Q&A: Should One Do a Degree in Philosophy or Enrich Oneself Independently Through Books and Lectures?
Should One Do a Degree in Philosophy or Enrich Oneself Independently Through Books and Lectures?
Question
Hello and blessings. Next year I intend to do a degree in psychology (I know your criticism of the field, but I have a strong inclination and talent for it, and it’s also possible to make a good living from it) and mathematics (a more realistic foundation—I intend to move along the axis of cognitive psychology, probability, statistics, and the like). Now, since in order to really succeed in these things one needs a sharp and clear mind, I’m debating how to enrich myself philosophically: whether to do a degree and give up one of the other degrees, even though I don’t intend to work in philosophy in the future, but rather see it as more of a foundation for other fields; or to enrich myself independently. I’m turning to you because in my eyes you are a great philosopher, even though your actual profession is as a physicist and in philosophy you are self-taught. Do you feel that you have certain gaps in philosophical thinking compared to people you know who did a doctorate in philosophy?
All the best
Answer
If you want to do it only in order to succeed more in mathematics and psychology, it’s unnecessary. For enrichment, it is certainly good. But if it’s only for enrichment, it’s not worth doing a degree for that. You can also read on your own.
It’s clear that I have gaps, not only because I didn’t do a degree in it, but also because I didn’t engage in it for my livelihood (as a researcher). But I don’t feel that it bothers me. In philosophy, the main thing is not knowledge but skill and analysis, and in that I feel I’m not inferior to people with a professional background (and sometimes there are even advantages to lacking that background). Therefore, if you read enough material from all sorts of directions (each according to his own inclinations), that should suffice. For professional work, of course, you need to go through the formal route.
Discussion on Answer
I’m not familiar enough, but I don’t think it matters very much.
Thank you very much. By the way, just out of curiosity, if someone asked you at which university in Israel to do a degree in philosophy, where would you recommend?