Studying philosophy cultivates intellectual virtues, new study finds

A new study suggests that studying philosophy can make people better thinkers. Researchers Michael Vasquez, Teaching Assistant Professor of Philosophy at UNC-Chapel Hill (and an ECI Institutional Impact grantee), and Michael Prinzing, ECI Research and Assessment Scholar, conducted a large-scale study of more than 600,000 college graduates from more than 800 institutions. They compared students who majored in philosophy to students who studied other topics by academic performance and survey data from the Higher Education Research Institute, while adjusting for differences present at the start of their freshman year — like controlling for SAT scores, for example.

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How do you become a better thinker? Philosophers have long claimed that studying their subject made people better thinkers. Now, according to a new study, they have evidence to support their argument. The Educating Character Initiative’s Research and Assessment Scholar, Michael Prinzing, explains the research he conducted with Michael Vazquez, Teaching Assistant Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. #criticalthinking #philosophy @wfuniversity @uncchapelhill

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Their findings, published in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, show that philosophy graduates consistently score higher on tests of verbal and logical reasoning than their peers from other majors — even after controlling for differences present at the start of their freshman year. The study demonstrates that skills developed through philosophical inquiry—such as making arguments, identifying distinctions, and evaluating ideas—strengthen intellectual ability.

The stakes are more than personal. Without citizens who can reason through complex issues and discern good information from bad, democracy and civic life are at risk.

Michael Vazquez and Michael Prinzing

This result is exciting because it shows the value of higher education. These findings suggest that a student’s choice of major makes a significant difference in the kinds of outcomes they’ll experience as an adult. These skills, abilities, and dispositions for good thinking gained through studying philosophy are valuable regardless of the line of work they pursue.

For details on the researchers’ methods and the significance of their findings, read more at The Conversation.

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