Why Study Philosophy?The irreplaceable value of a “useless” discipline

Look up “jobs for philosophers” on Google and you’re likely to find lots of jokes about baristas and french fry cooks. Not a lot of people, it turns out, make their living as philosophers. But while studying philosophy might not be the direct path to lots of careers or occupations, it’s an indirect path to almost any work you might wish to do in life; the skills on which philosophy courses focus are skills that are useful in a wide array of occupations, from lawyer to social worker, financial planner to nurse. Furthermore, the study of philosophy has enormous capacity to deepen and enrich the other parts of your life: as spouse or partner, as parent, friend, community member, teammate, or citizen.

The word “philosophy" derives from the Greek and means “love of wisdom.” Philosophy challenges you to use your intellect to its limits–and then pushes you beyond those limits. Philosophy asks questions you can’t possibly be expected to answer, and perhaps can’t even formulate clearly; questions humans have pondered for millennia. Indeed, it could be said that philosophy is the discipline of question asking; that asking good questions and explaining why they matter is at the heart of the subject, and is one of the most important skills you acquire when you study it. The capacity to ask reflective and challenging questions can prove useful in all aspects of your life, from being a good team member in a project at work, to being a thoughtful family member, to being an engaged member of your community.

Philosophy will give you many practical and concrete skills as well. These include skills in formulating claims and assembling evidence to support them, organizing your ideas in writing, uncovering assumptions and recognizing biases, and noticing connections and patterns and drawing conclusions from them. These are the skills that get called “critical thinking.” These highly desirable skills can be studied in courses in many disciplines. In philosophy, however, they’re the very essence of what we do.

The tools you acquire in philosophy are highly transportable: flexible and versatile. You can bring them with you to the study of virtually any academic subject. In developing your critical, interpretive, and evaluative abilities, your study of philosophy will also enrich your overall perspective on the world long after your college career is over.

Philosophers–those wise people you’ll read, analyze, argue about and question in your philosophy classes–are found in every country, and in every period in history. And lots of them didn’t make their living as philosophers either. Studying philosophy means coming to be able to recognize wisdom in its many forms.

What do you study in philosophy?

Philosophy often studies questions that arise when we take a step back from the immediacy of issues in our present world–in politics, in the arts, in the sciences, in sport, in popular culture. It asks “how can we understand these issues differently, if we generalize what is happening here, or if we look at the assumptions at work in this issue? How might we understand this kind of issue differently if we took the perspectives of another group of people?” So, while philosophy should not be confused with current events, it can nevertheless be tremendously useful for gaining perspective on the everyday world around one.

Philosophy also studies the questions that arise at the very fringes of other disciplines, such as the sciences, the arts, literature, education, medicine. These are the questions that can’t quite be asked from within those disciplines; questions that, when pursued, might have the effect of punching a hole in the side of that discipline, or of launching an entirely new discipline. It raises the questions that lie at the bottom of–or the outer limits of–our understanding of things such as race, gender, class, ability, and sexual identity. Philosophy is the discipline that operates at the edges of what we are able to talk about, and tries to question us into intelligibility.

The Key to Unlocking the Power of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a vital and useful skill for all parts of your life — not just the academic side. Studying philosophy enhances your critical thinking skills by giving you a solid foundation in logical analysis, reasoning, and evaluation. It encourages you to question assumptions, carefully examine ideas and arguments, and explore perspectives different from your own. Choosing to take a philosophy course is one of the most effective ways to refine your critical thinking skills; to hone your ability to think rationally about the best course of action or what to believe. Cultivating your critical thinking abilities isn’t about stockpiling information; being a great Jeopardy player doesn’t necessarily make you a strong critical thinker.

Philosophy thrives in an atmosphere of an open-mindedness curiosity. It not only invites skepticism, it encourages it, along with a willingness to consider an issue from multiple perspectives. Philosophy students learn to identify and evaluate logical fallacies, biases, and flaws in reasoning, and also to come up with creative arguments and powerful examples to illustrate important claims.

