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Contact Information:

Philosophy
414 E. Clark
Vermillion, SD 57069
phone: 605-677-5357
fax: 605-677-5298
lnmeyer@usd.edu

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Last Modified: 02/14/08

Why Take Philosophy?

The Intrinsic Value of Philosophy      

A major or minor in philosophy represents the finest tradition in university education and will be of lasting value in any vocation prizing that tradition, e.g., law, government, health services, psychology, physics, mathematics and fine arts.

Before considering the practical value of a degree in philosophy, consider what the American Philosophical Association says about the role of philosophy in an individual’s life:

Philosophy is in a sense inescapable: life confronts every thoughtful person with some philosophical questions, and nearly everyone is guided by philosophical assumptions, even if unconsciously. One need not be unprepared. To a large extent one can choose how reflective one will be in clarifying and developing one's philosophical assumptions, and how well prepared one is for the philosophical questions life presents. Philosophical training enhances our problem-solving capacities, our abilities to understand and express ideas, and our persuasive powers. It also develops understanding and enjoyment of things whose absence impoverishes many lives: such things as aesthetic experience, communication with many different kinds of people, lively discussion of current issues, the discerning observation of human behavior, and intellectual zest. In these and other ways the study of philosophy contributes immeasurably in both academic and other pursuits.

The long-range value of philosophical study goes far beyond its contribution to one's livelihood. Philosophy broadens the range of things one can understand and enjoy. It can give one self-knowledge, foresight, and a sense of direction in life. It can provide, to one's reading and conversation, special pleasures of insight. It can lead to self-discovery, expansion of consciousness, and self-renewal. Through all of this, and through its contribution to one's expressive powers, it nurtures individuality and self-esteem. Its value for one's private life can be incalculable; its benefits for one's public life as a citizen can be immeasurable.

The Practical Value of Philosophy

Philosophy majors are more successful than many other majors in finding employment.  The New York Times concluded of philosophy majors that “their studies, which covered logic and ethics among other topics, helped them in their jobs and their lives,” and in terms of finding employment,  “philosophy majors … do remarkably well.” (December 26, 1997)

Transferable Skills

The success enjoyed by philosophy majors occurs in large part because studying philosophy helps to develop skills demanded by employers in a large variety of fields.  Some of the skill that philosophy helps to develop are:

– Critical Thinking skills, such as the ability to analyze arguments, identify key principles, solve problems, and come to sound decisions.

– Communication skills, including the ability to write clearly and in a way that summarizes content in an easily understood fashion, also including the ability to verbally express oneself in a clear, concise, and convincing way.

– Problem Solving skills, such as the ability to see the central issues that form the basis of many dilemmas, and the capacity to think in an open and informed manner about possible solutions.

– Organizational skills, such as the ability to see the relations between objects and ideas in a way that allows appropriate and functional ordering.

The importance of these skills is that they are transferable so that they not only make one better at philosophy, but they also make one better at virtually anything one chooses to do.  Businesses recognize the values of these skills, as stated by Lawrence R. Malnig and Anita Malnig in their book, “What Can I Do With A Major In…?” "Business leaders most frequently cite the ability to learn in new situations and the capacity to analyze, evaluate, and interpret data information management as two of the most important qualities that successful executives must possess" (Malnig, 147).

Transferable skills are also amongst the most important skills in today’s economy where individuals have, on average, five different careers (not five different jobs, but careers in five different fields).

Preparation for Graduate or Professional Study

The development of transferable skills through studying philosophy is also seen in the performance of philosophy majors on standardized tests for admittance into graduate and professional schools.

In a comprehensive study (done by the National Institute of Education and reported in The Chronicle of Higher Education) of college students' scores on the LSAT, GRE, and GMAT tests, students majoring in Philosophy performed substantially better than the average on each of the tests.

– Students majoring in philosophy had the highest scores on the verbal portion of the GRE, and were the only group in the humanities to score above the overall average.

– Philosophy is one of the most popular pre-Law majors, and students majoring in philosophy had, on average, higher scores on the LSAT than any other humanities major.  Amongst all fields, only students from mathematics and economics scored better than philosophy.

– Students majoring in philosophy had the second highest average scores on the GMAT, bested only by math majors.  Philosophers scored 15% higher on average than business students.  

These results have been confirmed by recent data (covering exams from 2001-2004) from Educational Testing Service on the GRE.  The data considers students from the social sciences, humanities and arts, and education.  On average, philosophers had the highest scores on the verbal portion, beating even English majors by 30 points.  Philosophers also had the highest average on the analytic portion, and had the second highest average on the quantitative portion.

Regardless of whether you plan on continuing your education with graduate or professional studies, philosophy not only provides skills that will be in demand by employers, it also enriches your life and can transform your view of the world.