Does Studying Philosophy Make You a Better Thinker?

Philosophers are often viewed as "deep thinkers", and studying philosophy is often thought to improve one's critical reasoning and argumentative skills. But does studying philosophy actually make you a better thinker? Michael Vazquez argues in a recent co-written paper that it does. Looking at both survey data and standardized test scores, his paper shows that "philosophy majors score higher than all other majors on the GRE Verbal and LSAT, as well as a self-report measure designed to assess good habits of mind" (which include curiosity, intellectual rigor, and open-mindedness)." During this lunch event, Prof. Vazquez will briefly summarize these findings and lead a discussion exploring questions such as:

• What do you think the impact of studying philosophy is?
• What specific habits of mind or intellectual virtues do you think philosophy promotes?
• Is there any reason to think that philosophy, as opposed to other forms of study, is uniquely (or in some privileged way) able to cultivate these traits?
• What does it mean to be a "better thinker"? How would one go about measuring it?
• How do the aims of philosophical education relate to the aims of higher education more generally?

Come join Prof. Vazquez as we explore these questions and learn about his research on this topic. Lunch will be provided.

Prof.Vazquez will also be delivering a talk titled "What Is More Important For A Good Life?" at 4:15pm in Pardee Hall 320A