I received the following email a while ago from a Reformed undergraduate student working in philosophy:

 

I, too, am a Reformed Christian and I am studying philosophy. As I approach senior year (this coming academic year) the possibility of graduate school is becoming more and more real. I’m not sure what it is I would like to do after my undergraduate time, but I have considered graduate school in philosophy. One thing I question, however, is my competence for graduate-level studies. I am not a fast writer or researcher but I enjoy the subjects of logic, epistemology, and language still. There is, however, deep confusion as to what my future will hold and what exactly my decision will be. However, I do want to ask you if you have any advise as I think through these things. Do you have major questions you asked yourself before applying for a graduate program in philosophy? What are some good questions I can be asking myself? What are some factors I should consider?

 

Now, assuming (perhaps erroneously) that the main reason one would undertake graduate studies in philosophy is to pursue a career in philosophy, I replied with the following rambling rumination:

 

…I’m happy to give you my opinions on these matters, but please do take them with a grain of salt – I have not yet finished my Ph.D. and I am far from landing that all-important job. In other words, my journey towards becoming a professional philosopher is far from over.

These are exciting times to be a Christian philosopher; indeed, as some have noticed, there haven’t been this many Christian philosophers since the time of Aquinas. That said, however, I do not think one should rush into pursuing such a career – one should count the costs, so to speak. Being admitted into a good graduate program is exceedingly difficult (I’ve known many top-notch students (superb grades; around 95 percentile on the GRE; etc.) who only get accepted into 1 or 2 of the 14 schools they applied to). Furthermore, many people who start a Ph.D. in philosophy never finish (perhaps because it is taking too long; because they were met with too much discouragement; because they realize the could be perfectly happy doing something that is much more likely to produce a sustainable income sooner; etc.). Even if someone gets into a top graduate program, his or her worries are not over – it isn’t possible to overestimate how horrible and ferocious the job market is (see http://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/perspective.asp); many people who earn their degrees from top institutions never land a tenure-track job. For example, I did my undergraduate work at a good though non-elite institution – when it came time for the department to hire a new ethicist, there were 278 people with Ph.D.’s fighting for the single post! To mirror what Christ said about the cost of discipleship in Luke 14:26-33, I don’t think it would be entirely out of line (though perhaps a bit crass) to say something to this effect:

If anyone comes to philosophy and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life he cannot be a professional philosopher…For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?… So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be a professional philosopher.

This is an overstatement for sure, but I think the sense is applicable. Given what I have just said, stubbornness and fortitude are more important than speedy writing/researching (though the latter is certainly a plus). Someone could be able to crank out a solid paper every week, but if they do not have thick enough skin to deal with setbacks, caustic criticism, and rejection, I simply do not think they will make it.

I do not say all of this to discourage you, but just to make sure you know what you are up against. To be sure, as we both know, if God is calling you to be a philosopher he will enable you to surmount these hurdles.  The role of prayer should not be underestimated in this decision. Maybe you could pursue the council of your pastor and/or church elders. Additionally, I would discuss the possibility of graduate school with your current professors – they will know you, know your work, and know what would be required of you. I would ask yourself (and anyone else who knows you, really), if you really love philosophy, if you have the fortitude, patience, and mind (it takes a certain type!) to complete the work, if God is calling you to this (to be sure, a non-Christian professor probably wouldn’t be able to answer this one), etc.

One final note: if you find yourself going through these questions and still wonder if you have what it takes to succeed in such an endeavor, perhaps you should just go ahead and apply to a dozen schools (what schools to apply to is another matter!). Most schools know their own department and only accept students who they honestly think will be able to finish their course of study (this fact, being brought to my attention by one of my supervisors, was a source of solace for me when I was wondering if I was ‘good enough’ to be at my current university). So, if you apply to a dozen schools and get into a decent one, then that is a reason to think that you have what it takes to do philosophy. To be sure, this isn’t a flawless method; you shouldn’t think that there is a continuum between elite universities and sub-par universities such that how good you are corresponds to what school(s) you get accepted to (it is very possible to be rejected from a mediocre university and yet accepted to an elite one). Regardless, if you do decide to pursue an academic career in philosophy, quite a bit can be discerned from where you get accepted (though it should be said, if you don’t get accepted anywhere the first time around, then, if you are stubborn enough, you will apply again the following year and perhaps meet with great success!).

