Hey all,
So I got into some good schools. I love philosophy. Especially science and ethics, but hell, it all interest me like crazy–even though some of it just drives me crazy, leads me to obsess over it, and finally say what a waste of time…anyways, am I wrong in thinking there is a big need for philosophy of science and ethics right now? Because if there is, then it seems like I should go to UCSD, even though it is not ranked as highly…Judging by what I can learn in a short time about their professors they seem solid in their involvement with real world issues. Whereas I get the sense Cal is a little bit more abstracted, even from the already abstracted atmosphere of academia. So basically I am just asking if there is any merit or truth to the story I am telling about UCSD’s philsophy department being more connected to the world and the unfolding future then Berkeley’s. Anything you guys could tell me would warrant light beams of gratitude from my heart.
Not sure about UCSD/UCLA’s philosophy departments, but Cal’s is known for a super heavy emphasis on analytical philosophy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytic_philosophy). This means that a substantial amount of time is spent on formal logic, that is, the psuedo-mathematical formulation of arguments.
See some examples here: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/analysis/s6.html
So you won’t be sitting around chatting about Kant’s Categorical Imperative or reading Plato’s Republic. It’s great prep for the LSAT though.
Cal does have a well rounded set of courses offered for undergraduates–whole classes on Kant, Spinoza, etc. But maybe the edge of their research is on analytics, but I think that’s true for most departments…
@oldtimeytransfer
Even in analytic departments, Kant and Plato are discussed heavily. Take it from someone who got a philosophy degree from UCLA…a school that is as analytic as it gets(Just look up “UCLA department of Philosophy on Wikipedia”). But 19th and 20th century philosophers from France and Germany are generally ignored for the most part, as most of them were “continental” philosophers.
As for you, OP, there’s nothing wrong with choosing UCSD. I imagine that their philosophy of science classes are amazing given UCSD’s inclination towards the sciences in general. And UCSD’s philosophy department is most likely well rounded in ethics and other vital areas as well. And it is super analytic.
Berkeley is also analytic, of course, but it does tend to offer more continental philosophy courses. Not sure if you want that.
Both schools offer courses that concern present-day issues, though. Such is the nature of philosophy. At least, as I think of it anyway.