That's a question that EconTalk host Russ Roberts poses to University of Chicago philosopher Martha Nussbaum in this week's EconTalk episode.* Roberts expresses his concern that we've lost sight of character development in the modern age, and wonders whether the pursuit of philosophy and the humanities more broadly might mitigate that problem.
In response, Nussbaum gives an assessment and an appeal for the Humanities in universities today....Disclosure: I graduated from Georgetown University, a Jesuit institution, and I majored in philosophy as an undergrad.
So, for example, all the Jesuit universities in Latin America and elsewhere are basically on the Liberal Arts model. But I really think that's the right way for all universities to be. Because, university education has a two-fold purpose. It prepares you for a career; but it also prepares you for being a good citizen and having a complete, meaningful life. And those are both important purposes.
At that time, all undergrads had to minor in philosophy in the third and fourth years. The philosophy major was a license to explore since it required taking only other philosophy course in addition to the minor requirement, which left a lot of room for electives.
It was a good choice for me, and I subsequently went on to grad school in philosophy.
Plato characterized philosophy as reflection on experience. "The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates in Plato's Apology, 38a5-6.
Science was formerly called "natural philosophy," and the development of mathematics was closely related to philosophy.
While science, mathematics and technology are key aspects of Western civilization, Western culture, tradition, and institutions have been no less significant in the development of global civilization. The humanities pursue these aspects of living a full life.
The study of philosophy is important for several reasons. First, philosophy is about the method of inquiry that underlies the Western intellectual tradition and which resulted in the development of scientific method. Inquiry is based on reasoning that employs logic and critical thinking
Secondly, philosophy considered the "enduring questions" the various responses to which have shaped Western civilization.
Philosophy is the foundational discipline since it inquires into reality, truth, goodness and beauty, the objects of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics, as well as social and political philosophy. Adam Smith was a professor of philosophy, and Karl Marx had a doctorate in philosophy.