Strong critical thinking skills can help students get more out of reading philosophical texts, discussing relevant questions, and participating in debates. They help students sharpen their analytical and problem-solving abilities by emphasizing independent thinking, challenging established beliefs, and forming well-reasoned positions on philosophical topics.

The skills in critical thinking you develop in philosophy classes will translate well to your study in other disciplines, and will serve you well in your life beyond college: functioning as a member of a team at work, serving jury duty, working as a board member of a nonprofit organization, deciding for whom you will vote in an upcoming election, or doing your own taxes. Critical thinking is tremendously practical and useful!

Explore philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus

Philosophy courses: useful to any major

Students of any major can benefit from studying philosophy. The discipline offers all college students a chance to gain valuable skills and knowledge that enhance their academic pursuits, personal development, and future career prospects. Philosophy allows students the opportunity to practice and hone a variety of intellectual talents. Perhaps the most important of these is the ability to think analytically and critically: to unearth and question assumptions, to draw connections, to shift perspective and consider an issue from another vantage point.

Through the study of philosophy, students increase their problem-solving skills and boost their persuasive abilities. They learn how to construct and strengthen arguments; to evaluate evidence and assemble it convincingly; to develop compelling examples to illustrate challenging claims. They cultivate their capacity to communicate effectively, both in writing and in speaking.

Philosophy also offers students of any major the opportunity to examine their own major, from a bit of a distance. Philosophers interrogate the foundational principles of other disciplines, such as the sciences and mathematics. It examines the concepts that are fundamental to the study of things like literature and art, politics and religion. In the process, it gives students of these disciplines a new insight into those disciplines: their history, their structure, their subject matter and their aims. Philosophy gives students ways to ask useful and revelatory “why” questions about their own major, questions that give them a more interdisciplinary, integrated and mature understanding of their own major.

How Philosophy Enhances University Majors

No matter what your academic focus is, you’ll benefit from the study of philosophical topics. The study of philosophy prepares all students to succeed; not just in academics, but in their personal and professional lives as well. Many skills prominent in philosophy are transferable, like:

Critical Thinking and Reasoning Skills: Philosophy classes help you develop critical thinking and reasoning skills. Philosophy students sharpen their ability to identify assumptions, question biases, draw connections, make distinctions, and arrive at nuanced, informed choices. These skills are valuable in other academic disciplines, and translate well into everyday life situations.
Intellectual Curiosity and Open-mindedness: Philosophy challenges students to explore others’ perspectives and understand ideas different from their own. Students learn to appreciate a wide array of philosophical vantage points, and to consider alternative perspectives in a spirit of curiosity, openness and respectful criticism.
Communication and Writing Skills: Students in philosophy courses write and discuss ideas constantly. In your courses, you’ll be called upon to frame questions and explain their importance; to construct concise written arguments for your views; to articulate your confusion and the reasons for it. You’ll learn to express both your thoughts and your questions eloquently, to construct strong, subtle arguments, and to engage in respectful discussion–and inspire those around you to do the same.
Self-Discovery and Self-Expression: Studying philosophy encourages students to reflect on their own beliefs, values, and assumptions. It challenges students to express their own perspectives and engage in reflective introspection. This self-exploration fosters personal growth, self-awareness, and a deeper understanding of one's own values and convictions.
Critical reading: There are no two ways about it; philosophy texts are often hard to understand: convoluted, arcane, with long sentences and difficult language to explain really challenging concepts. Learning how to read such texts is a kind of “intellectual self-defense” tool that you can carry into other arenas in which difficult texts may be trying to keep you ignorant, and thus powerless.
Question asking: someone once said that a philosopher is like a “fully articulate two year old; always asking ‘why?’” This is a great way to describe one of the most powerful skills you’ll learn in philosophy; the capacity to ask “why” questions when, maybe, everyone else in the room thinks everything is perfectly clear and obvious. Truth be told; asking “why?” won’t always make you the most popular kid on the block–but it’ll sure leave you intellectually well prepared for what’s to come.

