LibraryLover Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 (edited) From Lynn O'Shaughnessy, one of my favs. www.thecollegesolutionblog.com/why-not-major-in-philosophy/ Edited January 19, 2011 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Interesting. Thank you. I'm saddened by the belief that the liberal arts aren't worth studying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 From Lynn O'Shaughnessy, one of my favs. www.thecollegesolutionblog.com/why-not-major-in-philosophy/ I agree to a point. One little thing has to be true, though, I think. The student (and his tuition paying parents) don't see a college education as just a more expensive trade school option OR he or she is committed to grad school or more. I don't think many ppl go to school for learning or the love of learning anymore. Who could afford it? I think it has become nothing more than trade school and if you're looking for a trade, I'm not sure philosophers make a good deal of money. When philosophers go on to . . . law school, med school, whatever school, was it really just another step in the trade school ladder? I'm sure there are some students who do go on to school for the love of learning and for broadening the horizons, et c. and perhaps they will major in philosophy. IF you're thinking purely practical, as in a paycheck, philosophy may not be the choice of majors many would counsel their children to pursue. I find this sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gratia271 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Thanks for sharing this. I graduated with a double major, philosophy being one of them. Many of my law professors had a more favorable opinion of students with a philosophy background than those with other majors. There is so much to be learned from this discipline that people truly miss. I don't know which path my children will choose, but they will not miss out on this while they are at home with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gratia271 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I agree to a point. One little thing has to be true, though, I think. The student (and his tuition paying parents) don't see a college education as just a more expensive trade school option OR he or she is committed to grad school or more. I don't think many ppl go to school for learning or the love of learning anymore. Who could afford it? I think it has become nothing more than trade school and if you're looking for a trade, I'm not sure philosophers make a good deal of money. When philosophers go on to . . . law school, med school, whatever school, was it really just another step in the trade school ladder? I'm sure there are some students who do go on to school for the love of learning and for broadening the horizons, et c. and perhaps they will major in philosophy. IF you're thinking purely practical, as in a paycheck, philosophy may not be the choice of majors many would counsel their children to pursue. I find this sad. I agree with you that this is quite sad. When people reduce life to pragmatism, things that are truly worthy of giving our lives to don't make sense. It is hard to argue for most things I personally value from the perspective of practicality, one simple example being abandoning a lucrative career to raise three children.....not practical at all. While a purely pragmatic approach is undesirable IMO, people do have to find a way to support themselves. I hope (and pray) that my children will be able to pursue something they find worthy for its own sake that at the same time will enable them to provide for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Wow! thanks for posting that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 If any of my children wanted to major in philosophy, classics, religious studies, history, etc. I would encourage them to do so BUT to also double-major in something marketable. That's what my DH did. He has a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. It's actually been a great combination since many folks with technical degrees are not strong writers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I agree with you that this is quite sad. When people reduce life to pragmatism, things that are truly worthy of giving our lives to don't make sense. It is hard to argue for most things I personally value from the perspective of practicality, one simple example being abandoning a lucrative career to raise three children.....not practical at all. While a purely pragmatic approach is undesirable IMO, people do have to find a way to support themselves. I hope (and pray) that my children will be able to pursue something they find worthy for its own sake that at the same time will enable them to provide for themselves. This is just how I feel about it. I want my daughter to love things that, in practical paycheck terms, are possibly worthless. On a practical level, you are absolutely right, when did giving up a career and staying home with the children make sense? For this to make sense you have to be thinking beyond the paycheck. If you aske me . . . and no one ever does . . . we have our pay scales perfectly backward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Just because you don't major in something in college doesn't mean that you won't be able to learn about it. Since graduating, I have learned a lot about sailing, navigation, home schooling, politics, history, economics and many other topics. I don't need to be in college to pick up a book or to talk to people that know more about a subject than I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 If any of my children wanted to major in philosophy, classics, religious studies, history, etc. I would encourage them to do so BUT to also double-major in something marketable. :iagree:My daughter is a philosophy and psychology-loving ballet dancer taking accounting classes. We're covering all the bases. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 I triple majored - piano performance, music ed, and philosophy. I've used the music to make money...the philosophy has been priceless! In philosophy, I learned to think deeply, to debate, to understand how philosophy affects public policy, etc. I have not MADE ONE OUNCE OF MONEY from my philosophy major and am grateful that my financial future does not depend on it. I would not trade my philosophy major for anything. But, I don't recommend it as the lone major for any college bound student as one does have to be pragmatic about putting food on the table! However, if one is absolutely commited to grad school, then the philosophy major has a lot of benefits. I do think we've come to a sad place as a society when the only thing we value educationally is that which makes money. It's as if our culture does not care one lick what kind of adult the college student turns out to be just as long as he or she is making a boat load of bucks! Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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