5 Reasons to Major in Philosophy

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Philosophy has a reputation for being an impractical major. In this video I show why this view is mistaken.
Why major in philosophy? Here are five reasons I discuss in the video:
1. It has intrinsic value.
2. It's what a liberal arts education ought to be.
3. Employers are looking for these skills.
4. Your income expectations are higher than you might think.
5. It's the ideal springboard degree.

[@PhilosophyFreak]

I went through this when I told my parents that after high school I wanted to study animation at an art school. Actually, my dad didn't laugh, he got angry. I ended up majoring in physics, thinking I could always do art on the side. And of course I ended up in philosophy. Life defies all our plans ...

[@morningglory.213]

Yaas king

[@adaptercrash]

We use to be offset press operators, they have a get your own, waste of money

[@NaNdgate]

At first, philosophy seems like something 'outside' of everyday life. And then you start to see how every single second of your existence is philosophy. Philosophy is secretly everything.

[@justinlacek1481]

You don't major in philosophy so that you can go out and make money. Most of the greatest thinkers were ordinary, everyday people.

[@Infinite_Jester]

I would suggest that, on the contrary, every single person you are going to read about during your first year of philosophy were extremely exceptional individuals. Sure, some were poor, others were wealthy, but the common denominator is that they were intellectual giants.

[@LifeProducersofNewJerseyLLC]

Donald Trump didn't study philosophy. Most movers and shakers in the business world didn't either. Being an intellectual giant is worthless. Most people go to college to get a job. Intellectual giants can't help themselves let along help you.

[@justinlacek1481]

Tripticket Sorry if I came off wrong. By ordinary, I meant that these people weren't Napoleon Bonapartes who conquered territory, or Doctor Dres who go from 2 turntables in a room to rich businessmen.

[@justinlacek1481]

David Salt "Donald Trump didn't study philosophy". 1. That's obvious, because he proves that statement almost every time he opens his mouth. 2. Donald Trump's wealth is largely, and I mean *largely* a byproduct of the conditions he was born in, and who he was born to. Trump didn't go to a school, major in STEM or economics or business, and use that to propel himself from the ground into the upper-class of society. "Most movers and shakers in the business world didn't either." 1. The business world is a subset of the world itself, and so you can't generalize from this particular, to make statements about the whole. You Can't use weight in the business world to argue for weight in the world as a whole. That's an elementary textbook composition fallacy. 2. Furthermore, I don't have numbers to back this up, but it seems to me that statistically speaking, you'd be hard-pressed to find one single academic major that a large majority of highly successful businesspeople undertook. If I'm not mistaken, there have been studies that have looked at our wealthiest people, and most of them attain their wealth not through their own come-up and merit, but merely off the conditions they were born into. Another portion of them get it through the lottery, or through striking gold on some obscure stock purchase, so on and so forth. It's not common to find someone who goes to school for business, then graduates and work themselves to the top of the business ladder. 3. Lastly, there are some very successful businessmen and women who've studied philosophy. So we can toss out the possible universal that all Ps are Not Qs (that all philosophy majors are not successful in business), if you're suggesting this. There is no surefire way to be a major "shaker" in the business world. "Most people go to college to get a job." 1. I'm not exactly clear what point you're attempting to make. For your sake, I hope you're not trying to make the argument that because hardly anyone studies philosophy, it is therefore a field that nobody likes/appreciates/values. Aside from being empirically proven wrong in several studies, the argument can't even get off the ground because public perception is not at all an accurate measurement of value. Public perception in 1800s America was that black people had no moral value - that doesn't therefore mean that black people in fact had no moral value. "Intellectual giants can't help themselves, let alone help you" Instead of beating down this weak claim, let me just list the names of a minor few intellectual giants who've helped society. Ahem.... Gottlieb Daimler. Albert Einstein. Galileo. Mikhail Lomonosov. If your suggestion is that philosophy hasn't contributed to society, then I'd point you to the works of men like John Locke, Aristotle (who framed Western ideas about metaphysics and logic for *centuries* . Aristotle shaped the way westerners understood things for an incredible amount of time, well over 1 thousand years. ), to name a small few. If you're looking for more tangible contributions, then I'd point you to the modern computer. Computers, as we know them, are largely a byproduct of serious work in logic (a philosophical discipline).

[@iecsao]

@@justinlacek1481 you nailed it, you deserve respect, I swear!

