I don’t call recall when we were introduced to philosophy. It was probably in high school, because in Class 11 I opted for science and since then have not touched the subject with any kind of academic seriousness. That is not to say that I do not have philosophical musings. In fact I have plenty of them. But let’s get back to high school where philosophy was synonymous with the Greeks. We were introduced to names such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. In books they were depicted as old, bearded people who all looked the same. As I am someone who likes to put a face to a name, I had a terrible time remembering who had said what. Never mind that I couldn’t care less.

With the passage of time I developed an appreciation for the subject. I realised that it intersected with science and mathematics, and was integral to understanding existence. I am not saying that understanding existence is necessary. But a conscious choice to not do so is also a kind of philosophy. So there is no escaping philosophy, really. I believe that the study of Philosophy should be strongly encouraged in higher education. It lays down the bases for ethical and moral behaviour, and will assist in personal growth at a very crucial juncture in life. I wish I had studied Philosophy earlier.

People treat the study of philosophy with disdain because they think that it will not bring any material benefits. Students who take up Philosophy are looked down upon as those who are not built for the rigour of science and math heavy subjects. But there is another dimension. Students generally don’t like being told what to do—and that’s fair. So when they hear about philosophy, they often assume it’s just a bunch of old rules about what’s right and wrong. It sounds preachy, outdated, and not really useful in the real world. Because of that, they tend to steer clear of it, without realizing that philosophy is really about asking questions, not following orders. Therefore, for academics it is necessary to insert philosophy into syllabi at regular intervals, in small doses instead of lumping it together as a separate specialisation. The separate, detailed pursuit can continue as an option.

Philosophy also provides the conceptual foundations for Psychology—another subject that everyone needs to study in small doses during higher studies. While Philosophy can have a free run, contemporary study of Psychology is grounded in empirical methods that seek to understand human thoughts and behaviours. In a world that is highly opinionated and divided, with many choosing to become reclusive, better understanding of human behaviour is all the more important at an individual level.

It could be argued that these can be studied independently and need not be a part of syllabi. The truth is that most people start taking an interest in these subjects only much later in life. Then it becomes an exercise in self-reflection rather than in course correction or recalibration.