When considering the most important fields of study, people often place STEM fields at the top of the list. Philosophy, on the other hand, is likely placed near the bottom, being mocked as “useless” for its abstract nature. But that is precisely what makes philosophy valuable. Students should appreciate philosophy more because its open-ended nature enables greater curiosity and a critical examination of their beliefs.
It is common to hear that philosophy fosters critical thinking, but what is critical thinking? Structurally, philosophy is fundamentally aimed at truth-seeking, which requires a rigorous defense and questioning of belief. Beliefs are constantly interrogated, forcing those who engage in philosophy to either justify what they believe or learn from different viewpoints. The goal is not to produce a concrete answer. Rather, philosophy’s value lies in the constant back-and forth of learning and argumentation. After all, philosophy and the curiosity behind it would be undermined if a single answer were achieved.
“[In] any conversation you have with somebody, if their philosophy is different than yours, it’s good to listen to them, learn from them, and then develop your own opinions of it,” sociology teacher Brian Smith said. “I think it’s all about one’s perspective on how you grow with learning about philosophy. I think people use philosophy without really realizing they’re using it.”
The importance of philosophy largely stems from the fact that it is a pervasive field, present in every conversation and every thought. It is a universal field, encompassing everything from media interaction to firmly held political stances. Understanding and rationalizing the origins of such viewpoints is where philosophy provides value.
The field also holds value from a practical perspective. Philosophy majors score among the highest in standardized tests such as the GRE or LSAT. And compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.2%, philosophy majors are a full point lower at 3.2%, according to Forbes. Additionally, philosophy builds soft skills such as communication, problem-solving and analysis, which are increasingly valued in the age of AI. Ultimately, the study of philosophy builds real skills with applicable advantages from general employability to more specialized fields.
Nevertheless, critics contend that the field is becoming increasingly impenetrable, with most contemporary philosophy being abstract and jargon-heavy while historical works are filled with dense and obscure language. Academic philosophy faces an accessibility problem. However, philosophy as a general study or interest still has merit, according to Philosophy Club president and senior Jenny Park.
“I think a lot of people think philosophy is just those famous people,” Park said. “People don’t really think about how it is part of everyday life, and how it actually incorporates into our lives, and every decision that we make can be threaded into philosophy.”
The value of philosophy is defined by its capacity to examine the deepest convictions and beliefs that we may have. By forcing us to justify our positions and engage in direct discourse with those we disagree with, our critical thinking and perspectives expand. And although it is unreasonable to expect students to adopt philosophy as a formal field of study, even spending time contemplating or discussing an interesting idea can be productive and insightful.