[@thebrokegenius40]

The corporate and political world doesnt want you to be a philosopher because then you will be aware of the insignificance and corruption they are and will continue to be

[@sean5623]

Change your name to theWokegenuius

[@thebedroomintellectual2460]

Agreed brother.

[@nmvhr]

@@sean5623 cringe based boomer zoomer buzzword posts post buzzwords cringed based reddit cringe zoomer internet

[@hugbug2224]

Nah, they don't care about philosophy degrees because you're not educated in something that provides value to their company. But continue thinking the world is out to get you

[@uhhhhyourmom]

hug bug You miss the point. His way of thinking is not one of that he’s under attack by the corporate world, but that the corporate world controls the conversation in this country with an iron grip. The media that is pushed in this country is the type to keep people complacent, they don’t show the breadth of the facts. This isn’t conspiracy, this is truth. People who can think for themselves and don’t eat up what the major 7 corporations in this country feed them are a direct threat to their power. So he’s right, of course they would discourage serious conversation. If they didn’t, they’d be kicked to the curb. What you’re saying is in part true, but you’ve made a straw man out of what he’s saying by disregarding the truth behind his statement and boiling it down to the complaints of a peasant.

[@manthasagittarius1]

If you're talented and you commit to the hard work to master the logic and ethical aspects, it is one of the best preparations for the study of law.

[@siphiwendlovu9959]

"You know who you are"

[@SaagarP01]

I am a triple major in Accounting, Finance, & Philosophy and this video was one of the reasons I decided to add a Philosophy Major to my undergraduate studies. It was one of the best decisions I have made in my life and this video completely covers it. Philosophy teaches you skills that you can not acquire from most other majors. I took a whole array of courses from: Epistemology, Philosophy of Life, Metaphysics, & Logic and each course taught me a variety of information. The ability to think and write clearly, the ability to formulate and solve problems, the ability to communicate well in writing and orally, the ability to ask the right questions. Some of my courses on philosophers help you understand questions such as what is death, and the happiness in life, analysis of religion. Philosophy is also about how to live life, and some of our dilemmas we face in our lives and how to deal with them. I highly recommend from my experience to pair philosophy with another major because it really helps you stand out. Just a fair warning though, studying philosophy is not easy. It will require heavy amounts of reading and analysis, the work load was more than my other two majors but it is definitely worth the hard work in the end.

[@alexandersimpson7870]

Saagar Patel What do you do for a living now? Is the debt with a triple major a lot larger than a single major? Can I email with you?

[@SaintJoseph911]

Saagar Patel doubt you'll respond bc this was 2 years ago. but as a triple major, does this just mean more time spent in school? I knew someone who was a double & literally took around 7 classes per semester. absolutely absurd. I thought of being a double & just going longer & taking up to 5 classes. no way I could do 7 or more classes that's ridiculous

[@sherlockholmeslives.1605]

I failed GCE English from college with a D Grade.

[@sherlockholmeslives.1605]

I wish I could do a M.Phil. Daniel. I think I would need a Stanford-Binet IQ of about 130 to do that though.

[@sherlockholmeslives.1605]

Thanks Dan, lad!

[@TheLongWind]

Philosophy Graduate here from CSU Sacramento Fall 2008. Yes, it has been somewhat difficult finding employers who fully value this degree, but they do seem to appreciate it somewhat. Law, Teaching and any job that requires any degree (State, County, Feds) are good starts. That being said, I would not trade my Philosophy degree for something else. I truly value the skills and information I acquired during my time in school. These include critical thinking, proper argument and debate, many different world views and my favorite...Symbolic Logic!

[@matrixlone]

what degree did you get? i want one in logic, mind and religion

[@husamahmed6539]

Can I ask you what job you have right now?

[@fardin4011]

.

[@elcat9091]

before science was known as science it was called natural philosophy.

[@lookit87]

"You know who you are." Why did that send a chill down my spine?

[@thepsionicstorms]

@6:56 "You know who you are..." I loved hearing that! Great video. I am a Philosophy Major and after only a few classes it has changed my life.

[@syeda_jessica]

Hi there. I'm at the point in my life where I have to choose a major. Can you please give me some advice? Seeing that your comment is 10 years old, I'd love to know how it was for you after graduation and what you are doing now in life. Was it worth it to major in philosophy? And will it still be today?

