Some would argue that the best reason to study philosophy is that the questions it asks are intrinsically interesting to all human beings and because one cannot live a full human life without considering such questions. This is the sentiment expressed by Socrates' famous claim that "the unexamined life is not worth living." Although this claim may be true, there are also other important, practical reasons to study philosophy.
Most philosophers would agree that one of the great benefits of philosophy is that it challenges us to think critically about our beliefs and to justify them with good arguments. In this way, philosophy forces us to think clearly and precisely and to express our ideas in the same way. The development of critical thinking skills that is achieved through the study of philosophy is something that can help all of us to make better decisions in many aspects of our lives. We can benefit personally because we will make better judgments about what is in our own long-term self-interest. We can benefit professionally because we will be able to think more clearly about decisions that we have to make at work. Philosophy can also benefit both ourselves and those around us by providing us with some of the things that are required to be good citizens. How can we make good decisions when we take part in the political process in our society (either as voters, as grassroots activists, or as political represe ntatives) unless we have analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the various forms of government and unless we are capable of critically evaluating various policies? Many philosophers would argue that the study of philosophy can even make us better human beings by providing us with thoughtful insights into the question of what is involved in a good life.
Along with these very general benefits, a background in philosophy can be of great utility in many specific career areas, such as the legal profession, the business world, journalism, science and the medical profession. In law, the prominent role played by arguments and the application of general rules to specific cases is very clear. As a result, most law schools are especially receptive to students who have a background in philosophy. In addition, many businesses express a strong desire for employees who have developed the thinking and communication skills emphasized in philosophy. This is not surprising, since business people must be able to formulate and clarify problems, analyze potential solutions, and defend their own recommendations in a clear and rational way. Journalists can also clearly benefit from being able to present clear and rational analyses of various situations. Moreover, philosophical training provides an excellent background for dealing with the ethical issues that ari se in any professio n, particularly the medical profession, and this is something that is increasingly recognized by medical schools and by various professional bodies.
The reality of many of these benefits seems to be supported by the fact that students with a background in philosophy traditionally do exceptionally well on standardized tests such as the GRE, GMAT, MCAT and LSAT exams. This in itself provides a very pragmatic reason for studying philosophy for those who are interested in continuing their education beyond the undergraduate level.
These very direct and pragmatic benefits of a philosophical background should not distract us from more general benefits. Philosophy exposes students to a wide range of views about the nature of knowledge, reality and the roles that we play in that reality. The aim is not only to help students gain an understanding of a diverse range of world views, but also to help guide them in their quest to formulate their own personal philosophies about the world and their place in it.
