I am in the final process of getting a degree in Politics and Philosophy from Oxford Brookes University (READ Oxford Brookes not Oxford University! Although we share the same campus for Philosophy!). I have been asked the question of what use to humanity can me getting a degree in Philosophy have? A brief answer to the above question is as follows;
In any given state, be it a capitalist, socialist, theocratic etc, there is an undercurrent known as the Service Sector. This is both formal and informal. Whereas the industrial base of a country brings in the creation of wealth from both within the country and from external sources by inward investment and exports, the service sector feeds on the wealth already present and does not contribute to the long-term socio-economical sovereignty of a nation state.
I believe a comparison can be made from this example to practical VS non-practical degree subjects.
Technical subjects can be compared to my example of industrial sector; it brings in change, wealth, new opportunity and prosperity, but if not used well can lead to economical degradation. Thus, those doing such subjects are actively advancing humanity.
Humanities and Social Sciences are the other element of humanity that cannot be ignored in a healthy and progressive society.
Technical vocational subjects go hand in hand with more academically testing subjects. Humanities provide the “services sector” in society, feeding it with its daily dose of necessity i.e. food for thought, social system, education, governance, policing etc.
People have asked me what Philosophers do for a living, because the common opinion they have is of is that of an image of Descartes sitting on a rock lamenting the finer points of the universe and the rational of Mankind.
What use is this to the progression of Human race?
The answer, in the briefest terms, as I realise this post is getting awfully long is that, by using our knowledge we can feed our soul and society with its own food, which is intellectual and spiritual, but this is not enough to make the world go around! So ideally, there should be a synthesis of practicality and what at first seem subjects, which are a waste of time because they do not bring the money, progression or any job at all!
WE NEED BOTH TYPE OF PEOPLE OR IDIOTS LIKE ME WILL HAVE TO START LOOKING FOR A JOB!
Allah Hafiz
Yasin Qadir Baksh
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