Physics What is the usefulness of a degree in physics and philosophy

[PerpeuallyConfused]

Trying to navigate the confusing world of college applications I'm trying to figure out the usefulness of a physics and philosophy degree or a engineering and physics degree. Thoughts?

 

[Paul Colby]

Physics works. Philosophy doesn't work.

[edit] Engineering applies physics to do actual work.

 

[Logical Dog]

Physics works. Philosophy doesn't work.

A joint degree in physics and philosophy is perhaps better than a WHOLE degree in philosophy.Does OP mean economic usefullness to the degree holder, or other kind of usefulness..

 

[ZapperZ]

Trying to navigate the confusing world of college applications I'm trying to figure out the usefulness of a physics and philosophy degree or a engineering and physics degree. Thoughts?

Check for yourself.

https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/valueofcollegemajors/#full-report

In this study, philosophy is lumped together with religious studies. You may draw your own conclusions.

Zz.

 

[BvU]

Trying to navigate the confusing world of college applications I'm trying to figure out the usefulness of a physics and philosophy degree or a engineering and physics degree. Thoughts?

Dear Confusius,
Do the latter. If you turn out to be a real genius you can add philosophy in a later stage -- if still necessary

 

[Dale]

I'm trying to figure out the usefulness of a physics and philosophy degree or a engineering and physics degree.

As hiring manager in industry I would be cautious about hiring someone with a philosophy degree. I would rather hire someone with either just engineering or just physics than with either of those plus philosophy.

I recognize that I am highly biased against philosophy, but as a manager of engineers I don't need or want philosophy at all.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

As mentioned, there will be a few types of jobs where the hiring managers may be biased against the philosophy side.

But it may be an advantage for some other types of jobs that are more heavy on writing and communication than on just solving problems: science writer, science editor, etc.

I was a philosophy course or two away from a philosophy minor. Those philosophy courses really helped me in thinking and writing and problem solving, but most were more classical (opposed to modern) philosophy courses: Plato, Euclid, logic, etc. rather than existentialism, etc. I learned a lot about thinking outside the box and reformulating problems from a different perspective.

Philosophy taught me to formulate questions that are easier to answer with the available tools and steer away from questions that are harder to answer. I am much more comfortable with imperfect or incomplete answers, and I tend not to pretend to have a higher level of confidence than warranted by the data.

Philosophy, rather than physics, gave me a keen eye to distinguish between arguments that rest mostly on authority and arguments backed up by hard data. I have a Plato-like tendency to doubt things and pursue Socratic dialectic to explore issues of confidence and doubt regarding scientific assertions.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Is this a double major in physics and philosophy? Or is it a single course in "physics and philosophy"? The latter smacks of woo.

 

[symbolipoint]

This is one of those topics in which I would like to add a LIKE to post #7 of Dr. Courtney twice instead of just once.

 

[Paul Colby]

Philosophy may not "work" in the sense that science works but that is not same as being without value. Art, music and literature don't work either but I wouldn't suggest an education without them. Some component of ones education should be devoted to subject matters aimed at broadening ones views and opinions. Critical thinking is a very important skill in all life's endeavors.

 

[Logical Dog]

ALL jokes aside I was reading a philosophy book from a well known author and he made these assertions, I read a little bit more but not too much and I've forgotten most but these points struck with me:

1. Philosophers decide what counts as knowledge
2. all paradoxical questions or major questions in every field are about issues PHILOSOPHICAL in nature.
3. Philosophy isn't a subject like physics or maths, its a "way to tease apart and examine reality", like manure, pile it in one place and it stinks, but spread it around and its surprisingly useful. (direct para phrasing from THE BOOK)

I also spoke with a philosophy student and she said SHE WANT to WORK in a medical ETHICS committee So philosophy DOES work somewhat. also rather annoyinhly these philosophers take potshots at just about every field of knowledge without really having an indepth training in it.

 

[StatGuy2000]

As hiring manager in industry I would be cautious about hiring someone with a philosophy degree. I would rather hire someone with either just engineering or just physics than with either of those plus philosophy.

I recognize that I am highly biased against philosophy, but as a manager of engineers I don't need or want philosophy at all.

