Question I am going to study philosophy this September at university. I am very much confused between an 'actual philosopher' and a 'philosophy professor'. I believe my confusion lies at my ignorance and lack of knowledge but please help me to see correctly. Would you agree that one can become a philosophy professor without becoming an actual philosopher? Do you think if Plato or Aristotle were born today, would they have enrolled in philosophy programs, get a master's degree, worry about publishing and afraid of not getting a tenure? The more I read about the profession of philosophy today, the less I am inclined to pursue it. But I don't want to abandon philosophy out of my life. I want to do philosophy for the rest of my life, but not as a professor. To be honest, when you step inside a philosophy department how many real philosophers do you see? I have been to my university's department, talked with philosophy grad students and felt that they do not care geniuinly about philosophy really. Please help me find my way. I don't think the academia is the right path for me, but what other path can a philosopher take in today's world? Thanks

Accepted:
July 21, 2009

Comments

I sense a lot of admirable idealism behind your question. Yes, there is a conceptual difference between being an 'actual philosopher' and a 'philosophy professor', but fortunately there is still a lot of overlap between the two concepts. It is definitely possible to teach philosophy without being serious about advancing philosophical thought or living out a coherent thoughtful philosophy. More often, I think those whom you don't view as 'actual philosophers' started off more idealistically, but were discouraged either by the challenges of the 'philosophy profession' or by the skepticism they embraced as they developed philosophically.

Not all philosophy departments are like your own. Some are populated with many professors that have successfully navigated the demands of the profession while maintaining a seriousness about philosophy and about service to their students. You should visit some other departments before embracing complete cynicism about the profession. And your final point is correct.... unless you are independently wealthy, there aren't many options for those who want to develop philosophically outside of academia.

Feel free to email me directly if you would like further advice.

"I have been to my university's department, talked with philosophy grad students and felt that they do not care genuinely about philosophy really." Then your feeling is almost certainly wrong. The great majority of graduate students care passionately about philosophy. After all, they are usually particularly smart people who have chosen not to go on to law school or do MBAs or whatever (leading to some very lucrative career), but decided to try to stay on in academia, trying to work on some tough philosophical problems that have gripped them. Why else do that other than because they care about the subject?!

What may be true is that the grad students you talked to don't seem to care much about what you think of as "philosophy". And there is indeed something of a disconnect between some of the connotations of "philosophy" in the everyday use of the word, and the academic discipline that most of those grad students are engaged in. (There are connections too, of course: the varied use of the word isn't just an accident!) So it could well be that what is going on in your university's philosophy department -- or in most departments with a serious emphasis on modern analytical philosophy in the Anglophone tradition -- won't give you what you are looking for when you talk of "doing philosophy". That doesn't mean that either you or they are at fault! In particular, they aren't flying under false colours in calling themselves "philosophy" departments, for a long tradition of usage is on their side.

Anyone should look carefully at some of the preliminary reading that suggested for philosophy courses they are wondering about signing up for (or look here): what they are offering -- "philosophy" in that sense -- may well not be what you really want.