I Need Help With A Very Important Decision!!! (NOT Poker Related)

[PokerProdigy]

I am a 20 year old college student and am in a dilemma about what majors I should get because I am find three majors very fascinating. However, I do NOT want to get 3 Bachelor degrees (at least not yet). So I think that I need to decide on which 2 subjects to major in, and then maybe later on down the road I can get the third one (for fun).

The 3 subjects in question are Economics, Philosophy, and Psychology. However, I have pretty much made up my mind that I will get a degree in Economics because if I go to graduate school in one of these subjects it will most likely be Economics. Also, Economics has more job prospects for people with a Bachelors degree than both Philosophy and Psychology.

So my question is, should I get a degree in Philosophy or Psychology? Basically, I want the degree that will benefit me the most personally, academically, and professionally. So, which degree would compliment Economics more? And which degree would help me receive a good/solid well-rounded education?

So, to restate my main question, I want to know which degree you think I should get (Philosophy or Psychology), AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHY SHOULD I GET THAT DEGREE? You can answer this question however you want. You can lay out some pros and cons of each, or you can address the questions in the above paragraph. Basically, I am just looking for some more factors to consider, which will help me make the best decision. Furthermore, I do NOT care which one will help my poker game more, I just want to know which one will help ME more.

P.S. I have posted this on multiple forums, so don’t get upset if you’ve read this somewhere else/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.

[fnord_too]

I only skimmed your post but I'd say psychology. Check out the work of Tversky and Kahneman, two psychologists. Their work resulted in a nobel prize in ecconomics, it's great stuff.

[DCWildcat]

Psychology would compliment economics MUCH better. Consider:
1) Both are social sciences
2) Cross-discipline research is much more readily available
3) Aspects of each apply to each other

Economics studies what people and firms should do (to maximize profit). Psychology studies what people actually do. Economics (except for modern Micro) assumes the "rational man theory." Since man is clearly irrational, psychology is a useful field to compliment it with.

You're lucky; research involving both psychology and economics has been booming of late. Check out a book called Freakonomics (can't remember what the title is for the life of me), and you'll get a bit of a taste of that.

[DCWildcat]

As for the well-roundedness/cultural literacy side of the equation, studying philosophy is better for cocktail party discussion. As far as improving your quality of life and letting you learn more the way the world works (as opposed to theories about it), psychology is more helpful. It is, in many ways, the most relevant science there is. Its importance on a day to day basis is unparalleled.

Keep in mind that you can learn plenty without actually receiving a degree. You could do a double major and do 5 or so classes in the other field, for example.


Also keep in mind that I'm particularly biased in my responses. Although I love philosophy, my parents are psychology PhD's and I'm on my way to being one, too.

[drudman]

I have to go against the grain and recommend philosophy. I believe that studying philosophy develops and vastly improves the way you think, and the way you approach everything. You can read plenty of psychology, but it's especially important to be instructed in philosophy by someone who knows the right questions to ask, and the right answers to your own questions.

Philosophy is also more likely to provide you with a more well-rounded education. As a bonus, many philosophy classes will address classic psychology texts and also contemporary ideas.

[Bodhi]

[ QUOTE ]
Since man is clearly irrational, psychology is a useful field to compliment it with.

[/ QUOTE ]

Beliefs like this are the clearest evidence for why more people should study philosophy.

Rationality is a necessary condition for language and linguistic meaning.

[Darryl_P]

If those are the only 2 choices I'd say psych because of reasons cited in other posts, but the most important thing in the world is to know yourself IMO and that is best done when you have some extra time on your hands. I'd just stick to the one degree, make sure you get good grades and use any other time for hanging with friends or whatever you enjoy.

Don't forget the brainwashing effects of modern education...it will probably not be stated explicitly by any of your profs but the key to it all is to make you obedient, docile and respect society's authority figures -- something that is extremely good for society (ie. everyone else) but not necessarily good for you. Generally it's when you have time to yourself to think that you come up with stuff that's good for you.

[chezlaw]

How about a forth option - do a maths degree. The benefits:

Most flexible degree in terms of future carear prospects.

You can study economics/philosophy/(maybe physcology) at a higher level later. The maths will help.

Satisfying degree to do.

Most important /images/graemlins/smile.gif require the least amount of time to study (if your good at maths) as litle book reading and very litle to memorise. Allows lots of time for social life and poker. No essays.

I've done a few degrees and to give you some idea I did a maths degree and later two years of a philosophy degree, both at the same university. The first year of the philosophy degree required nearly the same amount of work as the whole maths degree.


chez

[Larimani]

Psychology & it's not even close.

a) more interesting.
b) more scientific.
c) more useful in the workplace (may even help you get a managment position)
d) knowledge can be used in practice, with workmates, friends and family
e) might even help your poker /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gl. Whatever you choose to do.

[Mano]

My question would be why are you persuing the second degree? If you are doing so for job reasons, I would guess there would be many more jobs that the psychology degree would help you get. If you are doing it for personal reasons (you like philosophy, want to be a better rounded person, learn to make rational arguments, etc.) then maybe the philosophy degree would be better.

[lucktard]

Since you mentioned the possibility of graduate school you should consider that philosophy majors tend to score higher (http://www.jmu.edu/philrel/standardized_tests.htm) than other majors on graduate admissions exams. I think this is probably related to some of the other advantages to a philosophy degree that other posters mentioned (like getting a well-rounded education that exposes you to many disciplines and learning to think rationally)

[Bodhi]

That is really a fantastic document.

[drudman]

[ QUOTE ]
Psychology & it's not even close.

a) more interesting.
b) more scientific.
c) more useful in the workplace (may even help you get a managment position)
d) knowledge can be used in practice, with workmates, friends and family
e) might even help your poker /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gl. Whatever you choose to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

All of the above seem to be either false, or moreso/equally true of philosophy. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[LargeCents]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Psychology & it's not even close.

a) more interesting.
b) more scientific.
c) more useful in the workplace (may even help you get a managment position)
d) knowledge can be used in practice, with workmates, friends and family
e) might even help your poker /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gl. Whatever you choose to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

All of the above seem to be either false, or moreso/equally true of philosophy. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

[fnord_too]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Psychology & it's not even close.

a) more interesting.
b) more scientific.
c) more useful in the workplace (may even help you get a managment position)
d) knowledge can be used in practice, with workmates, friends and family
e) might even help your poker /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gl. Whatever you choose to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

All of the above seem to be either false, or moreso/equally true of philosophy. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to comment on b, Psychology is more scientific than philosophy since it follows the scientific method and philosophy does not (AFAIK). That is, in psychology, hypotheses are formed, predictions derived, experiments are designed and executed, and results statistically examined. Sometimes they don't do the hypothesis bit, and just design experiments and statistically analyze the results. The point is, psychology is strictly observation based field where philosophy is not. Philosophy is more akin to math, which is not science.

[drudman]

gh

My intention was that when one does philosophy correctly, there is nothing "pseudoscientific" about it, in the sense that astrology or numerology is "psuedoscientific".