Do I need a degree in philosophy to claim I 'm a philosopher? Socrates & Aristotle didn't have PHD's, why ..

Question

should I? So I can make the irrelevant, ad hominem claim that I am miles smarter and superior to all of you who don't have PHD's?

Also Known as: Fallacious Appeal to Authority, Misuse of Authority, Irrelevant Authority, Questionable Authority, Inappropriate Authority, Ad Verecundiam

Description of Appeal to Authority
An Appeal to Authority is a fallacy with the following form:


Person A is (claimed to be) an authority on subject S.
Person A makes claim C about subject S.
Therefore, C is true.
This fallacy is committed when the person in question is not a legitimate authority on the subject. More formally, if person A is not qualified to make reliable claims in subject S, then the argument will be fallacious.

This sort of reasoning is fallacious when the person in question is not an expert. In such cases the reasoning is flawed because the fact that an unqualified person makes a claim does not provide any justification for the claim. The claim could be true, but the fact that an unqualified person made the claim does not provide any rational reason to accept the claim as true.

Authority is earned, not conferred. Einstein was considered a philosopher but his degree was in physics. Wittgenstein was considered a philosopher but he was degreed in chemical engineering.

Socrates said philosophers after a living were no philosophers: they were sophists and lawyers.

Did I mention wanting a job as a professional philosopher? I don't think I did, so why post a comment addressing something I did not say?

I have alot of respect for anyone who endures and completes a PHD in any field at an accredited University or College so criticizing the people who get it is not my position. Getting any PHD is no cake walk, nor should it be. I just feel that credentials have no significant place in the subject since to bring it up in an argument is usually to assert the "me smart-you dumb" statement which has no place in pure philosophy-- a philosophy based on ideas rather than personalities or credentials.

Answer 1

Everybody considers himself as an philosopher but a Phd in field of philosophy gives us a greater knowledge in the field and that certanily helps in any field.

Answer 2

The best and approved technique is earn a PhD, and be called a philosopher. However, although some names become famous and praised as philosophers not by the degree earned but by extra-ordinary humble contributions and made by singular philosophic community, the best thing is to follow institutions or our traditional universities, in preparing the robe of a philosopher, unless considered books were published and serve for critical assessment on the professional preparation. Aristole and Socrates, like them, are excused since they're the conceptualizers and introducers of this profession.

In short, to become a philosopher is to read books on Philosophies.

The problem, when a unique ideas is presented newly the tendency is to appreciate, but in the name of Philosophy it has to passes over arguments, removing any logical fallacies, and predetermined by weak and strong arguments.

The professional doubts is the significant of any philosophic community, and any attested disagreement is what raise a contentious beauty of philosophy.

Answer 3

Unfortunately if you want a "professional" position in philosophy, then you would need "professional credentials" handed out by friends of the "professional" philosophers at other "professional" institutions of "higher" learning. As there is unfortunately no recognized school of life that gives degrees, claiming we are qualified in philosophy carries no weight to those who hire at the universities, which run roughshod over the "degrees" that they generate in the first place and demand from those who want to teach at their "honorable" institutions. However, I would like to point out that the self-help market is choked full of people with little or no credentials whatsoever. So, since universities ultimately want money and time for their vaunted degrees you might simply consider publishing your own thoughts, make millions and then receive an honorary degree because they want to buy you off and claim credit for your good works. Frankly, it would be a great deal more pleasurable publishing the book than trying to endure the prolonged arguments over semantics and petty logic with the PhD (Pile Higher and Deeper). You're always welcome here.

Good journey.

Answer 4

Socrates is my favorite, as he brought philosophy to the common man. He'd spend hours in the agora just questioning and questioning, speaking with all who cam near. He turned away nobody and was intrigued by everybody. Too many philosophers tend to be arrogant and elitist, snubbing the common man. However, the common man often has a better grip on the deep mysteries of life, than some snobby man who has never truly experienced life outside of his privileged existence. Socrates was remarkable, up to an including his death. He was given the opportunity to escape the night before his execution by hemlock. He refused and said something along the lines of that the people who he loved and respected so dearly had passed his judgment, and he was therefore bound by it. Yes, Socrates was the greatest.

Answer 5

You are free to claim whatever you wish. The question of the documentation to prove to the rest of the world that you actually are what you claim, is a different thing altogether.

Everyone is a philosopher to some degree. Asking that question and, I'm sure, you have thought about the answer, makes you to a certain extend, a philosopher. Anytime we question our worth and why we exist, that makes us philosophical.

If you are wanting to make a living at it, as a teacher or some other scholarly career, you might need to get that piece of paper. You would be sure to make more money if you did.

Answer 6

Everyone in their own little way is a philosopher, it is ones beliefs. Someone with a PhD just took more time to focus on the studies of the greats, and of life. It also proves they are competent (reading, writing, math etc.).

In modern day society a degree only means you can comprehend other peoples work, and develop your own thoughts.

Answer 7

Einstein didn't manage to have a degree. Edison never made it to college. Da Vinci was self-taught. Freud was hardly a physiologist because there weren't any before he came along. Robert Ardry became a world renown anthropologist without ever having a degree, etc., etc., etc.

One of the most famous philosophers from the past century was Eric Hoffer, a self-taught working man who was blind at birth. His first book, 'The True Believer', became the first best-seller ever as a book of philosophy.

So, no, you don't need a PhD to receive respect as a modern philosopher.

I rest my case. Case closed.

True visionaries don't need degrees. Whole schools of philosophy, art, science and music have sprung up around visionaries who didn't have PhDs.

And degrees in philosophy let you teach school. That is, if you can find an opening somewhere.

Answer 8

No but you may want to get a degree in English in order to post a well laid question! LOL

OK, it was written before, you can claim to be whatever you wish. Not standing on that little slip of the fingers; I would highly recommend a short little book by James Rachels [weirdo that he is!] titled, The Elements of Moral Philosophy.

Anybody can, and should, be a philosopher. In order to claim to be a professional philosopher a person must get paid to act in that capacity. I would not hold with a professor being a professional philosopher even if they were making their living teaching philosophy be they would be getting paid to teach, not to philosophize! I would consider a professional philosopher to be someone like a hospital would hire to tell them if letting some horribly sick person die was moral.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating and the proof of the philosopher is in the philosophizing; a formal education would normally help. Just my 2 cents.

Answer 9

I agree that a degree doesn't exactly mean that, that person is an absolute expert at philosophy, heck! there are a lot of people in this world who should never have gotten degrees etc, like faulty plastic surgeons for an example.

Unfortunately if you want a certain field of philosophy I'd say you have to have a degree to do so, that's just the way the world works sorry.

Answer 10

I don't think you need a PhD to be a philosopher but you don't see jobs as philosophers either