What are you going to do with that?

[James_B]

Are any other college students sick of the question "what are you going to do with that?"?

"Oh I'm taking chemical technology"

"What are you going to do with that?"

"I don't know it's science and interesting can lead me to places I never thought possible before"

"Yeah but what kind of job and how good of an income?"

"***?"

Anyone else in this boat?

[T.O.Bass]

You think you have it bad? I have a degree in philosophy and I'm finishing one in english.

[FrizzleFry]

I'm in it ... Music Degree.

[James_B]

What is a degree in philosophy like? What kind of classes, tests and asignments do you do?

You can go to teachers college with that english degree.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by T.O.Bass

You think you have it bad? I have a degree in philosophy and I'm finishing one in english.

What are you going to do with that?









i keed


*edit: is it safe to assume that you plan on writing a philosophy book?

[bongomania]

In all seriousness, there are some times when the question is idiotic (like in the OP's chemical technology example) but other times when it's a sincere expression of incredulity. I was friend/roommate to about a dozen philosophy majors, including up to the doctorate level, and not a goddam one of them had any idea what they were going to do with their degree. As best they could whine about getting a gig teaching philosophy.

Now I don't believe all studies/degrees have to be job-focused, clearly a person can study and learn for their own personal development. I'm just saying there are times when the person asking the question isn't being a dummy, the degree really doesn't have any imaginable practical application.

[T.O.Bass]

Originally Posted by James_B

What is a degree in philosophy like? What kind of classes, tests and asignments do you do?

You can go to teachers college with that english degree.

Philosphy is all acres of reading and miles of writing papers. Obviously it varies, depending on which area you concentrate, though. I majored in ethics and then focused further on bioethics (medical ethics). We read a lot of papers written by medical professionals and also court cases. Because bioethics is such a new field of study, there isn't any famous philospher who has left his mark on it yet. The people out there who are actively participating in what happens are the people writing the literature right now. Mostly doctors, judges, and lawyers.

A good example of what bioethics is like - this was the first thing my prof said on my first day of bioethics:

"You have two people, both aged 22, both female, both in need of a heart transplant. You have only one donor heart. The only information you have to differentiate between the two women is that one is projected to live 20 years if given the donor heart, the other is projected to live 2 years. Who gets the donor heart and who dies, and explain why."

Other areas of bioethics:

-the question of life versus 'life' (for lack of a batter term) For example, a child born with no function brain save for a brain stem (yes this happens) The brain stem regulates all the automatic body functions (pumps the heart, regulates breathing) but the lack of frontal lobes means it will never even remotely attain a state of consciousness. Is it human?

-Questions of informed consent - A person is severly injured in a car accident and needs a blood transfusion to survive. As it turns out, however, they are of a religious persuasion that does not allow blood transfusion (jehova's witness, i believe?). The person is unconscious and cannot be asked whether they want this religious taboo overridden so that they may be saved. Do the doctors give the transfusion anyway, saving the life of the individual, though violating their religious beliefs? Or do they respect that person's religion and let them die, as there is no alternative. This has actually happened on several occassions in the past.

And all sorts of other stuff...

[T.O.Bass]

And yes, teacher's college is my goal.

Well, that, and bass god.

[James_B]

How do you get marked then?

[mike_v_s]

When people found out I was a Political Science major, they would invariably ask a version of "what are you gonna be with that?"

The answer? "Four years smarter than you."

Mike

[David1234]

I left my electrical engineering career to do a music degree and focus full time on music ... 6 years ago. I'm still asked what I want to do. It's kinda funny.

[T.O.Bass]

Originally Posted by James_B

How do you get marked then?

You are asked questions like the ones above, and you are graded on how well-resoned your response is. You pick an ethical stance on the subject, and defend it, basically. It's a lot harder than you think, because as you formulate your answer, you keep coming up with counterarguments which need to be adressed. And you know if YOU came up with the counterargument, your prof sure will, and well, there goes that whole line of reasoning out the window, back to scratch to try to come up with something better.

In a sense it's of a test of logic. If your logic is, well, illogical, you lose. Your theories have to be tight to get a decent grade, because believe me if there's anyone who is gonna nitpick, it's a philosphy prof.

[James_B]

^^^ See I read that and I ask myself if my logic is strong enough to pass a course like that. I thought philosphy was ment to question things? I don't see how questioning yourself is a bad thing.

I study alot and get C's and D's. Everyonce in awhile a class comes by where I get a B or A in. That just somehow makes me go "Yeah I can do it?". Basically how it has been for 2 years I'm trying to better myself not really looking for a career. Then something like car insurance bill or cell phone bill comes in and I start to question things again.....

[EricF]

Years ago, I completely ruined any chance I had on a date with a hot Asian chick when I asked her what she was going to do with the degree in English Literature she had nearly completed. I think referencing that the receptionist at the company I worked for having a Masters in English Lit kind of killed things for good. Man, that was a dumb move.

[doctorjazz]

I'm double majoring in jazz performance and philosophy, so I tend to get the question a lot. It's always funny to see the puzzled looks on their faces when I tell them I'm going to law school.

[CapnSev]

Yes! I haaatteee that question!

[steve21]

I wish I ****ing knew.

[Hyde]

I get something close to that. I'm in pharmacy school, so instead of "what are you going to do with that?" I always hear "why would you want to do that?" or "what kind of degree do you need to count by fives?" Bah, some people just don't realize what amazing opportunities are out there in a lot of fields.

[Fontaine]

No, usually when I tell people they are say something like, "be happy with your money".

I'm putting myself through hell for more then money...

[L-A]

I love getting this question. I'm in graphic design (with a good deal of advertising) so I usually answer:

Make you buy what you don't need so I can buy what you want.

Modify your photograph so your boyfriend can finally show you to his friends.

I will spend my life making graphics. Pie charts, histograms. Gotta love'em.