Why Philosophy?

Famous Philosophy Majors | What is Philosophy? | Benefits

Harvard Philosophy Concentration |Graduate School? | Contact Us

Famous Philosophy Majors

Who majors in philosophy? The study of philosophy does not not necessarily limit one to a
career in academia, though this is certainly an option.

You might be surprised to learn that many people have studied philosophy and gone on to
success in a variety of careers, from comedy (George Carlin, Woody Allen, Steve Martin) to
business (Carly Fiorina, George Soros) to acting (Harrison Ford, Bruce Lee) to literature (T.S.
Eliot, Pearl Buck, David Foster Wallace) to politics (Václav Havel, Bill Clinton) to law (Hon.
Stephen Breyer, Hon. David Souter, Hon. Beverly McLachlin) to the arts (Phillip Glass) to
journalism (Stone Phillips) to social activism (Martin Luther King, Jr., Elie Wiesel) to sports (Phil
Jackson, John Elway).

For a more extensive list, please click here.

Back to top

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy is the systematic and critical study of fundamental questions that arise both in
everyday life and through the practice of other disciplines. Some of these questions concern
the nature of reality: Is there an external world? What is the relationship between the physical
and the mental? Does God exist? Others concern our nature as rational, purposive, and social
beings: Do we act freely? Where do our moral obligations come from? How do we construct
just political states? Others concern the nature and extent of our knowledge: What is it to
know something rather than merely believe it? Does all of our knowledge come from sensory
experience? Are there limits to our knowledge? And still others concern the foundations and
implications of other disciplines: What is a scientific explanation? What is the status of
evolutionary theory versus creationism? Does the possibility of genetic cloning alter our
conception of self? Do the results of quantum mechanics force us to view our relations to
objects differently?

The aim in Philosophy is not to master a body of facts, so much as think clearly and sharply
through any set of facts. Towards that end, philosophy students are trained to read critically,
analyze and assess arguments, discern hidden assumptions, construct logically tight
arguments, and express themselves clearly and precisely in both speech and writing. These
formidable talents can be applied to philosophical issues as well as others, and philosophy
students excel in fields as varied as law, business, medicine, journalism, and politics.

Those interested in reading more about various ways of looking at philosophical practice may
want to peruse some of the texts listed in this bibliography.

Back to top

Benefits of Philosophical Training

Philosophy is a discipline requiring skills in reasoning and writing. Thus, the study of philosophy
helps a person to develop the abilities to:

Read texts closely

Analyze positions critically

Uncover tacit presuppositions

Construct cogent arguments, and

Explain and argue in clear persuasive writing.

These skills are extremely useful in many other disciplines beyond philosophy—and for a range
of careers, such as law, computer science, business, medicine, writing, the arts, publishing, and
many others. The abilities to write well and to "think outside the box" are in high demand from
employers, and will serve students well in their post-college life, as the following articles
indicate:

"Philosophers Find the Degree Pays Off in Life And in Work," C.M. Cropper, New York Times,
1997.

"The Rise in Stock of Philosophy Graduates," J. Shepherd, The Guardian (UK), 2007.

"In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Life Examined," W. Hu, New York
Times, 2008.

"Is Philosophy the Most Practical Major?", Edward Tenner, The Atlantic, 2011.

"What Can I Do With A Humanities Degree?", Bruce Janz

Back to top

The Undergraduate Concentration in Philosophy at Harvard

What are some of the unique aspects of this concentration?

The department has a large faculty-to-student ratio, so lecture courses are relatively small.
Faculty members sometimes lead tutorials, and every philosophy concentrator is assigned a
faculty advisor.

The Work in Progress Lunch Series allows students to talk with faculty and graduate students
about their ongoing research.

The Harvard Review of Philosophy is an undergraduate-run annual journal that publishes

articles by and interviews with prominent philosophers, runs weekly philosophical discussion
groups for undergraduates, and organizes lectures and dinners with faculty.

Women in Philosophy organizes a lecture once a year by a local woman philosopher and
organizes social gatherings for women undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.

The Philosophical Psychology Lab allows students to explore philosophical problems of

perception while collaborating with psychologists and running experiments. And students are
encouraged to attend the frequent talks, receptions, and teas hosted by the department.

Do I have to write a thesis?

Students may concentrate in Philosophy with, or without, honors. Those concentrating

without honors are not required to write a thesis. Those concentrating with honors, and those
in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior track, are required to write a thesis.

Are there other options instead of a full concentration?

The Mind, Brain, and Behavior track allows students to pursue their philosophy concentration
while taking courses in the life sciences. Students may pursue a joint concentration, with
Philosophy as the primary concentration. Joint concentrators writing theses must write on a
topic relating to both fields of concentration. Students may also pursue Philosophy as a
secondary track and write their thesis in their field of concentration alone.

Back to top

Graduate School?

For some, the formal study of philosophy does not end with the completion of their
undergraduate degrees. A small number of students continue philosophical training at the
graduate level.
There are various reasons as to why people choose graduate study in philosophy.

For most, graduate study leads to obtaining the professional credentials necessary to teach at
the post-secondary level.

For others, graduate study in philosophy is a time of career exploration.

Still others study philosophy at the graduate level so that they can apply the training to other
types of work, such as law.

Undergraduate concentrators considering graduate study in philosophy may have many

questions about the nature of graduate study, the various graduate programs, and the
application process. How can they learn more?

One way is to attend the meeting held every fall by the Tutorial Office. During this meeting,
seniors who are considering graduate schools in philosophy can learn more about the
application process, as well as potential programs that would best suit their interests.

Another way is to speak with the Head Tutor, along with any of the graduate students or
faculty of the department. They can help students:

Decide as to whether they want to apply

Discuss possible programs

Provide advice on how to approach people for recommendations.

Locate people who have attended, or taught at, schools of potential interest.

In short, students should not hesitate to avail themselves of the counsel and advice offered by
the Department when considering graduate school and programs.