occupational prospects and career opportunities after studying philosophy.
INTRODUCTION
During
the antiquity era, philosophy as a discipline was extol and considered as an essential
to several occupational endeavors. However, at the dawn of modernity, this
status of philosophy systematically began to change until the present era in
which many regard it as less useful to the society. This newly imposed status
of philosophy could be resulted from the immense glorification of scientific
fields in total unawareness of their roots in philosophy. This abhorrence of
philosophy could be more illustrated from Luke Mably’s statement in the British
Psychological thriller film ‘Exam’ where he says “fucking philosophers, thank
God this world belongs to doers and not thinkers”[1].
From the above statement, Mably explicitly denounced the usefulness of
philosophy and also denies its practical importance to the society. Thus in his
view thinkers (philosophers) have lost the world to doers (scientists) and this
epitomizes the current conception people have towards philosophy as a
discipline and philosophers. Also, Stephen Hawking definitively says it all
where he said:-
“…philosophy
is dead. Philosophy has not kept up with modern developments in science,
particularly physics. Scientists have become the bearers of the torch to
discovery in our quest for knowledge.[2]”
This
view raises the problematic of occupational prospects and career opportunities
to philosophers and also students who devote their time and energy to the study
of philosophy. This problematic has adversely influenced many philosophy
students to despair of getting a meaning job when they graduate. It has also
discouraged several employers to see the true value of a philosopher to various
occupational enterprises. Thus the society seems to scorn philosophers and see
their study as wasteful.
Nevertheless,
the purpose of this paper is focused at this problematic, exploring
occupational prospects and career opportunities after studying philosophy. In
order to achieve this goal, as a means of procedure, I will firstly give an
elaborate definition of philosophy. Furthermore, I will point out the value of
philosophy to the society. Having achieved that, I will explore the various
occupation prospects and career opportunities at the disposal of philosophy
students, and then the conclusion follows afterwards.
THE CONCEPTION OF
PHILOSOPHY
The term philosophy is from the
Greek word ‘philosophia’ which means
‘love of wisdom’. It deals with the ultimate and general problems which centers
around with nature of existence, knowledge, morality, reason and human purpose.[3] Furthermore
, A. C. Grayling avers that the primary objectives of philosophical inquiry is
to have an insights into questions about truths, reality and values.[4] Philosophy
is an enterprise that begins with wonder at the marvels and mysteries of the
world; that pursues a rational investigation of those marvels and mysteries,
seeking wisdom and truth; and that results in a life lived in passionate moral
and intellectual integrity[5]. Philosophy
leaves no aspect of life untouched by its inquiry. It aims at a clear,
critical, comprehensive conception of reality. Since philosophy is defined as
the love of wisdom, it means that philosophers are lovers of wisdom and because
of this reason they are always in search
for wisdom. The main characteristic of philosophy is rational argument.
Philosophers clarify concepts and analyze and test propositions and beliefs,
but their major task is to analyze and construct arguments. Thus, Aristotle in
his metaphysics outlined certain
characteristics of wisdom and that of a wise man. He avers that:
(a) a wise man have knowledges of all things as possible although he does not know them in details.
(b) a wise man can learn things that
are difficult and not easy for a common man to know
(c) a wise man is more exact and
more capable to teach the causes of things
(d) a wise man desires to know
things for its own sake
(e) a wise man orders and those that are not wise
follows him.[6]
More so, in philosophy we have four main core areas and
are applied in many fields. The four main areas are logic, metaphysics,
epistemology and ethics. Logic happen to be the tool and science of reasoning;
it distinguish between good reasoning and bad reasoning processes. Metaphysics
is the aspect in philosophy that studies being qua being. Epistemology has to do with search for knowledge, their
sources and justification and ethics questions the rightness and wrongness of
our moral life. Hence, there are other fields that philosophy is being applied
to thus, we have philosophy of law, philosophy of Bio-ethics, philosophy of Language philosophy
of Religion etc.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy
has been undermine by many and further makes caricature of it, that it cannot
answer any question to its conclusion. Furthermore, as Bertrand Russell avers
that philosophy is to be studied, but not for the sake of having any finite
answers to its questions but rather for the sake of the questions themselves;
because these questions widen our conception of what is possible, refine our intellectual
imagination and diminish our dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against
speculation. According to this Bertrand Russell statement, it portrays the unslakable
human nature in respect regards to knowledge and its quest to know more and on
this basis is every human endeavor. Thus, every discovery made to enrich human
well-being is resulted from our continuous quest for knowledge, which was the beginning
of various academic field of disciplines. More so, these entire academic field
of disciplines channel down to
philosophy since the quest for knowledge is typical of its nature. Hence
philosophy is invaluable.