Philosophy and Law

Aspiring law students in particular may find philosophy especially engaging. One of the primary outcomes of philosophy education is to teach students to navigate complex intellectual ideas and engage in meaningful, productive discussions — both vital to the successful practice of law. In fact, philosophy offers several unique benefits to future law students:

Legal Reasoning and Argumentation: Philosophy involves using clear and logical argumentation that enhances the ability to present compelling cases and persuade others in legal contexts.
Ethical and Moral Considerations: Philosophy asks students to consider ethical theories and moral dilemmas, deepening their understanding of ethical principles and their applications, building a strong ethical foundation, and helping them better navigate complex ethical issues they may encounter in a legal setting. Philosophy equips them with the tools necessary to critically evaluate the ethical implications of legal decision making.
Interpretation and Understanding of Legal Texts: Success in philosophy depends on close reading, clear interpretation, and solid textual analysis. Law students who have studied philosophy have an advantage when interpreting legal texts because they can use philosophy's emphasis on precision and clarity of language to properly understand legal documents.
Exceptional Writing Skills: Legal matters demand rigorous analytical writing. Philosophy courses develop students’ abilities to communicate tricky concepts clearly and coherently — a key skill when it comes to all types of legal writing, including drafting legal briefs, opinions, and memos.

Whether your focus is law, philosophy, or a seemingly unrelated major, many students find great benefits from taking philosophy courses. For law students, studying philosophy can help to improve typical law school courses by equipping them with a solid intellectual and ethical foundation. Philosophy can help every student thrive, in both their studies and their careers.

Explore philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus

Majoring in philosophy: a remarkably practical, flexible choice

Very few people show up to college saying “I want to study philosophy, so I can become a philosopher.” (Indeed, many people land in their first philosophy class not knowing quite what the heck it is, having been told by someone in their life “everyone should take at least one philosophy class while they’re in college.” Many others land in philosophy because the class is open when they go to register for classes!) Studying philosophy doesn’t specifically prepare you for a career in anything in particular (unless you are in that very small group of people who know they want to be college professors of philosophy, or that even smaller group of independently wealthy people who want to spend their lives contemplating the meaning of life and don’t have to worry about getting a job). That’s the bad news–but it’s actually the good news.

That’s because employers in all kinds of industries, nonprofit organizations and professions report that they are seeking employees who have strong skills in critical thinking. And while many disciplines can promise that those are things you’ll learn when studying them, only in philosophy are these skills the focus of its study. So, while philosophy doesn’t prepare you for anything in particular, it does a tremendously good job of preparing you for everything in general. As a major, it leaves you in the nimble position of having a set of tools that you can put to use in a variety of jobs and professions–and not just the “usual suspects” like law and ministry. Philosophers become computer programmers, financial planners, schoolteachers, social workers, managers, data analysts and technical writers.

Philosophy at the College Level: Delving into Profound Questions and the Process of Personal Growth

Studying philosophy gives you an opportunity to address those big, abstract questions about which people always make philosophy jokes. Philosophers really do think about the meaning of life, and honestly, who wouldn’t want to get college credit for doing that?

The study of philosophy also fosters personal growth by helping students expand their worldview and discover what matters to them. Studying philosophy is a way to study yourself.

Reasons to take a Philosophy course

Taking a philosophy course can present you with fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, and reality. Philosophy concepts are intended to prompt deep, honest self-reflection, leading to a better understanding of yourself and the world.
Philosophy helps you develop your critical thinking skills, boosting your ability to evaluate statements, opinions, and arguments. You’ll learn to ask questions to make informed choices, a skill vital in other areas of life.
Being open to a variety of different philosophical perspectives fosters intellectual curiosity by teaching you to appreciate viewpoints different from your own, instilling empathy, tolerance, and a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives.
Taking part in ethical debates and discussion cultivates strong ethical reasoning and moral development. By refining your own ethics and moral positions, you can make thoughtful decisions in your personal and professional lives.
Philosophy places an emphasis on effective, clear communication and excellent written expression of ideas. It’s an important aspect of philosophy; one we’ll keep coming back to throughout the piece. Developing strong communication and writing skills helps you get your point across effectively.

