what jobs are available in philosophy?

I don’t understand why the need for philosophy in the work force seems so limited. It’s like our open admittance of a one-track mind to business. All I really see so far is in teaching and writing. So let me assess that. Philosophers are needed for people that want to learn philosophy and people that want to read books about philosophy. If so, isn’t society missing the whole point? Isn’t philosophy necessary to influence those people in the ranks of big decisions?

Couldn’t there be any political class with a philosophy prerequisite? I’ve always believed that a lawyer or psychologist should not legally practice without some level in philosophy. Would it be ridiculous to demand it within economic fields as well? A stock broker should at least have an understanding of what transaction poses moral problems, even if the law should not tie their hands in all their business.

I could explain that a little more if needed.

We’re all philosophers, to an extent. But to be a professional philosopher, or to make a living off of it, one is almost required to either A) teach it or B)write books about it.

Or you could be like Diogenes, I guess.

Programming! Thats a great job which I am doing as a philosophy graduate.

Hey, I’m a programmer too. It’s all about the logic, baby.

Reminds me of a Doonesbury cartoon where government officials were being given ethics classes. One of the politicians says something to the effect of: I don’t need ethics classes! I know the difference between right and wrong, and if I do something unethical it’s because I meant to do it!

Go with Eastern philosophy… you can get a job writing fortune cookie phrases.

This thread reminds me of a joke I heard once.
How do you get a philosopher off your porch?

Pay for the pizza.

HA! HA! HA!

Oh, the truth hurts :laughing:

If I remember the story right, Plato financed his learning by trading olive oil throughout the Mediterranean. Probably found a lot of good libraries and learned philosophers in port cities too. So just find a job with learning opportunities, and it might help satisfy a real philosopher’s urge. :smiley:

Now if someone here could come up with some modern analogies to oil trading, we might have something. Something like international relations, or teaching ESL overseas, or being a public administrator with an international organisation. Learning opportunities.

How does one break into writing philosophy without a phd? Anyone know of any magazines or ezines that are looking for philosophical writings? Perhaps wander the chatrooms like a virtual Socrates? :evilfun:

Things aren’t as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for philosophy majors. Useful people are starting to feel the pinch.

I think my job is philosophy related. I got paid to sit and listen to all these guys this weekend. I think I have the best job that a pothead could want.
Marc Potenza, Yale University, ‘Defining the boundaries of addiction:
a biological perspective’

A. David Redish, University of Minnesota, ‘Addiction as vulnerabilities
in the brain’s decision-making systems’

Warren Bickel, University of Arkansas, ‘Executive system dysfunction:
the silent other half of addictive processes’

Christian Miller, Wake Forest University, ‘Agency, identification and
addiction’

Timothy Schroeder, Ohio State University, ‘Addiction, expectation
and habit’

Annette Mendola, University of Tennessee, ‘Authenticity and
addiction’

James MacKillop, Brown University, ‘Genetic influences on addiction:
empirical evidence, functional mechanisms and clinical implications’

Nancy Petry, University of Connecticut, ‘Addiction and impulsivity’

JohnMonterosso, University of California at Los Angeles, ‘Distinguishing
the Factors of Impulsivity and Self-Control in Vulnerability to Addiction’

George Ainslie, Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center, ‘Recursive
appetite formation in conditioning and hyperbolic discounting models
of addiction’

Craig Hanson, Palm Beach Atlantic University, ‘Hyperbolic discounting
and the deflation of irrationalities’

David Spurrett & Ben Murrell, University of KwaZulu-Natal, ‘Measuring
dispositions to bundle choices’

Don Ross, University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of
Cape Town, ‘Economic models of impulsivity’

Neil Manson, University of Mississippi, ‘Expected value and the
rationality of gambling’

Howard Rachlin, SUNY Stony Brook, ‘Similarities and differences
between self-control and altruism’

Louis Charland, University ofWestern Ontario, ‘Decisional capacity
and addiction: the example of heroin prescription’

Douglas Husak, Rutgers University, ‘The moral relevance of addiction’

Peter Collins, Salford University, ‘Addiction and the public interest
in liberal democracies’

It was however quite difficult to argue with them being that I was completely stoned the entire time.

Has anybody actually written a book? Was it a success? Did having Ph.D.s in your name help?

I edited a 2 books for people with PhDs.

That sounds like a fucking awesome job Scott.

Why not get a PhD? How else are you going to get trained in the discipline? :confused:

ahh such a pathetic way to learn when you can philosophize yourself.

just philosophize and have good writing skills.

Yeah, learn by practice.

Yeah, learn by practice.

nice post oni omega… and i’m in the process of doing just that.