[@GuitarHeroPhenomSux]

I had no interest in college until I discovered philosophy. I've been studying it on my own for almost a year now and have decided to go to college for it because I still fail to understand alot of the writings of the big philosophers. I've also watched videos from a philosophy course online. I'm sure with continued effort, I could comprehend it better but the tests you mentioned will probably help more. Plus the degree sounds good.

[@Sylar-451]

How did your philosophy studies turn out? Have been considering studying philosophy for years now but have a great passion for it and have learnt a bit in my own time. Ps: the Guitar Hero phenomenon was only second best to philosophy itself

[@UCLA10]

Great video. I was a philosophy major. In my first job interview after college, I spent the whole time talking about philosophy (Immanuel Kant and what he would have thought of the Iraq war, actually) and was hired with a great salary

[@phillip76]

What job did you got?

[@ichiboku1]

it's a dumb question. What job can you get with any major? There are no jobs that have a direct relation with a given major. If you major in computer science there is no such thing as a computer science job. If you major in business there is no such thing as a job called "business." You take the skills you learned in those fields and apply them. Most people who major in philosophy (and who do not go into academia) go into government related positions, law, business, and teaching.

[@PhilosophyFreak]

I sympathize! Tuition keeps rising at my own university. But for students in more technical disciplines, I do think that over the long run, a second major in a humanities field can repay the extra investment, for reasons discussed in the video.

[@EvilDandy]

@PhilosophyFreak Thank you for your reply. I call myself a philosopher, but I'm largely self-taught having never taken a formal course, which is one reason I am grateful for your body of work for public consumption. It certainly fills in some vague or unpractised areas in my education.

[@genre926]

i felt like this was made for me. i have been struggling so much with switching to this major. im currently an art major...but im not moved by it.....seriously..thank you.

[@Yawarrior]

I majored in philosophy and graduated in 2011 and honestly, employers laughed at my degree and I had a hard time finding employment and especially middle-class employment (California). All the jobs available to me were in sales and customer service. I recommend that if you are to major in philosophy that you have some marketable skills besides the degree, some connections with companies, and maybe even a second major or a practical minor. The man who made this video, is he a professor? I want to hear from someone who graduated around this economic era and didn't stay in education but strayed into business and other areas. Good points but reality was and is very different for me and others. P.s. where did he get his statistics from? Never trust those and am too lazy at the moment to look them up. Damn

[@_VISION.]

Should I be concerned about someone who cannot pick up thor's hammer? Especially since it is possible to pick up and wield? Why should listen to someone who failed at finding a way to apply their formal philosophical knowledge out of college? This isn't just you, but many others (philosophy and non-philosophy majors alike). These are serious questions because even though many people do not know what to do with their philosophy degree does not mean there is no way to find a job with a philosophy degree. I'm willing to bet you had no aim as far as what you wanted to do right out of college. They didn't laugh at you because of your degree. They laughed because you was not prepared to show them how your knowledge in philosophy could benefit their business? They were laughing at you; not Philosophy. Why? You probably had no direction. As many people don't at first. This is exactly this kind of ambiguity that philosophy teaches you to handle.

[@shockingdiscovery3437]

@@_VISION. I agree completely. Finishing my honours degree in criminal justice then doing a masters in philosophy. Extremely interested in this subject already, so much so I’m probably reading more philosophy than readings for criminal justice, and I find it difficult to believe that someone who has studied philosophy cannot get a job. The knowledge and analytical skills that come with philosophy can be applied anywhere. The stigma around philosophy absolutely stumps me, just don’t understand how people cannot see its value🧐

[@_VISION.]

@@shockingdiscovery3437 I'm not sure how people don't see the value... Well I do. Most of our modern society (especially in america) only cares of utility. When you view philosophy from a utilitarian perspective then philosophy looks useless. STEM is mostly utilitarian aside from Pure Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. The industrial revolution and world war 2 increased our need for specific kinds of people and we needed more scientists and engineers and what not. We no longer have the patience for philosophy. But as more people keep being told that Philosophy is a waste of time or getting a STEM degree is "better". I double down on philosophy because if everyone is not learning it then I want to learn it. At that point it's clear that the supply of stem will get so big it will start to look just as useless as a philosophy degree. Which creates the pendulum to swing back to humanities and arts supply. Warren Buffet who says "be fearful when others are greedy, be greedy when others are fearful". Or perhaps mark twain who says "if you're on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect". I take those ideas and relate them to the "stocks" of certain academic discipline. We live in a world where stem wants to create more complexity, so philosophy is ever more important now because philosophy takes something complex and makes it simple. That is a skill that any employer would want. Of course it's not in the best interests of the people who own this country to have a bunch of philosophers or else they would decode all the complexity that was created to funnel more of our money and energy out of us, which makes us unhappy people. They need a bunch of workers. A philosopher would rather die than to live a life unexamined.

