7 Tips to get a Teen Interested in Philosophy

I am not very successful in getting my kids interested in philosophy or history. Occasionally I am not sure why to bother. In this guest post, Carla Davis shares her perspective on the subject.

7 Tips to get a Teen Interested in Philosophy

Philosophy is a Greek word, which means “love of wisdom.”  Philosophy is a set of tools of logic and motivation to analyze the ways in which humans get the experience of the world.  It generally teaches critical thinking, clear writing, close reading, and logical analysis. Philosophy uses these to understand the language we use to describe the world and our own value within it. Philosophy is distinguished by the questions people ask.  Do our senses precisely describe reality?  What makes immoral actions immoral?  How should we live?  These are some philosophical questions and philosophy teaches the behavior in which we might begin to respond.

Why Study Philosophy?

The most important reasons to study philosophy are that it is vast and extremely interesting.  In philosophy, all of us have to answer for ourselves the questions asked by philosophers.  In Philosophy, students can learn how to ask questions well and how they may begin to develop responses.  Philosophy is important, but it is also extremely enjoyable.

Students who gain knowledge of philosophy can get many benefits.  The ideas taught by philosophy are of great use in advance education and for better employment.  Despite the nature of the questions philosophers ask, the ideas it teaches tend to be highly preferred by employers.  Philosophy students generally learn how to write clearly and to read closely. They are taught to describe bad reasoning and how to avoid it in their respective work.

Those new to Philosophy might have a hard time getting a clear picture of what philosophers do. Generally, Philosophy is associated with stargazing and asking questions that are as vague as they are irrelevant and to which there are no particular answers. Furthermore, Philosophy deals in a clear and precise manner with the real world, its complex social and material nature and our place in it. Because of this, the philosophical fields of studies are relatively diverse.

Here are 7 tips to get a teen interested in Philosophy

1. Critical Thinking

Philosophy generally encourages critical thinking and systematic inquiry into fundamental questions of what is truth and falsehood, right and wrong, the meaning of life, knowledge and society and the nature of reality. More than any other regulation, philosophy somehow explores the main problems of the Western intellectual tradition. Philosophy encourages teens to follow arguments and formulate questions.

2. Good Career Opportunities

Philosophy is a crucial and manageable work skill.  With its importance on both argumentations and reasons, it is excellent preparation for a career in business, law, religion, diplomacy, medical management or writing as well as post-graduate education. Majors in Philosophysuccessfully work in, but are not limited to the following occupational fields:

• Business Professional
• Counselor
• Consultant
• Entrepreneur
• Lawyer
• Minister
• Journalist
• Foreign Service Officer
• Professor
• Social Worker
• Publisher

 

3. Development of Smart Skills

Although it is important to be passionate about what you study, you will want to be practical, too. Luckily, Philosophy help teens with a set of smart skills that are applicable in any work environment.

Philosophers ask the tough questions: what is the meaning of life, how should I live my life, where did the universe come from, does God exist, what is truth? Being a philosopher, teens can become skilled at making progress on an idea of general topics with an inquiring mind.

What smart skills does studying philosophy develop?

• Analyze and formulate logical arguments
• Interpret and assess various thoughts and theories
• Generate ideas on a variety of problems
• Capability to separate slight differences without overlooking similarities
• Aptitude to examine various angles of topics

 

4. Teaches to ArticulateViews

Teens learning Philosophy can articulate their views and the reasoning behind them, both verbally and in writing. They learn to present the greatest version of their opponent’s views before even evaluating them. They study in Philosophy to judge their own view with an objective. Philosophy students learn to be vigilant with their language and the importance of clarity in it.

5. Better Job Opportunities

An increasing number of fields are recognizing the value of a philosophical education for the skills it fosters in students.

Graduates with a background in Philosophy acquire versatile skills that are highly valued by employers and organizations. These skills include clear and critical thinking, effective communication and writing, innovative questioning, and sound reasoning. Such abilities provide a strong foundation for entering the workforce and are particularly advantageous in careers that involve problem-solving and evaluating information from multiple perspectives.

6. Makes a Better Person

Philosophy can help make you a better person. Being thoughtful about one’s beliefs, values, and decisions are estimated because of society participating in a democratic world and philosophy can help them tackle those skills. Philosophy can also lead to a more fulfilling and interesting life. Some philosophers even say it paves the way for a happier life.

7. Many Famous Entrepreneurs studied Philosophy too

 

• Co-founder of Wikipedia (Larry Sanger)
• Academy-Award Winning Filmmaker (Ethan Coen)
• Comedian/Actor/Producer (Ricky Gervais)
• Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn
• Stewart Butterfield, Co-founder, and CEO of Slack

In a Nutshell

What do we consider and why do we consider it? Who are we and why are we here? What ought we to do and why should we do it? Philosophy differentiates other degrees for the reason that it changes how you think, as opposed to requiring you to repeat information against a test. Philosophical studies directly impact student’s choices to pursue a better career.

Author Bio:

Carla Davis is an enthusiastic writer who loves to write on lifestyle, fashion, money-saving, and travel blogs. She is currently writing for Discount Codez. An online discount coupon and promo code site. She holds a bachelor degree in computer science. Carla loves reading books and making new friends. Say hello to her on Twitter.