USF
Philosophy Department
Undergraduate
Program
WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY,
ANYWAY?
PHILOSOPHY
AS PROFESSION
THE
REWARDS OF PHILOSOPHY
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WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY, ANYWAY?
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| The word "philosophy" derives
from the ancient Greek word philosophia, which is translated
as "the love of wisdom." For most of recorded history,
those who have investigated questions about human experience have
been called philosophers. As satisfactory descriptions and working
definitions were formulated to resolve some of these questions,
the individual sciences branched off and became separate disciplines.
The questions that remained unanswered constitute the subject matter
of philosophy as it is currently studied. |
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Questions about existence -- What kinds of
things exist? Do minds exist? Do bodies exist? Does God exist?
Do atoms exist? -- comprise that branch of philosophy traditionally
known as metaphysics. Questions about what we know, what we can
know, and how we may know constitute the area of philosophy known
as epistemology or the theory of knowledge. Ethics is that part
of philosophy that deals with questions of human conduct -- What
constitutes the good life? What actions are we obligated to do,
or to refrain from doing? What responsibilities do we have to
others and to ourselves?-- The study of social and political
philosophy asks questions about what constitutes a just society
or a just state. |
| Philosophers also ask questions about
special areas of human experience and specific types of injury.
Thus, within the study of philosophy, one finds logic, aesthetics
or the philosophy of art, the philosophy of science, the philosophy
of history and the philosophy of religion. |
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PHILOSOPHY
AS PROFESSION
|
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Traditionally, the professional philosopher
has become a university professor. Such a position normally requires
a doctoral degree, which usually entails four or five years of
graduate education beyond the Bachelor's degree. For those who
have the interest, ability, and dedication to pursue this degree,
philosophy can be one of the most rewarding, enjoyable, and intellectually
stimulating careers of all. However, the university professor
is no longer the only professional philosopher. |
| As American education evolved, so
has the profession. Increasing numbers of philosophers teach in
junior or community colleges, sometimes with a Master's degree
as their highest level of education. Some high schools are beginning
to offer philosophy courses, opening up new job opportunities to
philosophers without doctoral degrees. Recently, philosophers have
used their training to help solve problems in areas such as biomedical
ethics, environmental ethics, and social planning. Philosophers
also work in hospitals as bioethicists, and serve as consultants
to corporations and governmental agencies. |
|
As professional philosophy positions have become
more diverse, so have the backgrounds and cultural heritages
of the philosophers. In the past, the philosopher, like almost
all of the professional educators in colleges and universities,
was virtually certain to of Caucasian heritage and from a middle-class
family wealthy enough to afford a university education for its
sons (though usually not for its daughters). The advent of affirmative
action programs and non-discriminatory fellowships and scholarships
has encouraged both women and minorities to enter the profession. |
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OTHER JOBS
FOR PHILOSOPHERS
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| Not all philosophy majors become
professional philosophers. In fact, most do not. A philosophy major
receives a broad and comprehensive education that is preparation
to deal intelligently with any number of situations. Such a person
is suited to any of the occupations that require no special technical
knowledge. These include a variety of jobs in both business and
government – the major sources of employment opportunities today.
Many students majoring in philosophy have not yet planned a career.
They are interested in acquiring knowledge for its own sake. Such
students fit naturally into a philosophy major where they can study
the most persistent and basic questions that arise in human experience. |
THE REWARDS
OF PHILOSOPHY |
| A few words about non-economic reasons
for studying philosophy follow. If there is any quality common
to almost all philosophers, it is the urge to know and understand
ideas, concepts, and methods. It may seem bizarre, then, that they
enter a field of study wherein there is little consensus on major
questions and issues. The reason, of course, is that answered questions
are comparatively uninteresting – suitable for memorization and
practical use, but presenting little difficulty or intellectual
stimulation. |
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Furthermore, the questions of philosophy are
among the most basic and universal, concerning the nature of
man and God, mind and matter, and appearance and reality. Humankind
has felt the pull of these questions. All of us have wondered
about the value of existence and its meaning. Philosophers may
spend their lives grappling with these most important, compelling,
and interesting of all questions. |
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Some philosophers find answers
that are acceptable to them, and many do not. The struggle in
the journey is sufficient reward. In dealing with life's most
important questions, in sharpening ones logical and creative
abilities, and in studying crucial cultural texts and documents,
one develops the highest regard for the type of human inquiry
that constitutes philosophical thinking at its best. |
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