elodin

I thought (1) might prove a bit controversial. @akraticfanatic thanks for the pressure to clarify where I'm coming from, in case what I have to say is useful for others. First, let me just agree that there are situations so difficult that nothing short of iron-clad, resolute conviction will get one through. But my goal in pursuing professional philosophy is to flourish, not just survive. And with flourishing in mind, I'd like to think that there is a golden mean to be achieved between cowardice (not even attempting philosophy) and recklessness (pursuing it at the expense of my own well-being). With (1) I was looking for advice on how to evaluate whether I am indeed flourishing as a philosopher. (Big thanks again for all of the guidance, people!) My first experience with this sort of challenge was in building a technology company. I learned that some things are painful in a good way, and others are painful in a bad way. I also developed a skepticism of self-sacrificial attitudes (which are often perversely egoistic). One tactic I used to try to steer towards the mean was to set aside specific dates to re-evaluate my path. When I noticed things going poorly day-after-day, I set a date to allow myself full skepticism and compartmentalized my doubts in the meantime. This method didn't work perfectly for me, but I would recommend it to others nonetheless.

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies! I'll be carefully considering the advice offered.

Hey folks, I'll likely be entering a terminal M.A. program this Fall, coming from an engineering background and a few years in industry. Do those of you with experience have any advice to share? Some specific questions: What is the best way to test the hypothesis that a career in philosophy is the right fit? Would it make sense to do some independent study/research-for-credit in the first year, towards a stronger writing sample? Or, is it wiser to invest time gaining a broad philosophical eduction? It seems like the latter is more in the spirit of MA programs, but that the former would be more strategic. Did you find the environment to be competitive? I see some programs consistently place just 1 student in a top 10 PGR program. I wonder whether this is largely a function of one's overall rank in the class. What do you wish you had discussed with/learned from your advisor in the first year? Anything in particular that you wish you had known before entering? Thanks in advance!