<p>Why Philosophy?</p>
<p>Is it just for the law school thing?
Is it just for knowledge?(by knowledge i assume acquiring information, but not doing anything with that information/knowledge other than adding a book to your library)</p>
<p>Not to criticize anyone, but the above two reasons(law school & knowledge) to a certain extent bug me. It bugs me because I’ve seen to many who finish their major leaving the exact same way they came in…unchanged. Maybe it’s an expectation of mine, because I’ve changed tremendously in actions and the way I live my life, but am I unique to this experience.</p>
<p>I think the answer to your question can be found here.</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyD7acQPDzU]answer[/url”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyD7acQPDzU]answer[/url</a>]</p>
<p>serious: This question has been asked before. In short, because they like it. Future be damned!</p>
<p>Many people plan on going to law school or grad school but this is a major that will change you unlike History which will just give you information. Philosophy changes your outlook on life and teaches you to think critically and analytically. </p>
<p>Philosophy’s goal is nothing less than a systematic world view. Other fields study particular kinds of things. Philosophy asks how it all fits together. For example, if you want to learn about bodies, take a course in physics or biology. If you want to learn about minds, take a course in psychology. But if you want to learn about how minds are related to bodies, or how physics is related to psychology, then philosophy (of mind) is for you. Similarly, economics, political science, and art and music courses study different values (welfare, justice, and beauty). Then moral philosophers ask how these values are similar or different, when one may be traded off against another, and where any of these values fit into the physical world</p>
<p>EPIC FAIL ESHUG1</p>
<p>You displayed your ignorance when you said History could not change someone. Do you really think History is just names and dates? </p>
<p>An extensive knowledge of history is good for alot more than just jeopardy you know. It’s knowledge that can be applied in everyday life.</p>
<p>“Philosophy changes your outlook on life and teaches you to think critically and analytically.”
I see to many people who don’t. If anything they stick to studying philosophers or philosophy that only confirms their own point of view(the one they had prior to coming into a class/major), etc. Try reasoning with a christian in a philosophy class, not to say that no one is entitled to their own beliefs, but christianity for example, tends to block objective critical and analytical thinking for the believers.</p>
<p>yeah well there are different cases for everything. It gives u the opportunity to teach you how to think* if you choose not to learn it or be stubborn thats just the person. I bet there are people in business econ who know nothing also, so it just depends on you. But if you are into it, philosophy can help you in law, business, and life in general</p>
<p>reason why I don’t value pre-professional majors.
just interested in hearing from others as to why.</p>
<p>i’m not even sure how to approach this.</p>
<p>i’ll say this:</p>
<p>knowledge… new knowledge… any bit of knowledge… INFINITELY affects the way in which you think / function / interact / feel / etc. when you ask if the pursuit of philosophy is simply ‘for the sake of knowledge’, then by definition, you’re entirely correct… however, if you’re suggesting that the type of knowledge sought by the academic philosopher is such that it serves no other purpose than to temper one’s sense of bourgeois, holier-than-thou superiority, you can’t be more mistaken. the philosopher can’t help but live only through the filter of his own knowledge - a knowledge that is simultaneously all empowering and all humbling. he is the first to admit his fault when he finds it, and the last to admit defeat when he is in the right. </p>
<p>do not degrade philosophy by referring to it as a means to attaining an intimidating library.</p>
<p>philosophy… or, generally, reading… also teaches you how to better articulate yourself… and also, how to spell…</p>
<p>^^^
English Major.</p>
<p>^^^
thanks for the contribution.</p>
<p>what value is there in attaining a library when one is an exactly the same person in mentality and action, as before one accumulated a libary?</p>
<p>replace my above statement regarding christians with male, female, practical, money hungry, old, young. straight, gay. atheist or any label that begets certain practices/beliefs in way of life. each one of those labels can create a shield in accessing the “library,” and if one only accesses the library for defense per subjective experience what value does love of wisdom serve, when love of knowledge fulfills it.</p>
<p>liek,</p>
<p>you’re seriously misunderstanding this whole philosophy thing.
take this question to a professor, because there’s nothing anyone on this board can say to change your mind, anyway.</p>
<p>grey probably could.</p>
<p>In his absence it’s your job to defend the field, pinker.</p>
<p>UC,</p>
<p>sometimes, especially on forums (or so i’ve found), people tend not to read responses critically. they won’t extract the object of a given sentence, and will instead either reiterate their initial point or respond to some insignificant piece of a post. once you recognize that this is happening, there’s no need to continue the discourse.</p>
<p>pinker i agree…people dont makes posts to actually get answers no matter how convincing a response might be. They do it with a closed-mind and its pointless to waste your time, because most people are too stubborn to admit that their initial thoughts were wrong</p>
<p>What else are you supposed to do at 2 AM? Especially when you have lecture at 8 AM.</p>
<p>I’ve learned to just stay shut, and remember the point of my question which is to get an answer, and for those who replied thanks and i’m sorry for debating your reason. for those to reply, i’ll stay on track and just read.</p>
<p>and for clarification purposes, the original question why philosophy was meant and is meant not in general. i understand why many people do it. i’m asking why philosophy to those who are doing it,(their subjective/personal reason). even if that means reading the same answer posted by different people.
a tally.</p>