What is Philosopohy?

Philosophy is the study of our fundamental assumptions about the world—what it is like, and how we should live in it. Philosophy teaches you how to think logically, how to evaluate an argument, how to present your own views on things, and how to be creative. While other majors teach a body of knowledge that can be superseded by later developments, philosophy teaches you how to learn, a skill that can never become obsolete.

What Can I do with Philosophy?

A major in philosophy grants the following skills, all of which are highly sought after by employers:

1. Reading: in philosophy you read, carefully. Philosophy teaches you how to approach a text to find out just what an author is thinking and why she or he thinks it.

2. Writing: in philosophy you write, clearly. With philosophy, you learn how to present your ideas in a clear, organized fashion so that your point, and your reasons for it, can be easily understood.

3. Presentational skills: reading and writing aren’t the only things philosophy is about. Philosophy also teaches you how to speak, confidently and precisely. In philosophy, you learn to challenge ideas you don’t agree with and how to present your own ideas. 

4. Independence of mind: the understanding and techniques that philosophy teaches are ones that allow you to reflect on yourself and society at large. Philosophy teaches you how to come up with overlooked solutions to problems people might not have even realized existed. It also gives you the ability to see through the rhetoric and manipulation that are present in all societies.

Should I major or minor in philosophy?

To begin the process of formulating your objectives, we suggest that you think about all the courses you have taken, both in philosophy and in other departments. Which ones were most interesting to you? What subjects, issues, or problems did they raise? Do they seem to have anything in common that could help you realize where your own intellectual interests lie? Also think about your career plans, both in general and specific terms. What kind of work do you hope to do? Do you want to work with people, e.g, as a teacher or counselor? Do you seek a career in business? In law?

Whatever your plans, talk with the Academic Advisor about how the study of philosophy might help you achieve them or make your career richer and more rewarding. Consider also your own future apart from your career, whatever work you end up doing. What intellectual skills will help you achieve the kind of life you want for yourself? What philosophical knowledge would you find useful and satisfying? Are there issues or ideas that you feel passionate about that the study of philosophy could help you apply yourself to?

What They Say About Philosophy...

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, philosophy majors get higher scores on the LSAT than all other humanities majors, all applied majors, and almost all social and natural science majors. Moreover, philosophy majors outperform business majors by 15% on the GMAT, score higher on the GRE’s quantitative portion than any other humanities major, and score higher on the verbal portion of the GRE than any other major.