Leaving Academic Philosophy.

[bretty]

Well I've decided to switch out of philosophy and international development into environmental studies and international development.

Wittgenstein changed the way I view philosophy. I didn't want to study it academically and pour thousands of dollars into it once I understood Wittgenstein's work.

It just becomes so meaningless, and a confusion of words. And anything worth reading can be read leisurely or studied viciously [logic, language philosophy etc.] outside academia.

One person I'd like to thank is Rosa [no suprise given Wittgenstein's presence].
She introduced me to Wittgenstein and analytic philosophy.

-Brett.

[More Fire for the People]

While I disagree about abandoning continental philosophy [after all, I am rather partial to Hegel] I agree with you that modern philosophy is useless as a profession. It's better studied on one's free time as a hobby for the clarification of thoughts and observations. Also, nice choice on environmental studies. I'm taking an environmental science class and I like the subject.

[black magick hustla]

thank god i am going to study engineering

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Bretty, I certainly did not intend to do that, but I would not want to argue you out of it!

I think, however, Philosophy does provide one with excellent critical skills you will find invaluable elsewhere, no less so in the subjects you are switching to.

Good luck with them!

[bretty]

I've realized that I can study philosophy outside of the university setting with just as much success as within.

[apathy maybe]

I did lots of philosophy as part of my degree.
I found the majority of each was interesting and some, really has opened my mind to areas which I would not have looked at otherwise. I discovered Hume in to a greater depth then I would have without these courses, and have been reaffirmed in my materialist anti-theist position. One of the political philosophy courses was what finally pushed me to try and be a vegetarian.

So, I've got a lot out of studying philosophy. It has helped me with my writing style and thinking processes. I'm not saying you should change your mind, simply that I got more out of it by formally studying, then I would have otherwise.

[Raúl Duke]

One of the political philosophy courses was what finally pushed me to try and be a vegetarian.

Thats very interesting and mysterious. What did the course theach you that made you vegetarian? (don't take it as in insult, I just find the idea intriguing.)

Also, should I take philosophy courses in university? what good would it be for me?

[apathy maybe]

It was one of the political philosophy courses, part of it was on animal liberation and eco politics and things like that. We read some of Peter Singer's work as part of that. I found it very interesting, and while I didn't agree with all of it, the arguments basically pushed me from thinking that I should be a vegetarian (and eating a minimal amount of meat, most of it from wild animals or off my parents farm) and that civilised people would be vegetarians, to actually being (or attempting to be) one. I don't call my self a vegetarian so much now, but I do try and not eat meat unless it is "freegan", i.e. unless it doesn't contribute to the production of more animal corpses.

As to whether you should do philosophy or not, I don't know. Are you interested in it? The stuff on this forum is rather narrow, philosophy covers a lot of stuff.
If you do an introductory course and find it interesting, go ahead. I moved to Philosophy after finding something else I was doing not very interesting. If you are going to do a Bachelor of Arts and can pick a number of subjects for your first year (theoretically I could have chosen eight different subjects in my first year), then do so. Political Science and Philosophy are both good, but it depends on what you are interested in.

Look around on the website of the university you are going to, they should have a list of courses available.

[hoopla]

Thats a very sensible Idea: you are much more likely to find employment with a scienbce degree. Tho I don't regret studynig philosophy cos I did so with psychology. I regret quitting thew more hardcore degree I was originally doing, but whrug.

This hasn't dampened my enthusiasm at all :P