Hi, I graduated from college a few years ago and have since developed an extremely strong interest in Philosophy. Although I have read a considerable amount of Philosophy on my own, as an undergrad I studied History, Literature and Spanish but not any Philosophy (aside from certain concepts that were relevant to my other studies). I was wondering what I could do to have a chance to get into a quality PhD program in Philosophy. I went to a very well regarded school and my grades were excellent, but I don't have the Philosophy coursework (or recommendations from Philosophy professors). Thank you in advance for any advice.

I have a very basic question that greatly puzzles me. Why do we consider reasonable sounding imaginings to be wisdom, for example Plato's idea of the existence of an ideal of each kind of object, such that an actual physical object is merely an approximation? I can see that this may have entertainment value; but why to serious intelligent educated people take such metaphors seriously? Why is a chair not simply any object designed primarily for sitting? Why does no one seem to question the VALIDITY of the notion of ideals and approximations? It seems that we elevate mere metaphors to the status of realities. Why do we do that? I am genuinely confused.

A philosopher pointed out the the big questions of philosophy are also the ones asked by all children. I'm thinking Quine, or Bertrand Russell But I can't remember. Anyone know?

Is it dumb to ask someone, especially a philosopher, the following question. Who's your favorite philosopher? This strikes me as a rather dumb question to ask. Something akin to asking a physicist, "Who's your favorite scientist?" If it's true that the question is dumb, why is it dumb? Or why not?

Do you think that the caveman had philosophers?

If I am very interested in philosophy to the point where I would one day like to write a philosophical treatise or take part in the global exchange of philosophical ideas, but have little or no interest in teaching, would seeking a Ph.D in philosophy be unneccesary? This is putting aside the need for the discipline of setting one's mind to undertaking a thesis as I would likely obtain graduate education in a different, yet supplementary field?

What are the three characteristics of a philosophical question?

Should philosophy be considered among the group of disciplines we consider sciences or among the humanities? I understand that the answer to this is typically taken to be that philosophy is among the humanities but I also know that philosophers sometimes resist this categorisation. Obviously we'd need to refine our definitions of these categories first to see if we can produce a useful answer. And perhaps the answer is that there's a third category that philosophy should belong to all on its own?

I'm interested to know about the capability of philosophize. Because in my own experience, noticed that when I were a teenager (13-15) I had a strong insight and I started to feel and thought the philosophie even did not reading books, only by my experience of just living. However after had grown up, this ability became even more weak until it disapeared. Today, when I can read the text of the philosophers, I can see all that I thought but not feel as I could feel. Now it seems that the poetic powers are gone. My question is if we can philosophize again (as Schopenhauer says that the Philosophy that chooses the time to come and show us the world in its inner) or just reproduce the quotes of other writers?

Studying philosophy is always done from a certain perspective, with certain assumptions in mind. (Every century teaches philosophy in a different way). So, if I am interested in philosophy, but do not wish to adhere to a specific set of beliefs - what do I do?