[@1evilhag_]

A lot has changed since 2011. Just look at the numbers? I'm sorry you had a rough time finding a job back then, its not fair. Philosophy is a wonderful degree with many marketable skills.

[@eduardojimenez8930]

I think I've found my calling, I'm always looking for thought provoking questions and discussions, always trying to see things from different perspectives, I want to become a philosopher

[@MrJethroha]

I feel the history aspect of philosophy is always understated, but you addressed it in the beginning very well. Most people take their opinions and views for granted.

[@magnesiummike]

This is excellent. I am a philosophy major and I am applying to medical school. I feel very well-prepared to analyze theories and arguments on many topics and I feel that more people would be surprised by the value of the degree and the breadth of misconceptions. Great video.

[@GetOutOfMyYard]

Thank you so much for this. When you gave your description of the typical Philosophy major and said , "You know who you are," I grinned from ear to ear. You described me perfectly! I will be very excited next semester to walk into my academic advisor's office and ask to change my major!

[@haleyflynn1841]

I would love to know where you are now!!!!!!

[@PhilosophyFreak]

@EvilDandy Aesthetics is still an active area of philosophy, and there are plenty of people who think the field is deeply significant for philosophy (I'm one of them). But it's also true that it's never really been viewed as a "core" philosophical discipline, except in the sense that it's part of "value theory", which would include ethics, aesthetics and other fields that deal with values.

[@MeLarry84]

Thank you for this video! I'm currently studying completing a double major in Philosophy and Film Production and i often find myself defending my decision to major in philosophy. I always respond by simply stating that i love philosophy and believe that it is incredibly important and a supremely useful field to master. I intend to do my masters in philosophy also. Thanks

[@DrGonzo358]

This video is great. I'm going to show my parents it tonight. This is perhaps the most challenging question a philosopher will ever face in their life: How does one break it to their parents they're getting a philosophy degree? It's also a tremendous test of logic, too, trying to work past all their objections. This video, frankly, answers those concerns better than I could ever hope to on my own. This man has done his research.

[@mrnettek]

I am a software engineer/developer, that went back to school to learn philosophy. It definitely has been an eye opener, and I love it! Going back to school for non-career reasons really has enhanced the whole learning process.

[@BobTheBob647]

Thanks for the video. I saw this a year or 2 ago. I ended up choosing to complete a philosophy minor because of this video. Major in Economics, double minor in math and philosophy.

[@trishnalekharu9371]

wow that's great... i m pursuing my PhD in philosophy in postmodernism

[@samow7]

+Trishna Lekharu only applying to Uni now............not sure if i wanna do just philosophy or Maths&Philosophy

[@MuhammadAhmed-oc6ol]

Was this before or after you offered Chris Hansen a slice

[@GuitarHeroPhenomSux]

It was a few of the Great Courses sets. They're kinda pricey but worth it. My technique was to take notes during each video, then research my findings afterwards. I would try and read all the books said philosopher recommended. It's a good strategy, but I recommend pacing yourself if you try it. I kinda overkilled it and burned out relatively fast. Now, I'm just focusing on reading.

[@oohbootiga7649]

I'm a student who is deciding what to take in university. From the moment I took it in highschool I knew this is what I love. I've heard many people discredit this as an effective degree, but then I got to thinking; for someone who wants to pursue being a military officer, or government agent of some kind, is critical thinking, and effective communication not something a person like this should have? After all, a person weilding a weapon, or who makes complex decisions that could potentially be dangerous to themselves or others should certainly have the proper wisdom before executing a plan or carrying something like that into action should they not? Maybe if more police officers had this degree, we wouldn't have so many bad cops. Am I wrong? Please let me know what you guys think.

[@nyutrig]

100% agree. i feel like a philosophy major when i speak with my friends who actually majored in the subject. it is purely my hobby but i feel like i understand it more than they do.