In essence, studying philosophy in college invites you to explore profound questions, develop critical thinking skills, embrace intellectual curiosity, cultivate ethical reasoning, enhance communication abilities, and embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Doesn’t that sound like what you’d be doing late at night in the dorm anyway? Why not get credit for it?

Explore philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus

Philosophy in the Real World of Work

Despite being a distinct academic discipline, philosophy can be an excellent preparation for a wide variety of real-life occupations. If you’re interested in taking your philosophy studies beyond teaching or law, you’re in luck: if you can name a profession, your skills in philosophy will prove to be an asset.

Careers in which the study of philosophy is an asset

Journalism and Writing: Training in philosophy enhances the analytical and critical thinking skills of journalists and writers. The skills honed in philosophy help writers to craft thoughtful arguments that deal with complex issues.
Consulting and Strategy: Critical thinking and problem-solving, two of the most vital skills in philosophy, are vital to success in consulting and strategy. A foundation in philosophy allows strategists to analyze complex problems, think outside the box, and offer innovative, effective solutions.
Medicine and Healthcare: Bioethics and medical ethics are especially relevant to the healthcare field. These specialties help medical professionals navigate ethical dilemmas in patient care, medical research, and policy-making.
Counseling and Therapy: Philosophical concepts and frameworks can help guide individuals as they explore existential questions, the meaning of life, and moral dilemmas.
Social Work: Studying philosophy enhances critical thinking and ethical reasoning, essential skills for addressing complex social issues and advocating effectively.
Ministry: Deepens an understanding of ethical principles and existential questions, providing a strong foundation for thoughtful and compassionate leadership in ministry.
Entrepreneurship: Questioning can lead to new ideas and creative solutions that can drive innovation.
Law: Sharpen analytical reasoning and enhanced understanding of ethical frameworks, provide a strong foundation for effective legal analysis and argumentation.
Philosophy professor: well, it is a thing, after all!

You can employ the skills you develop studying philosophy in any of a variety of jobs and professions. Philosophy gives individuals the skills to excel in fields in which critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and deep analysis are valued.

Studying philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus

Philosophy isn’t only useful as career prep; philosophy is life prep. We encourage and welcome all students at Gustavus to join us for one (or more!) philosophy courses. Though our department is small, you’ll find a pretty surprising array of classes, including some “standards” and some “unusual suspects.” You might find a class that complements your major beautifully–or you might take a class that leads you to identify your major.

Standard philosophy courses include history courses in Ancient, Modern and Contemporary Philosophy, as well as courses in topics like Ethical Theory and Logic. Our faculty also have intriguing research specialties, and they regularly offer courses in them. How about a course in battle rap? The philosophy of sport? Addiction? Vagueness? Food? These are some of the uncommon and exciting areas of research that philosophers at Gustavus are studying. Taking a philosophy course lets you work side-by-side with excellent teachers excited about their subject matter. Beyond that, they are also respected philosophers, active as writers, lecturers, performers, and public intellectuals.

The Philosophy Department of Gustavus Adolphus provides you with the resources and support you need to expand your vision, become a citizen of the world, and participate in making a better future. Begin your journey at Gustavus Adolphus College.

What our graduates say about studying philosophy

Don’t take our word for it. We asked a cross-section of students from years past to tell us what they learned and why they found studying philosophy valuable. Here are some of their responses.

Reed Kottke, 2022 graduate

College admission counselor
Philosophy challenged me to problem solve and think responsibly. As a Public Accounting major, Philosophy helped me to contribute to my capacity to organize ideas and issues within large quantities of information. Philosophy helped me to employ reasoning across all my coursework. I will always be thankful for taking Philosophy of Art class sparked my interest in Philosophy.

