Topics Profession

Question I graduated this year with a philosophy B.A., and now I am cautiously considering grad school in philosophy. My professors think I have promise; for example, they have encouraged me to try to get a couple of my undergrad papers published. However, I know that, given the state of the philosophy job market, I would likely end up out of philosophy and underemployed if I pursue a PhD. Do I have a moral obligation to pursue a less risky but productive career?

Accepted:
July 15, 2011

Comments

I don't think that one has a moral obligation to pursue any particular career: one's obligation is to oneself, to pursue what one thinks will be a fulfilling, satisfying career, but what will count as fulfilling or satisfying is of course highly contingent on one's values, personality, etc.. Although you are quite right to note that the philosophy job market is quite tight at the moment, that is no reason not to pursue a philosophy PhD: after all, even if one were not to continue on in professional philosophy, the training one receives in a PhD program is highly portable and may thus be transferred to other professions. My recommendation is that you determine whether, if you were to pursue a PhD in philosophy but were not able to secure a job in the profession, you would still wish to pursue the PhD. If so, then you should apply to graduate school in philosophy; if not, then you should not apply to graduate school in philosophy. If you do apply to graduate school in philosophy, then you need to think about what sort of career path you would like to follow in professional philosophy (if, for example, you would only like to teach at a top research university or liberal arts college, then you would do well to apply only to apply to the most highly regarded PhD programs, so as to maximize your chances of achieving that goal), and, most importantly--given the uncertainty of the philosophy job market and the relatively low salaries earned by beginning professors--I would recommend that you not attend graduate school in philosophy, whatever your career ambitions, unless you do not have to take on debt to do so. The decision to pursue a PhD in philosophy--like most career decisions--should not be taken lightly, for in making such a choice, you are deciding what sort of life you will lead, at least for about six years and maybe longer.