[@MeLarry84]

Love to her that about your employer hiring you due to your majoring in philosophy, it's encouraging to read. I've heard a few stories of a similar nature involving being hired due to philosophy studies. A tutor of mine was hired by a newspaper editor specifically due to his having majored in philosophy. love it

[@trishnalekharu9371]

i m glad to see this video and you did very well. i have shared it with many people. thanks. i myself pursuing PhD in Philosophy(postmodernism).

[@trishnalekharu9371]

Moozi when i started as a major student even my thoughts were not clear and i m a dyslexic. Today if i have over come my hurdles its because i have a backbone that's "Philosophy". it has developed me from germinating and now m growing more. i love to speak in public because i m clear what i need to convey. And if u think u can write then start writing. It may be random thoughts but practice what helps you to be perfect. So follow some good writers. And when you are confident of your words its not hard to deliver as speech. One day you will surprise yourself. So go for it. And remember Philosophy is the "Mother" of every other subject. All the Best!!!

[@PhilosophyFreak]

@EvilDandy Also, it would also be misleading for me to suggest that all philosophy majors are exposed to aesthetics. There's usually only one aesthetics course offered (if any), and it's rarely required for the major, so many graduate without ever really being exposed to it. This isn't the case with metaphysics, epistemology, ethics or political philosophy, which all majors would certainly be exposed to (to varying degrees).

[@EM0208F]

I'll let you ponder over your answer. Thanks for proving my argument.

[@PhilosophyFreak]

@Forkroute Sorry, I guess that's a bit jargony. Something is intrinsically valuable or good if it's valuable or good for its own sake, not for the sake of something else. Most people would say that Happiness is intrinsically valuable, for example. Some might say Knowledge, some might say Love, and so on. The contrast is with "instrumentally" valuable, something that is valuable not for its own sake, but for the sake of something else (money? a university degree? pick your favorite example)

[@dkarella]

Wow, you literally described me perfectly when describing potential philosophers. I'm a senior in high school getting ready for college and I've been planning on going into either math or engineering fields for two reason: im fairly good at math, and i would know theres a job out there for me. However, i just love philosophy and all its aspects and i think it would be great to major in but i just dont know if it competes with math or engineering in regards toward my future. :/

[@Kenneth_the_Philosopher]

Mr. Kevin deLaplante, you have given one of the best five reasons to major in philosophy that I have ever heard.

[@alliy20]

Thank you for this video, I can now say I'm going to pursuit a degree in philosophy..it should be great to compliment my engineering degree and hopefully an economics MBA in the future :D

[@syystomu]

Now I'm curious: are there no philosophy courses in high-school in the US (or other countries for that matter)? Over here we have one obligatory philosophy course in high-school that everybody has to take and six optional ones. I took all the courses I could manage to fit into my schedule and an extra prep-course that our teacher gave us in her home in the evenings. x) (That was because that year the course didn't fit into the normal school curriculum but she wanted to give it to us anyway.)

[@BobTheBob647]

Thanks for this great video. I was a criminology major and now switched to philosophy/business. Philosophy really is what a good liberal arts education ought to be.

[@am101171]

Good for you man, for now I am on my own, but I hope I will be able to do the same sometime in the future. regards.

[@85IceHouse]

I liked this video. Best to make them simply easy to follow. If a creator gets ahead of themselves I won't even view it. This was explained your idea and allowed the viewer to grasp your opinion and outlook of it overall.

[@lookit87]

I have always wrestled with the prospect of majoring in Philosophy, thank you for your input.

[@user-yz8oi9ez1e]

What’s your life like now :)

[@lookit87]

@@user-yz8oi9ez1e pretty good, thanks!

[@babanlava]

Thank you so much for this video.

[@PhilosophyFreak]

@Forkroute well maybe it's not a very funny joke .... What's clear is the psychological/behavioral part; we do seem to value some things intrinsically. Whether there's any such thing in the world as "intrinsic value" is one of the oldest questions in philosophy. Google "intrinsic vs. extrinsic value" and check out the Stanford Online Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on this topic (just to prove I'm not making up the term...).

[@PhilosophyFreak]

Just curious -- what did they say that put you off of law school?

[@EvilDandy]

I wrote an article called The Great Disconnect about how the fifth branch of philosophy, Aesthetics, is disconnected from the others. In other words, choices in art, fashion, décor, films, or whatever is no longer considered to have bearing on philosophical beliefs. I noticed in the section on content you list the four branches but leave out Aesthetics. Is this an example of the disconnect? What ever happened to Aesthetics in philosophy?