Well, I hope that this was more helpful than hurtful. Again, (in addition to God and your church leaders) I would discuss these matters with your philosophy professors – you can only trust some yahoo with a blog so much!

 

What else (or instead) should someone (specifically a Christian someone) consider when trying to decide on whether or not to pursue graduate school and a career in philosophy? I would like to hear other people’s perspective on this matter.

Today is one of the highlights of my yearly calendar, namely, Reformation Day! (Or, if you are partial to rhymes, Reformation Celebration.) It was on this day in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg Church door – an event that is widely considered to be the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation. Because of God’s use of Martin Luther and other reformers like John Calvin, John Knox, Ulrich Zwingli, etc. (and perhaps more importantly the martyrs before them – e.g. Patrick Hamilton, Jan Hus, etc.) we now have the five ‘solas’ that stand at the center of our Reformed faith: Sola Scriptura! Sola Fide! Sola Gratia! Solo Christo! Soli Deo Gloria!

That said, how does one go about celebrating Reformation Day? Here are some ways I’ve celebrated in the past:

  • Dress up like your favorite Reformer (it is, after all, Halloween)
  • Play a Reformation trivia game of some sort
  • Drink beer that is somehow (perhaps very tenuously) related to Reformation Day – e.g. any German beer (I’m partial to Warsteiner) or any beer that is remotely ecclesiastical /reformational (e.g. Augustijn, Blackfriars, or, of course, Calvinus – the king of Reformation beers!)
  • Eat Chocolate Indulgence cake (har har) or other (loosely) Reformation-related food (you may have to use your imagination).
  • Visit your local martyrs memorial, which is, admittedly, easier to do in some parts of the world than others (St Andrews, for example, has an obelisk dedicated to Patrick Hamilton, George Wishart, (both of which were executed in St Andrews) and other martyrs of the Reformation era)
  • Watch the movie Luther (2003)

Concerning Luther: This has to be one of my favorite movies. Sure it is one sided (a Roman Catholic will not feel that their position is fully/accurately represented). And sure it is a bit Hollywoodized (Joseph Fiennes, who plays Luther, looks very little like the man himself…)

martin-luther

But, I think this is what you’d expect. It is a phenomenal story and there are times in which I simply want to stand and cheer. As someone who loves Christ and his Truth as well as the Reformation and the reformed worldview, I highly commend the movie. If only they would come out with a movie about Calvin, Zwingli, or Knox…

Anyway, in closing, here is the momentous scene from the movie where Luther makes his stand at the Diet of Worms:

Happy Reformation Day! Praise the Lord! Soli Deo Gloria!

…is here.

Brian Leiter flagged some marvelous resources on his blog, which I will repeat here with one addition.

For good general information concerning publishing in philosophy and the job market:

For philosophy news and calls for papers:

…is here.

william_alstonThe preeminent Reformed philosopher William P. Alston passed away yesterday. His contributions to epistemology (especially Reformed Epistemology), philosophy of language, and Christian philosophy in general are extremely valuable; they will surely prove edifying for years to come. What is more, Alston, by the grace of God, pioneered a revival in Christian philosophy  and was one of the founders of The Society of Christian Philosophers and the journal Faith and Philosophy. Though this is truly a sad event for those of us who remain, we, as Christians, do not “grieve as others do who have no hope” (I Thessalonians 4:13).

My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family. He will be missed.

ADDENDUM (from Certain Doubts):

  1. From an email from The Society of Christian Philosophers:  “Bill Alston, 87, died earlier today, September 13, 2009, at his home in Jamesville, NY.  He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just the week before last.”
  2. A biography of Alston can be found here: http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~howardd/alston/alstonforthoemmes.pdf
  3. A bibliography of Alston’s works can be found here: http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~howardd/alston/bibliographies/writingsbyalston/writingsbyalston.htm

As most of you know, John Calvin’s birthday was last Friday the 10th. If you are dorky like myself, you may want a picture for your desktop wallpaper to celebrate this fact, so…

Calvin flier3

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