About Philosophy
Why study philosophy?
Mathematicians, economists, students of medicine, students of politics, students of physics, theologians, linguists, critics of literature and the arts - all these and more will encounter philosophical problems. This is because philosophy characteristically raises questions about the basic assumptions of every form of human inquiry, having amongst its branches the philosophy of science, of religion, of psychology, of history, of law, of economics, and so on. Those who want to be able to understand these problems when they face them, and ultimately get answers to them, will require at least a basic training in philosophy. However it mustn't be thought that studying philosophy is only useful if and when you confront some especially philosophical problem. Open-mindedness is perhaps the characteristic mark of an educated person. But open-mindedness is a virtue only when combined with the ability to appraise with a critical eye what comes in: an open-and-sloppy mind can be as bad as a mind that is permanently shut. Philosophy at university is fundamentally concerned with developing open-mindedness together with the various skills of critical appraisal. Those who possess these virtues are well-placed to gain a better understanding of both themselves and their culture.
How will studying philosophy help me get a job?
At Monash, philosophy is a subject that you take as part of an overall program of study in an Arts or Science degree. Unlike degrees in Law or Medicine, Arts and Science degrees fit you for a variety of careers, not just one. It is therefore not easy to say just what jobs philosophy will help you get, there are so many. For example, some of our recent graduates who majored in philosophy have gone on to jobs in computing, education, finance, the public service and the diplomatic corps. Still others have gone on to graduate work in philosophy and then on to teaching positions at colleges and universities, both in Australia and abroad, research positions in ethics centres, positions on hospital ethics committees and, in two cases, successful careers as politicians!
A number of studies have been conducted into what employers look for in graduates. The results suggest that:
- the specific facts and skills explicitly taught in degree courses are relevant to only about 50% of vacancies, and in most cases graduate recruits require further training;
- the qualities most sought after are general intellectual and personal skills which receive relatively little attention in most degree courses.
- reasoning skills: logic; analysis and synthesis; handling of concepts; critical ability; identifying and questioning assumptions
- arguing a case; problem solving and decision making
- handling symbolism: formal systems; statistical arguments; computer literacy
- communication skills: clarity, relevance, and succinctness in written and oral presentations
- comprehension: mastery of difficult and complex texts; listening to what others say, and appreciating different points of view; coping with a high level of uncertainty
- depth and breadth of view: seeing beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries; identifying first principles and practical applications; tracing connections; objectivity
- reflexivity: handling of second-order questions; awareness of one's own thinking and use of language; ability to assess one's own strengths and weaknesses, and those of others
- originality: independence of thought; flexibility of approach; adaptability to a changing environment; inventiveness in producing examples and counter-examples
- cooperativeness: ability to work in teams in different capacities; constructive contribution to group discussion and joint products
- responsibility: ability to act autonomously and to learn independently; awareness of ethical implications.
It is becoming increasingly common for employers of graduates to ask academic referees to assess candidates under headings such as the above. Studies in the USA have shown that philosophy majors consistently outperform graduates of all other disciplines in reasoning and verbal aptitude tests; and among Arts and Social Studies graduates, they come behind only economists on quantitative skills (see Peter Ratcliffe and Martin Warner, Philosophy Graduates and Jobs, Royal Institute of Philosophy and the University of Warwick, 1986). This suggests that philosophy is in fact effective in developing transferable skills, even if they are not included among the explicit objectives of philosophy courses.
Indeed, surveys conducted in the UK in 2007, show that it is these kinds of skills that are ensuring that philosophy graduates are in growing demand from employers. The Guardian, "I think, therefore I earn" (Nov. 20, 2007), reports that philosophy graduates are finding it easier to secure work and discusses the reasons for this. The article quotes Fiona Czerniawska, director of the Management Consultancies Association's think tank in the UK, who says: "A philosophy degree has trained the individual's brain and given them the ability to provide management-consulting firms with the sort of skills that they require and clients demand. These skills can include the ability to be very analytical, provide clear and innovative thinking, and question assumptions." With regard to medicine and related fields, Deborah Bowman, associate dean for widening participation at St George's, University of London, which offers medicine and health sciences courses, says that philosophers are increasingly sought after by the NHS: "Graduates of philosophy who come in to graduate-entry medicine, or to nursing courses, are very useful. Growth areas in the NHS include clinical ethicists, who assist doctors and nurses. Medical ethics committees and ethics training courses for staff are also growing. More and more people are needed to comment on moral issues in healthcare, such as abortion."
What philosophy units are on offer?
Philosophy students at Monash have a wide choice of units. At first year there are courses on reasoning and rationality, contemporary moral issues, logic, the philosophy of religion, science and commonsense, crime and punishment, the relationship between the mind and body, metaphysics and the objectivity of morality. At second and third year there is an even wider range: from courses on ethics, the philosophy of feminism, philosophy and the environment and aesthetics to courses on space, time and causation, symbolic logic and the philosophy of language; from courses on the Greek philosophers (Plato and Aristotle) to courses on German philosophers (Kant, Hegel and Nietzsche), to courses on the current crop of French philosophers (Derrida and Foucault).
After you've finished your Arts degree you may want to continue on for a fourth year of study: the BA with Honours. In their fourth year, philosophy students choose from courses on logic and language, epistemology and metaphysics, value theory and contemporary philosophical problems. They are also able to do a supervised reading course, so tailoring their course to their own interests. In addition, all students write a substantial research paper on a topic of their own choice.
So, as you can see, there is a vast array of philosophy units available at Monash. In fact, our students' main problem is choosing from amongst the many options that are available to them.
Philosophy at Monash
Perhaps you won't be surprised to hear that philosophy is one of the most popular first-year units offered in Arts at Monash. And perhaps you won't be surprised to hear, as well, that philosophy is a very popular major with Arts/Law students... or that the philosophy department is one of the main departments involved in the cognitive science program at Monash... or... and so we could go on!
We hope that you too will find in the vast array of philosophy units available at Monash a challenging and stimulating course of study, a course of study that will contribute in a fundamental way to your overall program of study at Monash.
Many units you take at university will teach you interesting and important facts. But it is the nature of facts that you sometimes forget them. Though philosophy too will teach you some facts, it will primarily teach you a way of thinking to which you will have recourse for the rest of your life.
Have a chat to the Undergraduate Coordinator, Monima Chadha to find out more.