[@farhan00]

@thegrandjew Depends on the purpose of one's college degree. If its to get a job, then philosophy simply will not get you anything, ESPECIALLY in this market. If the objective is to be knowledgeable in this arena, then do so by pursuing a less expensive form of education.

[@meawesome967]

When he said "you know who you are" I had to stop the video and type this comment... I got chills. I'm struggling horribly to choose my major and I'm starting school next semester. Going to watch the rest of the video but as of right now... I'm pretty much sold...

[@ser3nityyy]

jim bobby let me know what major you picked and what college you’re going to ? i’m on the same path as well !

[@WE2much]

nice video. you interested us and made us curious, made us think. not strain the brain but think. i like it, you did a great job.

[@aesthetewithoutacause3981]

I'm studying philosophy in high school and absolutely adore it. I wanna major in in in university but of course there are practical issues. It's basically the only I enjoy at school so I don't know what to do as a double major.

[@syeda_jessica]

What did you choose?

[@aesthetewithoutacause3981]

@@syeda_jessica I'm doing a bachelor of Philosophy, Politics and Economics next year. We do units from the three fields and a few integrated ones. I like politics and economics too and it'll give me some more practical skills, so I'm happy I found it.

[@greghilton8677]

@@aesthetewithoutacause3981 Good for you! That's cool that you replied after two years.

[@strongyang]

I am both a philosophy and interior design major and on my final year of undergrad studies!

[@thinkgreenlovepurple]

My university won't let me double major... and as much as I like philosophy, I genuinely also have a lot of interest in other subjects as well. I do hope to take philosophy courses related to my major. You learn so much from philosophy, and it exposes you to and can be applied to basically any subject. I think all students should take at least one course in philosophy :)

[@Amelia-uw5pe]

when u described me to a T and said "you know who you are." I got full body chills

[@Just4TheS]

Thank you very much! your video change absolutely my whole negative idea about philosophy =)

[@am101171]

I am an engineer with major in Electronics and minor on telecommunications, worked for 12 years in the telecom industry were getting shit done is compulsive to the point of madnesss, and in my humble opinion there is nothing more wonderful in life than philosophy , physics, and math. I whish i had the clearness fo thinking and knowldege scope Philosophy provides, since I have started studying philosophy , i feel I am more prepared to understand and do my job, it is a subtle change in vision.

[@jonaslbjerke]

Thanks for creating this video. I've been studiying philosophy for about two years now, and all the time I'm being told things like "yeah, I guess your only choice is to become a teacher or lecturer or something like that". I usually don't accept these kinds of statemenets, but now I actually know them to be empirically incorrect. Some of these facts will also help convince my mom I'm doing the right thing. Haha Greetings from Norway

[@B.A.Gondal]

I dont know where you getting your stats from but here in Canada, Math/Physics are on top of all these law school test or medical school tests and etc.... philosophy majors are the on second in the list though....

[@PhilosophyFreak]

@gjsterp Schools are sort of terrified of teaching ethics in any substantive way, in my experience. Mostly they're worried about parent complaints. To make this work you've got to invest some time in educating the parents about exactly what's being taught and why it's being taught. The other problem is that teachers often don't feel qualified to teach this.

[@Coltaculuss]

Quick question, which of the following allowed your computer to be built? Epistemology or Quantum Mechanics?

[@fbibarbie]

Ya I am going to go with economics... Seemed to be higher an a lot of the charts to and it is much easier to argue it's value.

[@pervertamongmortals]

Originating from my own curiosity: Which online philosophy course were you referring to?

[@silviamerari9989]

I decided to apply to my universities as a philosophy major after an interview with Rhodes college . It was kind of an impulse decision. When my admissions counselor recommended it , it simply made sense to me . When I brought it up to my college counselors they also agreed that it fit me quite well . I didn’t know enough about the major, although. And when I brought it up to my mother she was not having it. She started off with this idea that I was only going to become more of an atheist ( my mother is very religious and I , admittedly, am not ). She then went on to say that I wouldn’t make any money and should instead be a nurse or a business major . This video helped me feel more secure in my decision . I couldn’t decide on a major and when it came time to apply , I was worried . I made a decision and am very happy with it . It never occurred to me that this is what I may want to study not that it could be a subject I could potentially excel in. I never cared for money. I rather be poor and happy but it is always good to have financial stability and it is reassuring that my degree isn’t “useless “ and can get me the jobs people swore I couldn’t obtain .

