I will start off by saying that I am completely biased when it comes to philosophy classes.
I am a philosophy major and with philosophy being one of my passions it makes sense that I would recommend taking a course at SXU.
At this university, philosophy is part of the general education curriculum and is required for students to take one or two courses depending on their academic situation.
Some people hate philosophy courses. I have heard things such as, “Why am I questioning things that do not have an answer?” or more commonly, “I’m never going to use philosophy in my daily life.”
These common misconceptions are spoken by students who typically major in something other than philosophy.
The reason I call these misconceptions is because you do learn in philosophy, and you take what you learned throughout your entire life.
For example, when a professor in a philosophy class asks what justice is, it is not about the answer itself. It is about how you answer the question and how you came to that conclusion. The conclusion you come to may have been what you were taught in school, or by your parents, or by societal norms.
The real question is, how do you live your best life? This is a complex question that some people bring with them throughout their entire existence.
That debunks the second misconception that you will not need philosophy throughout your daily life.
We all question what is right and wrong when making decisions and philosophy teaches us not necessarily what is right and wrong, but how we come to that conclusion. Philosophy is needed in our education to help us understand the deeper questions.
SXU has a fantastic philosophy program with experienced professors in the field.
It is amazing to be taught by professors who truly care about the students and want them to learn through hard work, determination, and a lot of internalized and externalized thinking.
These professionals have been published in the field and know that philosophy is not just an idea, but a way of life.
Philosophy also teaches us four main things: critical thinking, ethics, logic, and about the great philosophers of history.
Critical thinking is learning how to sympathetically understand an argument or empathize where the other side of the argument is coming from.
You can then analyze the argument and break down what points the it is making. From there, you can be critical about the argument or give your own opinion.
This is how we learn every day and understand each other better as people sharing the same planet, our home.
By doing this process we can get a better grasp of certain controversial opinions and prepare a better argument for our own opinion. Critical thinking is an important part of philosophy that we use every day, sometimes even all day.
Ethics, however, teaches us how to live. It begs the question of morality and how we present ourselves to society. No one has the exact same morals as someone else, and it is fantastic to have a discussion with someone about what they believe is right.
By using critical thinking skills, we can better understand all sides of an argument and better understand the people presenting them.
Even the greatest of thinkers cannot tell you how to live, but they give a pretty good idea as to what it means to live a good life.
Logic is the mathematics of philosophy, to put it simply.
You learn how to not contradict yourself and if your argument makes sense. You can break down a position line by line and find if logically, the conclusion follows.
This is a great skill to have in debates or even when writing a paper.
Learning about historical figures of philosophy may seem boring and unnecessary, but it helps us understand the changes in philosophical thought.
Knowing the history of philosophy helps us understand the world a little better and helps us relate to each other no matter what time period it is.
I love philosophy and I recommend everyone should take a class. It will help you write better, form opinions clearly, and educate you on how the world has worked in the past and in the present.
Philosophy goes beyond the classroom. It is a part of our everyday lives.
We need to ask these questions. And as a wise man Socrates once said, “the unexamined life is not worth living.”
So, ask these bigger questions, take a philosophy class, and learn about others, and maybe even learn about yourself.
Emily Rubino
Opinions Editor
About Post Author
