5 Reasons Why CEOs Should Consider Studying Philosophy

Human civilization has had a long, complicated relationship with philosophy. Having influenced human history for many centuries, philosophy has acquired an indispensable role in studying and analyzing humans and their institutions. Everything, from social to economic, has roots in philosophy. What we know today is all because of what we think—and what we think is very much influenced by philosophy.

Today, many students do not take up philosophy largely because they do not see any utility in it. What they fail to appreciate is that philosophy is a way of life, and while it does have theoretical underpinnings, it does affect practical decisions taken all over the world. To understand better, let us take a trip to 5 reasons why CEOs should consider studying philosophy.

1. Everything started with an idea
   We live under an impression that the world is objective when actually it is quite subjective. Even our most practical decisions have underlying subjectivity which we take for granted. It does not matter what you read you are likely to find an abstract, philosophical undertone. From economics to social issues, philosophical thoughts have been influential. Jurisprudence, for example, is the study of the philosophy of law, and one of theories it teaches is positivism. Positivism is an intellectual thought that gained traction in the English legal system and could be used as a philosophical foundation of the British notion that “Parliament is Supreme”.
2. Gives You A Broad Perspective
   A professor of mine was once asked whether philosophy serves any purpose. His answer was simple: it does, and that is it makes you a better human. Thinking about it, I have come to appreciate the truth in his words. Philosophy is not a tool of propaganda. Its role is to offer you diverging perspectives on issues and helping you understand them through the writings of established thinkers. You may very well refuse to accept their notions but while doing so you will be able to explore your own understanding about the topic. Philosophy will ensure that you are not rigid in your ways.
3. Critical Thinking is Bolstered
   A student of philosophy is expected to read, analyze, and comment on the various thoughts and theories. As a result of this, you will end up read many books, commentaries, articles, and notes which will help you hone your analytical and critical reasoning. As a student, you are required to not learn by rote. The ‘whys’ in philosophy are important, and assessing them is an extremely challenging task. But, once you are able to assess them confidently, you shall kick open the doors to success in various walks of life especially in policy-making roles.
4. Strong Communication Skills
   Strong communication skills are incidental to learning philosophy. Major developments, ancient and contemporary, are often examined in terms of philosophical arguments and explanations. For the students of philosophy, there are wide-ranging implications for every word, phrase, or sentence you use which means they are careful and smart in what they say and how they say it. They have been trained to speak what should be contextually spoken and to write what should be written. Since ambiguity is a common feature in philosophy, its students try to gain and express clarity as much as they can so that the other side is able to understand properly.
5. Plenty of career options
   If you thought a degree in philosophy has no meaning in the contemporary world, then you are quite wrong. There are plenty of options available to those majoring in philosophy. In fact, this degree can assist you in becoming conventionally popular professionals. Your skills and knowledge are best suited for jobs such as IT consultancy, social work, health service management, litigation, academia, policymaking, and charity. Since you would have written extensively throughout your academic life, you could very easily become a writer if you wanted.

Surveys have shown that philosophy graduates are most commonly found in the field of business and finance. However, the most preferable choice among philosophy graduates has been generally found to be media and advertising. You should know that your degree would have trained you in problem-solving and real-time application of theoretical knowledge as a result of which your skills are generally the kind which are highly in demand.

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