[@ItsSnottyBee]

I am beginning university here in Sydney Australia and am going to be studying law. However here you must combine your law degree with something... so i chose ARTS.. now i was going to take a business major... but a few things put me off. So than i came across this... (You see i had this really bright english teacher in year 12 who studied philosophy and he really inspired me) Phillosophy seems like it will really give me an 'intellectual edge' in law. Would you agree ? Thats my question.

[@jaimesilva1990]

I just wanted to thank you for this video. When you started describing people that tend to go into philosophy you described me perfectly. I want to consider a philosophy degree.

[@Kadzowe]

it's a great major! many options in terms of careers!

[@johnlastonmusongole6831]

+Kadzowe may you help me with some of the topics to write for my dissertation in philosophy.

[@Kadzowe]

john laston musongole Sure send me an e-mail on my channel [e-mail]

[@maloneth99516]

median means half below and half above. The mode is the most common.

[@WarThemedRevolution]

You know I recently spoke with John Williams of the Oklahoma Bar and Rudolph Hargrave, a recently retired Justice from Oklahoma State Supreme Court. Before talking to them I had been considering law school as a real option. Afterwards I scratched that off my list. So I'll be going to grad school, and I think that I may in fact major in philosophy. In a Utopian world, I'll be teaching it at a good university some day in the not -too- distant future.

[@alanlee222]

This is a very good reply.

[@PhilosophyFreak]

@TheEvaAngelina That's, like, the definition of a Big Philosophical Question :) People have been writing about this for 2500 years at least. If I could write a good, compelling answer to that question down in 400 characters I would (and I'd sell an awful lot of t-shirts :) )

[@bluefoz]

I'm from Denmark, and I've been on the fence on which subject I should study. We have a very different educational system here, but all of the reasons displayed in this video (maybe, with the exception of reason #5) are very relatable to me. Thank you very much, this video may very well have a profound impact on my life in its entirety. Fingers crossed that it's for the best!

[@entergalactic1239]

Are these data/principles still applies today, 2020?

[@wilsonpadi]

I am a graduate in Philosophy and post graduate in Healthcare Management and now work as a Healthcare Project Consultant...I hope that consulting profile gives a lot of scope to apply all the above mentioned skills. Consulting is all about logical and analytical reasoning. Do not ask why you should major in Philosophy but ask why not..................

[@CNFrostXY]

It's in fact the complete opposite, philosophy is the subject where you can get the most out of your university, it cannot simply be 'learnt' from just 'reading'. The best way to do philosophy is through conversation with philosophers, and on top of that, universities give free access to REP, OED and Complete cambridge companions collection along with many other resources that cost thousands - given that the university has a good philosophy school (but serious philosophy is extremely demanding).

[@syystomu]

My brother majors in philosophy and so does his fiancée so I've actually done a lot of hanging out with philosophy majors too... I've actually studied the history of philosophy most but luckily that gives quite a broad field of general knowledge so I can kind of follow their discussions. xD And if not, I can ask and I'll probably understand their explanations. I haven't taken any philosophy courses in a while, though, maybe I should... I don't think I want to major in it though.

[@C0untZer00]

Im being pushed into engineering, when i want to study philosophy

[@SaintJoseph911]

choose both or minor in philosophy

[@allwindavidd]

Ditto

[@hiitsme6214]

I'm going to study Philosophy next year :)

[@aksharcooking8264]

Which is best country for doing philosophy

[@lizzygrant02]

“you know who you are”.... wow you described me so well that i’m shocked

[@PhilosophyFreak]

@ThorTheScienceGuy It is a shame that philosophy so rarely shows its head in high school (where you'd think at least one critical thinking course would be mandatory, but even that isn't required). It's not a cure-all, studying philosophy by itself isn't going to change the world. But it's important, and you'd think that high school graduates would at least have SOME idea what it's about. But most of my college freshman students have never been exposed to any of this. I don't get it.

[@Iwantkababnow]

It is interesting to medical schools to see uncommon majors such as philosophy or English compared to the ordinary biology or chemistry majors. Keep in mind, however, these (uncommon) majors need to take science classes and the Mcat if they want to apply to medical schools.

[@abidinglove3409]

Philosophy is relevant to the core issues of life or existence. And its study is riveting. However, it makes sense to specialize in other areas as well along with philosophy, such as, computer science or management. Such an interdisciplinary approach is both lucrative and enlightening.

