Topics Profession

Question I am a master's student in philosophy and my marks at least, show that I'm doing quite well. I'm also very interested in the subject even if it can get really difficult. My university is offering me a teaching post, but lately, I find myself contemplating on shifting to social work (and doing it full time) because I have this feeling that it's my "calling". How do you know that you are for professional philosophy? Do you think one can meaningfully practice philosophy outside the academe? Thank you very much.

Accepted:
March 13, 2006

Comments

When I asked this question of my undergraduate mentor, he asked me a series of questions: Does it keep you up at night? Would you do philosophy anyway, no matter what else you were doing? The point of these questions was that, to be a professional philosophical researcher, you really do have to feel "called" to it. (OK, I'm sure there are some exceptions.) There are a couple reasons for that. For one, getting through graduate school and then getting a good job is a difficult process. That's not to say one can't have fun doing it. I certainly did. But the various times I as "on the market" (that is, looking for a job) were among the most stressful and difficult times of my life. Moreover, and this is the second reason, philosophical research tends to be a very lonely, and very frustrating, business, where the criteria of success are not very well defined and the rewards not much more so. To keep at it, especially through the lean times, which we all experience, one has to be very committed, from inside, and to have enormous faith in oneself. It's really not for everyone.

That said, there are other careers one can have in philosophy besides being a professional researcher. Many liberal arts colleges, for example, put a lot more emphasis on teaching than on research, and one can have a fine career at such a place as a teacher. I know a couple people, as well, who teach philosophy in junior colleges. The pay's not great, and the quality of their students varies widely. But they feel they're making an important contribution by touching the lives of many people who, for whatever combination of reasons, aren't able to attend four-year colleges, at least not immediately, and they rejoice when they see students who barely scraped by in high school turn things around. So they enjoy the work.

And yes, one can continue to engage with philosophy outside the academy. There are many ways one can do so, from just reading on one's own to attending colloquia at local colleges or universities. If you establish regular contact with a local department, you might even find people willing to let you audit their courses or seminars.