Dale, is this bias against philosophy based on personal experience, either through your experiences in college/university or through your past hires? (e.g. hiring an engineer with a minor or double major in philosophy)

 

[Paul Colby]

1. Philosophers decide what counts as knowledge

Not on my watch.

Philosophy I was exposed to was more about asking questions than answering them.

 

[Dale]

Dale, is this bias against philosophy based on personal experience,

Yes. I took a little philosophy in college, including a course in metaphysics. That pretty much established "philosophy is useless" in my mind. My experiences here as a mentor are what established "philosophers are annoying and disruptive".

 

[George Jones]

A few days ago, theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder made an interesting post on her blog BackRe(Action) about physics and philosophy,

http://backreaction.blogspot.ca/2016/12/reasoning-in-physics.html

which ends with

"The philosophers are offering the conceptual clarity that I find missing in my own field."

This maybe shouldn't be that surprising given that it is well known that Hossenfelder is unhappy with some of the current practices in theoretical physics.

 

[StatGuy2000]

Yes. I took a little philosophy in college, including a course in metaphysics. That pretty much established "philosophy is useless" in my mind. My experiences here as a mentor are what established "philosophers are annoying and disruptive".

Of course, I could argue that your view that "philosophy is useless" is based on some poorly-taught courses rather than the value of philosophy itself. And your experiences in PF as a mentor is again based on the experiences of a few trolls, as opposed to genuine philosophers.

As an aside, did you have a positive experience with or a positive view of any of the non-STEM courses you took in college?

 

[Logical Dog]

Not on my watch.

Philosophy I was exposed to was more about asking questions than answering them.

TO KNOW is one of the biggest issue of philosophy...perhaps that's why they are taking potshots at every respectable field of knowledge.
obligatory qoute for op:
"Philosophy is the no mans land between theology and science, under attack from both sides" - Bertrand Russel.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[Paul Colby]

In science there is a prescribed way to determine the validity of a model or theory. In philosophy to my knowledge there is no such agreed upon principle. It's fine to discuss differing points of view but there is nothing within philosophy to distinguish differing theories as one being valid and the others not. Like art, it's a matter of taste.

 

[Dale]

I could argue that your view that "philosophy is useless" is based on some poorly-taught courses

And like many philosophical arguments it would sound good but not be based on evidence.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophiæ_Naturalis_Principia_Mathematica

 

[symbolipoint]

Trying to navigate the confusing world of college applications I'm trying to figure out the usefulness of a physics and philosophy degree or a engineering and physics degree. Thoughts?

Degree in Physics and Philosophy: You might be fine doing research (in physics or in support for engineers), and maybe do well as a teacher. You may be clever in writing persuasive requests for funding. You might be good working for a museum. Depending on what else is in your training, education, and experience, you could do technical work.

Degree in Physics and Engineering: You could do a variety of technical work, and be an engineer. You could still do research. You are still able to think freely and express yourself in whatever ways you are skilled at this, regardless of any Philosophy education.

 

[Crek]

Is your goal to get training to get a job?

Because neither physics or philosophy provides it.

 

[symbolipoint]

Is your goal to get training to get a job?

Because neither physics or philosophy provides it.

Physics is closer to enginerring than is Philosophy to engineering. Neither seem to have much overlap or relation to Philosophy. I see very little reason why someone would typically want to combine either with Philosophy, but some individuals might want to just because they may be interested in them.

If one LOVES KNOWLEDGE (Philosophy), then one should learn some (Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, Biology, Archaeology, Languages, History, Political Science, Linguistics,...).

 

[Delong]

As hiring manager in industry I would be cautious about hiring someone with a philosophy degree. I would rather hire someone with either just engineering or just physics than with either of those plus philosophy.

I recognize that I am highly biased against philosophy, but as a manager of engineers I don't need or want philosophy at all.

As someone who was once set on being a philosophy major I can confirm the sentiment that philosophy is not helpful in general. I mean if you consider the importance of petroleum engineering, chemical engineering, applied physics, computer programming or anything of that is intensely useful you can see just how poor philosophy would fit in.