Why Philosophy?

I decided to major in philosophy after my first semester at St. Lawrence. This decision was inspired by the Introduction to Philosophy course I took that first semester with Professor Rob Loftis. Rob's class was unlike anything I had ever experienced in that unlike most of my high school courses I actually looked forward to going to Rob's class. I think I knew I would pursue a future in philosophy one day in October as I was reading one of Plato's Dialogues and I realized how much I enjoyed the process of struggling through the multiplicity and complexity of thoughts that meandered throughout my mind. I think I first realized then that philosophy isn't so much about solving any problems, answering any questions or even proving any points, but more about appreciating the adventure of learning. I've been a dreamer for as long as I can remember, but it really wasn't until high school that I was able to apply any of my abstract ideas to my academics. My senior year in high school I took a class called humanities which, in hindsight, I discover was my first taste of philosophy. Ever sense then I've realized that no matter how abstract my thoughts may become as they meander almost aimlessly throughout my mind, I can apply them; to literature, to science, and most importantly to everyday discussions with anybody and everybody. Above all, I have come to study philosophy because it has the potential to radically transform and reorient my everyday experiences in the world, and once you get a taste of it, like in Plato's allegory of the cave when one exits the cave and sees real sunlight for the first time, there's no going back.

My decision to declare my major in philosophy was eased by the full support of my parents and the argument Rob loved to make about how philosophy could teach you to think like a math major and write like an English major. As I begin my final semester at SLU I doubt I have either the reasoning skills of a math major or the articulation of an English major, but I have learned a lot and I have garnered an insatiable hunger for knowledge. I love knowledge in and of itself, but during the last year or so I have begun to see the downsides of ideal philosophizing in terms of its egoism and potential inapplicability to the real world. I still want to go to graduate school for philosophy but next year at least I want to get some more practical experience in this world we all must live in. I believe this has a lot to do with some of the sociology courses I've taken. Sociology and European Studies are my two minors and have both complimented and contradicted my philosophical education. My Sociology courses have, like some Eastern philosophy, redirected my aims away from thoughts and towards action. My European Studies minor gave me the opportunity last semester to conduct an independent study concerning multiculturalism and immigration in Europe. This study served as a great example of the value of a liberal arts education where disciplinary boundaries begin to blur and sociology, cultural studies, statistics, politics and philosophy work in a holistic fashion to achieve a single goal, that being a better understanding of our reality, lending to a much more equipped arsenal to change the world.
More than anything else I consider my decision to major in philosophy as a great privilege. The only reason why I could even consider majoring in this subject if because of the ongoing support of my parents both financially and through their own curiosity concerning philosophy. I look at some of my friends from high school who didn’t have as much money and opportunities as I did growing up as many of them are critical of my decision to major in philosophy. One of my friends frequently points out the fact that because I had money growing up, money now has lesser value to me, and its true. I don’t feel as though I have to prove myself by making more money or even as much money as my parents, and at times I’ll admit I am unappreciative of all the opportunities that have been presented to me on a silver platter. Without a doubt, wealth means much more to someone if that someone actually earned it, whereas it was essentially just handed to me. In addition, I’ve come to realize that money really can’t buy happiness, and in fact, in many of my experiences it has led to a decrease in motivation and complicity concerning my role in the world. As I near graduation, I want to struggle. I want to experience what it means to be without and have to compensate accordingly, for without experiencing such struggle how can I ever hope to empathize with the vast majority of the rest of humanity.