Why Study Philosophy?
Aristotle, a famous ancient Greek philosopher, said in the opening of his book Metaphysics that "by nature all people desire to know." As love of wisdom, philosophy encourages and provides a basis in rational thought for pursuing any intellectual curiosity or specific content within the humanities or sciences.
Added to skills in structured rational thought, philosophy likewise provides the tools for details in the analysis of arguments. As a result, philosophers offer arguments for contemporary issues, and study significant arguments that have occurred in the storied past of human thought, ethics and politics, religion, and the theory of knowledge itself.
While analyzing differences in reasoned arguments, philosophy may help reveal the connectedness between varied disciplines and experiences. At a time when all of life seems fragmented, philosophy may help to provide a way to understand the wholeness of one’s diverse experiences, beliefs, and thought.
In a pragmatic sense, the minor in philosophy at Carey prepares students for graduate study, most importantly in philosophy, religion, the humanities, or another discipline in which critical or analytical thought is required. Many students also find that a philosophy minor advances their reading, writing, and reasoning abilities, which likewise prepares them for standardized tests (i.e., GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, PRAXIS, etc.).