Why philosophy is no 'dead' subject and we may have never needed it more

“As you know, I have long been a champion of this approach and it is wonderful to see these ideas and ideals being promoted to a wide audience,” he wrote. He added a handwritten note to the typed letter: "Without philosophy that teaches us, are we not on the brink of species failure?”

However, the status of philosophy is not what it was, with the most famous philosophers all long dead. So Dundee University’s decision to soon stop offering a degree in the subject may seem, at first, like a reasonable step, given its financial problems. Philosophy may be nice to have, but is it essential in the modern world?

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AI needs philosophers

However, philosophers from across the world have now joined a campaign to save the course with a petition signed by nearly 4,000 people, including Amanda Askell, a Dundee graduate who is now an in-house philosopher at Anthropic, the company behind the AI system, Claude.

There is a good reason why AI firms are interested in philosophy, as this most modern technology is raising profound questions that society must answer in a way that puts the interests of humans first, with clear and deep thinking required.

Furthermore, the harmful effects of social media – the spread of disinformation, the rise of ‘post truth’ populism, and the emergence of cult-like movements like the anti-vaxxers – underline the need for people to be able to think logically about what is true and what is not, and be alive to the potential for deception.

READ MORE: Five Scottish philosophers who helped shape the world

Given such social turmoil, it’s perhaps understandable that mental health problems, particularly among the young, have been increasing. Fortunately, philosophy can help provide the mental strength to cope with a whole array of life's problems. Not everyone is born a stoic, some need to learn.

Philosophy can be esoteric, but it also can offer practical advice. For example, Alain de Botton’s critically acclaimed book, The Consolations of Philosophy, summarised philosophical teachings on subjects such as a broken heart, not having enough money, and unpopularity.

Philosophy is not a ‘dead’ subject. It can make us smarter, more thoughtful, happier and more at ease with ourselves. Have we ever needed it more? Dundee’s problems are serious, but we hope they can find another way.