What is it like being a Philosophy major?
What are common misconceptions about PHI majors?
What kind of internships and international experiences have majors had?
How will Philosophy majors save the world?
Why would anyone want to date a Philosophy major?
Philosophy is the art of the argument. It consists of ideas about human nature, and the nature of the world we live in. Philosophical arguments generally aim to be basic, pervasive, and ultimately persuasive. Philosophy is a very appealing study because it is an interdisciplinary practice; no topic of academia that sparks your interest can escape the bounds of philosophy.
One can learn many different things from various areas of philosophical study. For example, metaphysics deals in theories of reality, epistemology focuses on theories of knowledge, ethics attempts to make sense of our moral values, and political philosophy is the theory of our legal rights and government. These are only some of the many areas of philosophy. From personal experience, philosophy more than any other academic endeavor, teaches us how to think critically about the implications of being a human being in the world today. How do our actions and beliefs affect the world we live in? What are the implications of the decisions we collectively make day by day?
What is it like being a Philosophy major?
Philosophy at Princeton typically does not involve any problem sets, which is a plus. A philosophy concentrator needs to be good at digesting the arguments of others so as to comprehensively defend or refute their position. In other words you need to be able to argue convincingly your own position on a given topic (which happens to go hand in hand with the ability to argue in favor of the opposite stance).
Independent Work and Departmental Examination:
- Junior Year: Work consists of participation in a first semester Junior Seminar followed by a second semester Junior Paper. Both involve a final paper of about 20 pages in length. Make sure to work with a professor that you have already had in a course and/or one with whom you like to work.
- Senior Year: Work involves a senior thesis that is at minimum 40 pages in length and an oral departmental examination that is 90 minutes on philosophical topics that include the topic of the individual's thesis.
What are common misconceptions about PHI majors?
A common misconception is that such a major limits one's career opportunities. This simply is not true. Philosophy teaches you how to think incredibly critically and diligently on a wide range of topics. Such a mindset is respected by peers in any career field.
What kind of internships and international experiences have majors had?
We have applied our abilities to think critically, analyze, and problem solve at the following places: an internship for Palm Inc. for the past three summers as a software quality assurance engineer; the German Parliament, the European Parliament and a high profile international law firm (Skadden LLP), which probably beats the internships of a lot of politics majors.
How will Philosophy majors save the world?
Because philosophers have a better understanding of the nature of man and his place in the world, they have the ability to show others the errors in the ways of mankind today and the appropriate paths we must take to correct these errors. Philosophy is a lens that teaches you a different and new approach to the world, one that will help you in anything you wish to pursue.
Why would anyone want to date a PHI major?
Because philosophers consistently maintain a sense of humor and humility about the world and themselves.
