"IF THE HIGHEST AIM OF A CAPTAIN WERE TO PRESERVE HIS SHIP, HE WOULD KEEP IT IN PORT FOREVER." - ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

“IF THE HIGHEST AIM OF A CAPTAIN WERE TO PRESERVE HIS SHIP, HE WOULD KEEP IT IN PORT FOREVER.” – ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

St. Thomas Aquinas was a significant figure and is included in A&E’s list of the 100 most influential people of the last millennium. While I disagree with his arguably misogynist views, I could not agree more with him in this instance.

Aquinas was an empiricist, and, thus, greatly influenced Western thought. If we go strictly on empirical data, there is no reason to change the Philosophy Department. The department makes money, and while it does not have an abundance of majors, it has grown tremendously over the years. It still graduates an average of 10 students per year.

Further evidence shows that philosophy majors score higher than other majors on the academic profile exam given to graduating seniors as well as such exams as the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, and GMAT. Many schools look favorably on philosophy majors because of the emphasis on reasoning, making these majors ideal candidates for careers in such fields as the medical community and legal system.

Ignoring this data would be a tremendous error. If we wish for our university to be considered a great one, we must respect the greatness that is already evident.