Writes Cormac A. (U6th)
On Thursday 22nd of January, Roger Doig, an Oxford graduate with a MA in Philosophy and Psychology, gave a talk to our Philosophy Society about the value of his degree beyond academia, drawing on his impressive career in JP Morgan and Schroders’ Financial Services.
He provided a refreshing insight into how he excelled in his career using skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, adaptability, and succinct communication, which were cultivated by his philosophical studies. Mr Doig explained that because of the analytical skills his degree equipped him with, it perfectly prepared him for necessary roles in financial services, which requires translating complex theory into practical solutions tailored to his clients’ needs. Although the talk focused on finance, Mr Doig emphasised that the same skills are highly valuable in many other career paths, such as in Law, Management, Medicine, Consultancy, Civil Services, or Entrepreneurship.
Contrary to the popular myth that Philosophy is a useless discipline, it has currently taken the place amongst the most valuable subjects to study, as it develops the soft skills which the changing job market calls for in this ‘post-truth’ era – notably in sectors concerned with Artificial Intelligence where ethical reasoning and clear logic are essential. Employers increasingly valuing the ability to analyse, communicate, and think logically and independently, which are perfectly nourished by studying Philosophy. It is true that Philosophy does not provide explicit vocational training as you may find in disciplines like Medicine or Engineering, however the number of universities that now offer a year in industry for humanities degrees such as Philosophy is growing to address this stigma. Additionally, Mr Doig strongly recommended Philosophy as an enriching and unique ‘pairing’ A-Level subject to help students stand out academically and professionally – or even as an interdisciplinary degree.
In his talk, Mr Doig introduced his three pillars of philosophy: Ethics, Metaphysics, and Logic. Going through each, he ran through the history of Epistemology, as a way of building up knowledge about ourselves and the external world on foundational axioms. Then he ran through moral dilemmas and the use of rigorous logic in his career.
When asked, Mr Doig gave the life-skill of effective people management through challenging their current frames of thought as the most important skill needed for any occupation (which would be enhanced by studying Philosophy). The ability to bring out the best in people by asking the right questions, instead of being radically dismissive, is now cherished in the workplace.
PhilSoc continues to provide interesting and engaging talks and discussions, whether those be university calibre lectures on Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, or modern political and economic dilemmas. Last week, the group continued their discussion on censorship and the limits of freedom of speech.
Pupils who want to get involved should look out for upcoming sessions on Tutor notices and posters around the school, or even better join the Teams page for weekly updates.
