Philosophy as a subject is the art of answering questions and asking difficult questions that no other field tackles. After all, Socrates, a Greek thinker, rightly said that the unexamined life is not worth living. 

Philosophy teaches you to analyze and communicate ideas logically - a skill that many employers greatly value.

Philosophy encourages critical and systematic inquiry into fundamental questions of right and wrong, truth and falsehood, the meaning of life, and the nature of reality, knowledge, and society.

If you are interested in a career in philosophy, keep reading as we explore this field of study and its importance and scope. 

Learn How to Think, Not What to Think

It is rightly said that a degree program in philosophy teaches students how to think, not what to think. 

Philosophy encourages the asking of big questions and the formulation of arguments to attempt to answer them. 

"Who are we? Why are we here? What do we believe? Why do we believe it? What is right and wrong in life? What is true and false? What is real and unreal?" These are some fundamental questions that philosophy seeks answers to. The subject is concerned with the nature of existence and knowledge.

According to eminent scientist Albert Einstein, philosophy is the science of knowledge. Simply put, science is what we do know, but philosophy is what we don’t know. It's about delving into the complexities of the human mind and emotions, making it a popular choice amongst students. 

Importance of Philosophy

The importance of philosophy is self-evident and can be seen in all other disciplines by tracing their origins.

The world is uncertain, and the value of philosophy lies precisely in facing up to this uncertainty and in finding footholds for knowledge and progress despite it. 

Much of what we learn in philosophy can be applied in virtually any endeavor. This is both because philosophy touches so many subjects and, especially, because many of its methods can be used in any field.

The study of philosophy helps us enhance our ability to solve problems, our communication skills, our persuasive powers, and our writing skills. 

While these abilities may seem quite general, they bear directly on the range of careers for which philosophers are prepared. Philosophers have the skills necessary for an enormous range of both academic and non-academic jobs. 

The Diverse Careers in Philosophy

Once you have secured for yourself a degree in philosophy, you can venture onto any career field with a diverse set of job opportunities. There is no particular vocation tailor-made for a philosopher, though writing, teaching, and researching are often the preferred destinations. 

1. Teaching: To launch your career in philosophy, you can enter the field of academics and research by becoming a professor. Teachers typically need to be good at conveying complicated terms, concepts, and ideas to their students. A philosophy-trained teacher will be able to articulate and express complex ideas and terms, making almost all subjects accessible and within reach for all their students. 
2. Writer: Writing can be a suitable job for most philosophy majors since they likely did a lot of reading and writing while pursuing their degree. Many philosophy majors thrive when using their skills to create original and thoughtful content. Philosophy majors can write journal articles, novels, short stories, and many other types of content. Further, Individuals with a background in philosophy who are interested in entering the media industry can find work as reporters, broadcasters, news correspondents, and media analysts.
3. Law: Philosophy is one of the best, if not the best, majors to prepare you for law school. It trains you in the kinds of logical reasoning and conceptual analysis that law school requires, and also teaches you about the ethical and political reasoning that underlie our legal system. Philosophy majors consistently score higher on the LSAT than students majoring in most other subjects.
4. Human Resource: As human resource personnel, it is imperative to weigh the pros and cons of varied situations and look at them from all possible angles. The study of philosophy teaches scholars a good sense of right and wrong while considering what matters most. Therefore, a philosophy graduate or major can make an excellent human resource employee, dealing professionally and empathetically with employees and resolving conflicts.
5. Politics and Public Policy: A Philosophy major can often be excellent preparation for positions in provincial or federal civil service, policy research institutions, and so on. If you are thinking of going on to take an advanced degree in international affairs, public administration, or policy development, an undergraduate major in Philosophy gives you all of the essential building blocks.
6. Non-Profit Sector: Students with degrees in philosophy are well prepared for any job in which difficult value judgments and comparative analyses have to be made. Working for a non-profit means working for a cause such as environment, poverty, education, or the arts. A background in ethics and knowledge in philosophy is naturally valued in this sector.
7. Research consultant: Companies hire research consultants to perform specific research related to their industry and analyze those findings. Their job is to find solutions to a company or client’s questions or problems. They must gather, analyze and then present information or data in an easy-to-understand way. Research consultants can find work in almost any industry, from technology to medicine.

Conclusion

Pursuing a career in philosophy lies in its quality of being dynamic yet fundamental to the way life works, making it a popular subject choice amongst young students. The only thing you need to do is keep asking questions, and light up the inquisitive side you possess!