OCCUPATIONAL PROSPECTS IN
STUDYING PHILOSOPHY
As
a philosophy graduate the first self evaluation one has to make is to examine
the various knowledge he or she has acquired after studying philosophy.
Philosophy must have inculcate in him/her the act of thinking logically and
critically about issues, evaluate or analyse and construct arguments, so that
he or she can be expose to new ideas, write and speak clearly and persuasively,
absorb and sift complex information to arrive at a reasoned conclusion, so that to be self-motivated, creative and
disciplined.[7]
Thus the question “what can I do with a philosophy degree?” has been replace to
a question “of the many career options before me as a philosophy graduate,
which one is best and suitable for me?”[8]
However,
the conventional saying that a philosophy graduate ends up in class room
teaching. To some extent the saying is true, because great teachers have
emerged as a product of philosophy over time. Great philosophers like
Aristotle, Pythagoras, Plato, Immanuel Kant, were and are renowned teachers
whose legacies were and are appreciated. Also in the present time, philosophy
continues to produce outstanding lecturers like Dr George Nwaorgu, Prof. Isaac
Ukpokolo etc even in disciplines other than philosophy. Nevertheless, teaching
is not the only occupation at the disposal of philosophers.
There
are also many testimonies from renown personalities like, Catherine Holzle, a
senior attorney with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission who testified how
her study in philosophy at Maryland has helped her career in law.[9]
Hence, the ability to think and write clearly, to analyze and present arguments
is highly valued in law profession.
Furthermore,
philosophy can be applied to other disciplines like philosophy of religion,
economics, psychology, medicine etc. which at the end makes a philosophy
graduate well grounded and equip to work in various fields. A graduate of
philosophy can work in any sector like health care administrator, public
administrator, business management, an editor of newspapers and magazines,
movie directors and producers etc. furthermore, a study in philosophy gives one
a greater capability to take up and be able to manage political, cultural,
social and religious offices.
The
likes of, TS Eliot (poet), Woody Allen (film director), Bruce Lee (martial art
actor), Martin Luther King (civil right leader), Bill Clinton (former U.S
President) and Mr. Peter Obi (former Governor of Anambara state), are product
of Philosophy. So, any philosophy student or graduate who feels emasculate of
what occupation a philosophy degree can offer should look upon these prodigies
who were also philosophy graduates.
CONCLUSION
The
initial problematic of this paper which is to ascertain the occupational
prospects in studying philosophy has being to a great extent unraveled. Earlier
it was pointed out that this problematic emerged at the recent exaltation of
scientific fields and the derision of philosophy discipline. As a result of
this derision, the question of the occupational prospect in studying philosophy
arises. However, in this paper, I have embarked on reasserting the value of
philosophy and also exploring the various careers at the disposal of graduates.
Therefore, I encourage myself and my philosophy comrades, graduate and
undergraduate, philosophy has quite equipped us to be better and do better in
the society.
[1] Luke Mably, Exam, A British
Psychological thriller film (Directed
by Stuart Hazeldine and produced by Gareth Unwin, 2009)
[2] Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, The Grand Design (Bantam Books publication, 2010) p. 10
[3] Jenny Teichmann and Katherine Evans, Philosophy: the Beginner’s Guild (Blackwell publishing, 1999) p.1
[4] A. C. Grayling, Philosophy 1:
A Guide Through the Subject (oxford university press 1998) p. 1
[5] Louis P. Pojman and James Fieser, Ethics Discovering Right and Wrong, Seventh Edition
[6] W. D. Ross (trans & ed) Aristotle metaphysics book ii
[7] www.theguardian.com/money/2010/oct/30/graduate-careers-philosophy
[8] www.philosophy.umed.edu/undergraduate/careers
[9] Ibid.
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