Philosophy Now Forum

I'm interested in philosophy! At the end of a history degree I found Thomas Kuhn more interesting than 17th century Barbados census data and have since explored philosophy through various lectures and reading. I want to know more of others' interests, how they relate to mine, and the path(s) to a professional career.

Epistemology is my main interest, including how empirical science bears on ethics, empirical knowledge versus experiential knowledge, the role of emotion in morality and New Atheism. In many ways I find Rorty's pragmatism compelling, particular his responses to the objective-relative question, charges of irrationalism and Kuhn.

Okay, I'm introduced. I look forward to the conversation.

usehername wrote:I'm interested in philosophy! At the end of a history degree I found Thomas Kuhn more interesting than 17th century Barbados census data and have since explored philosophy through various lectures and reading. I want to know more of others' interests, how they relate to mine, and the path(s) to a professional career.

Epistemology is my main interest, including how empirical science bears on ethics, empirical knowledge versus experiential knowledge, the role of emotion in morality and New Atheism. In many ways I find Rorty's pragmatism compelling, particular his responses to the objective-relative question, charges of irrationalism and Kuhn.

Okay, I'm introduced. I look forward to the conversation.

After a degree in Ancient History and Archeology, I also found Kuhn, Derrida and Foucault more interesting than Germano-Roman border relations. This was not enough to stop me embarking on a PhD in Homeric civilisation. Nevertheless. Philosophy is the way to go. Don't be fooled into thinking that Intellectual History is some sort of substitute for real philosophy and that it will blend your experience and understanding of history into a perfect whole. I'm in the middle of an MA in Intellectual History and hate it for its philosophical naivete.

Welcome aboard.

It was reading Kuhn that made me switch from economics to philosophy. Much more interesting, or at least that is the way it struck me at the time. I've read a lot of Rorty and although I love his style and attitude toward traditional philosophical problems I'm a bit wary of his 'magpie' interpretations of philosophers like Kuhn. He tends to overemphasise the irrational bits in Kuhn (which support Rorty's philosophical project) and ignores the bits he doesn't like.

As to job prospects I'm afraid things are pretty grim at the moment. However, I wouldn't let this stop you pursuing studies in philosophy. The market may improve by the time you finish and there are plenty of other jobs you can do with a philosophy degree. Besides which, the study of philosophy is an end in itself. If you love it, do it!