“ACADEMIC CHAIRS ARE MANY, BUT WISE AND NOBLE TEACHERS ARE FEW..." - ALBERT EINSTEIN

“ACADEMIC CHAIRS ARE MANY, BUT WISE AND NOBLE TEACHERS ARE FEW; LECTURE-ROOMS ARE NUMEROUS AND LARGE, BUT THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GENUINELY THIRST AFTER TRUTH AND JUSTICE IS SMALL.” – ALBERT EINSTEIN

Surely no one doubts the contributions Albert Einstein made in the field of science. In our culture, Einstein is usually synonymous with genius. It is not surprising to learn that Einstein’s philosophical background began at age 10 with Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. Einstein’s challenge of Kant’s view of time and space being a priori made strides in metaphysics, as Einstein merged the two and stated they were part of the physical universe. Today, there are a number of books concerning the philosophy of space and time, and Einstein's views are taught and studied worldwide.

When people are faced with a crisis, philosophy is one thing they turn to. According to an article in today’s The Guardian, sales of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged have increased tremendously on Amazon.com. According to the article, the novel, which has a two-year sales ranking average of 531, now ranks 46th in sales. Rand has been lauded for her philosophy as well as her writing, and sales of her novel indicate an increase in philosophical interests among the general public.
The challenges the world faces today make this a critical time in the field of philosophy. It is during these times of struggle that the liberal arts truly shine. Please make this department a priority. Today’s philosophers are the ones who will guide future generations.