I think I want to be a modern day philosopher. What do they do all day? How does one make money?

Question

I don't want to be a college professor but I am good at reading books and writing essays. I am a deep thinker and love history, religions and philosophy. Am I a good candidate?

Plus I have lots of opinions and don't mind sharing them...lol.

Opinions are like bumholes... Everybody has one!!

Answer 1

if you are asking for others to decide whether you should 'think' for a living, you may not be a good candidate.
just go out and do it if you love it. don't expect it to be your day job. if you want to equate it with monetary income, you'll wind up working for everyone else's opinion.
the only modern 'thinkers' who make good money from their philosophical work are either conveyers of vogue ideology or expatriates.

Answer 2

You'll have to write books then, and being a college professor isn't really that difficult, if you're already an expert in philosophy. Each class is similar to the practice you get writing Yahoo Answers, you just perfect the way you organize and present your thoughts. A lot of great thinkers started out in academics, then wrote a couple books and survived on the income from that. Besides thinking you have to live life as well, so sitting home alone isn't necessarily the best way to come up with a new philosophy of life. But you don't just gab with friends at the coffee shop, you have to seek out the best thinkers in the world and start life long friendships based on deep thoughts and inquiries. Also lecture tours to make money if your books and ideas make you famous. Joining a "think tank" organization.

Answer 3

I don't believe that many Philosophers asked themselves if their work would make them money or expected it to. Being a philosopher doesn't have to be a full time job. Although it could be incorporated into every part of your life no matter what you choose to do. If you want people to read or to hear your work, then get it out there. Go to a spoken word event in your area, you don't have to read poetry at these events. Many of the folks there are artistic and tend to think outside of the box, so they will be a great sounding board for your ideas. As far as are you a good candidate? Only you can possibly know that. Start telling people your thoughts, get a blog going on the internet, write a book. But I would suggest that you keep your day job for the time being until you feel self-sufficent enough to let go of that income.
Best of Luck.

Answer 4

Well if you don't want to be a college professor, which is the only way to make money as a philosopher, you will have to get another job to support yourself, but you can still be a philosopher in your off time, writing your great tracts on weekends, and attending local philosophy groups in the evenings.

Answer 5

What they do all day is what they always did all day. Like...er...stuff.

Your question reminds me of someone who asked a famous writer how to be a writer. The writer replied "get up in the morning and write". Of you go - there's nothing stopping you write down your philosphy.

What are you going to write about? Epistemology? Ethics? Aesthetics? Sketch out an abstract and then write it.

Money? Philosophy works on a longer timescale than human life. Listen when I talked to my friends about Popper in the 80's they thought I was mad. Now he's quite the rage - and dead. If you are any good chances are you'll have some very rich great grandchildren!

Answer 6

they philosophize. They could make money if you wanted to be a new-age type, but mostly they enjoy life.

If you really want to affect other people's lives as a philosopher, it's simple. Just tell people, whenever they ask you what you do, that you're a philosopher. It will be such a shock to them that they will think twice the next time they see you.

I suggest not to be hot-headed when doing this. Don't think of yourself as a great thinker, just someone who likes to think. Not that you really want people to be impressed by what you do, but you nevertheless want people to take your work seriously, so writing books is the easiest way to make money and develop legitimate criteria as a living philosopher.

Answer 7

The only way for you to really make money would be to write books and give speeches to people about your philosophy. You can also write articles and essays that can be published in scholarly journals that are about your philosophies. I guess if you become famous or well known the money will come to you. Good luck.

Answer 8

If this is your passion, your heart's true love, then pursue it with courage and creativity. Writing books, essays, magazine articles, etc. can be your livelihood from pursuing your dream. You might also consider offering seminars and workshops on philosophy and important 'issues of the day', 'life issues', etc.

You may enjoy reading a wonderful book called "Socrates Cafe" by Christopher Phillips. He is a philosopher who travels the country by offering philosophical discussions at cafes, libraries, schools, restaurants, etc. The book is available at Amazon.com for $11.16.

Best wishes and good luck.

Answer 9

you would must have numerous jobs. lots of older western philosophers were instructors, artists, mathematicians, scientists, surgeons, etc. that is the position we get the expression ''renaissance guy". To be a ''present day truth seeker'' you may bypass to school and major in philosophy, then both be an author or get your Ph.D. and coach philosophy.

Answer 10

there is no money in philosophy unless you are writing some best selling philosophy books, my professor said even philosophy grads can basically only hope to become philosophy professors and it is the worst degree to pick as it is basically useless