Mike O’Neil, 2020 graduate

World Wildlife Fund
Philosophy taught me how to ask good questions, distill complex arguments into their core components, and communicate persuasively. These skills are universal, but as a management consultant I am able to connect with clients, understand the root causes of their challenges, and develop solutions with their buy-in. It's also clear that these core "Philosophy" skills become even more valuable the further along one gets in their chosen career. I chose to study Philosophy at Gustavus because of the phenomenal group of professors and peers. It was a wonderful complement to my finance classes and I probably would've stuck with any topic that offered the same small class sizes, intellectual freedom to explore topics of interest with enthusiastic peers, and genuine personal relationships with professors.

Allison Retterath, 2018 graduate

Minnesota Health and Human Services
Philosophy provides a strong foundation for many different paths. The skills you develop, including forming arguments, critical thinking, reading comprehension, clear and concise writing, and ethical problem solving, set students up to be successful in many careers. My education in philosophy, particularly courses surrounding oppression and privilege, provided a base for all the work I do today. The advanced reading and writing also prepared me for graduate level coursework.

Andy Twiton, 2008 graduate

Lutheran pastor, parent, activist
The study of philosophy touches every part of your life. Anything that’s worth reflecting on will be enriched by the texts, questions, discussions, and writing found in a philosophy classroom. My philosophy major at Gustavus awakened curiosity for a wide range of subjects and gave me skills for lifelong learning.

Bethany Mueller, 2003 graduate

Minneapolis Veterans’ Administration
I found studying philosophy as an undergraduate useful because learning how to read and comprehend theory was an integral foundation of my education. In my philosophy classes I learned to think critically; and I learned a language that allowed me to delve deeper into thoughts and questions. This language helped me to write papers as well as articulate my thoughts during late night conversations in my dorm. This broader understanding of my education was critical while participating in in a study abroad semester, Justice, Peace and Development in India. While researching and studying rural women farmers I more fully explored the connections between their roles as women and their work with the land because of what I had learned in my first philosophy classes.

Erin Dana, 2001 graduate

Studying philosophy teaches you how to approach problems, view arguments from multiple perspectives and to think around situations. Studying philosophy refines your ability to communicate clearly with others and articulate your thoughts in a meaningful way. Studying philosophy at Gustavus made graduate school a breeze. My cohort did not have experience wrestling with difficult texts or writing clear arguments and found the work to be much more challenging. One of my first jobs after college was Academic Advisor at Pacific Lutheran University. My primary focus there was working with underrepresented populations and bridging achievement gaps. The skills I learned and the talents that were polished in my study of philosophy actually played an important role in my professional life. In that job, I was involved in more research and article writing in my professional career because of the jump start I had as an undergraduate. My communication and clarifying skills were also immensely important. Even when I was the newest person in my office I got most of the challenging work because of my analytic and problem solving skills.

Steve Bloom, 1987 graduate

The study of philosophy has made me a better person in many ways. First and foremost, the ability to respect and gain understanding of others’ views will help you in your everyday life, and work life. Philosophy has taught me to respect one’s views, even if I don’t agree. My ability to negotiate is far superior to my peers for this simple reason. If I seek to gain understanding, I can then leverage what makes that person tick and try to satisfy their needs along with mine. In addition, philosophy has taught me to be a much better speaker and writer. In order to convey your thoughts in philosophy, you must speak and write essays.

John Biewen, 1983 graduate

The best part of all is that, despite what people may think, the study of philosophy does not cause poverty or joblessness. A lot of good jobs—and all of the interesting ones—require thinking and reasoning and writing. Philosophy trains you in these skills. You should study philosophy because doing so will make you more interesting at parties for the rest of your life. Especially if you can say you were a philosophy MAJOR, people will assume you care little about money and may find you intriguing, even slightly dangerous. What's more, the study of philosophy will in fact make you smarter and more reflective, leading you to make more provocative and thoughtful remarks to your fellow party-goers.