Although he later wrote in a tweet that “We need both” philosophers and welders, United States Senator Marco Rubio created waves when he said that, “Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers” (Griswold, 2015). Philosophy and other humanities disciplines are often criticized for not having practical benefits, especially in terms of preparing students for employment. While this could be true, I am of the view that philosophy is worthy of study, as education has value beyond practical benefits.
Yet, I think there are good reasons to believe that studying philosophy also has practical benefits. Reading, discussing, and writing about philosophy develops students into better critical thinkers who learn how to create logically rigorous arguments and disagree in a productive manner when presented with opposing perspectives. This supports the development of students into engaged citizens and effective team members and leaders in the workforce. Philosophy also has many practical disciplinary applications, especially related to applied ethics in areas such as business, medicine, environment, and war. Encountering these topics in an introduction to philosophy course develops students in ways “useful” for employment, provides opportunities to think more deeply about life and eternal questions, and (hopefully) inspires them to continue learning about philosophical topics. Read more: https://www.apf.org/post/foresight-meets-undergraduate-philosophy-how-philosophy-can-enrich-futures-work