[@hugotuga100]

i got a b.a. in philosophy and I did not get a job related to the subject but that did not stop from undertaking an MA in european philosophy. i couldn't give a damn anymore if philosophy gives you a job in that sector. i love philosophy for all its good and bad things

[@Harryolo]

Thank you!

[@imreloadin]

@CiaoBello21 It's called writing, authoring books is probably the most profitable of the many career choices a philosophy student can make.

[@CrazyCraicAss]

First of all, it is important to bear in mind that this video is geared towards an American audience. The skills listed are primarily skills obtained from analytic philosophy. Continental and comparative philosophy grants a different skill set, is barely offered in America, if at all, but is nevertheless an essential part of the discipline. Also, it may be worth considering why not to study philosophy, other than the cliched capitalist argument, which is clearly null, according to the video. In my own experience, those passionate enough about it will study it and invest a lot of energy in it, but it is these same people whose passion will not make it easy, because of the subject's existential challenges. Those who take it seriously will not find it easy to live with subsequently. This is important to consider. Another thing is that philosophy is so looked down upon these days that most philosophy departments will not actually be as good as they make out on the brochures, because of a lack of funding. Many departments, particularly in the UK are facing closure. Funding effects many other things about course quality.

[@CheekyVimto08]

thanks. this has removed some deep existential doubts

[@JohnnyBoy7763]

I have a question I can't answer maybe you can. Why is doing the right thing to do the right thing to do when it comes to anything like morality. And what makes doing the right thing to do the right thing to do?

[@ted5871]

doing the right thing is "good" because it makes both parties feel satisfied with their choices. about the 2nd question, nothing makes doing the good the right thing to do because technically the term "good" is in question. how do we know what is truly good? is the "good" compliant to what the gods want? but how do we know that what they want? also, how do we know if the right thing to do is good if it benefits you but harms others. it also goes both ways, is it good if it harms others but you? you can't say that the true good won't harm anyone, because whatever someone gains is another's loss. what i'm trying to say is : there are no such thing as concrete answers in philosophy

[@mrchubbyfella9421]

Thank you so much for posting this !!!!!!!!!

[@pvsg1990]

I think that Philosophy is a good major that prepares you for Law or other graduate school program. You can also teach Philosophy, but you will need at least a Masters degree. I actually meet somebody at Starbucks, whom I had an interesting conversation, and he has a degree in Philosophy, and he works as a truck driver.

[@safa6267]

I am thirteen years old and worrying about what I’m going to study in uni. I am genuinely interested and I love philosophy but I don’t know how practical it would be to study it. I don’t want to disappoint my parents, too. I don’t know what side of the coin I should listen to because everyone is always shouting different arguments about it which leaves me more confused and stressed!

[@jordyntaylor877]

Never put pressure on yourself about disappointing other people if it's going to make you unhappy in the end even if that means your parents

[@AtheisticAdvocate]

what you mean by "Objective morality: Standards of behavior which have the same truth value for all people." is "Objective morality: Standards of behavior which are the same for all people regardless of how they perceive it." But that just begs the question. And requires an authority (begging the question of an authorities existence) Even if there is an authority that authority's morality is subjective. Aside from the fact that Morals are personal codes not impersonal ones (laws)

[@123ilovefrog]

I am convinced.

[@MrSmrtgy]

Are there any downfalls to majoring in philosophy?

[@duxnihilo]

@acdc14terrace That's not the definition. That's the etymological root.

[@jordandaniels7]

I havent finished the video yet, but I think a 6th reason is that with this degree you can make an argument as well as this and organize it so well. *Slow, tearful round of applause*

[@blazearmoru]

Alright, someone explain this to me please. I see the starting salary but for what job type(s)? O_o

[@blazearmoru]

If I wanted to major in philosophy, would I need a second major or minor? Or should I minor in philosophy? D:

[@Cristian182005]

Of course. I don't reckon it should be pursued as a full-time occupation, rather a... well, you can't really say "hobby", since to me it's more than that.

[@captaindisguise]

Do you think Philosophy should be taught even at the High School level i.e. a 4 year curriculum just like Math and Science?

[@greghilton8677]

I honestly hope so, I for one had no idea it was even taught in highschool.

[@nyutrig]

what he is saying that its primative to study it at a school. you can learn just as much if not more if you take the reigns and pursue the knowledge on your own.