub'ect(matter# and in any human conte$t. &t cultivates the capacities and appetite !or
sel!(e$pression and re!lection# !or e$chan"e and debate o! ideas# !or li!e(lon" learnin"# and !or
dealin" with problems !or which there are no easy answers. &t also helps to prepare one !or the
tasks o! citi)enship. Participation in political and community a!!airs today is all too o!ten
insu!!iciently in!ormed# manipulable and vulnerable to dema"o"uery. , "ood philosophical
education enhances the capacity to participate responsibly and intelli"ently in public li!e.
&n short# the study o! philosophy increases one+s intellectual powers# and as a result it improves one+s
chances o! stayin" a!loat in the hi"h and o!ten choppy seas o! human action and human thou"ht.
Philosophy is a superb under"raduate ma'or. Aar more people ou"ht to consider it seriously.