Does Studying Philosophy Make You Smarter? Is Philosophy the Ultimate Subject in the AI Era? - Large-Scale Research Reveals the Growth of "Critical Thinking"

Introduction: The Resurgence of Philosophy in an Age of Irony

"Disadvantageous for employment" and "just abstract theories"—philosophy has long been a subject of ridicule in a practical-minded society. However, in the summer of 2025, a large-scale analysis targeting over 600,000 U.S. college students and graduates concluded that "philosophy truly makes people better thinkers," shifting the tide of the debate. The study was published in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association and introduced to the general public through The Conversation/Phys.org.DOI Phys.org

Key Points of the Study: Is It Just That "Already Smart People Choose It"?

The conventional rebuttal has been consistent: "Philosophy students excel in tests because they are already good at language and logic." This study directly addresses this "selection bias."

• Subjects: Academic and survey data from over 600,000 students across multiple U.S. universities

• Metrics: Language and logical reasoning (standard tests like GRE/LSAT) and intellectual virtues such as curiosity and openness (habits of mind)

• Method: Controlling for differences using pre-admission SAT scores and first-year survey scores, and comparing growth at graduationcontrol

The conclusion is clear. Even after controlling, philosophy majors showed greater growth than all other majors. This strongly suggests the effect of "studying philosophy itself."DOI Phys.org

Why Philosophy Works: Training as "Intellectual Exercise"

The authors view philosophy not as "memorization of knowledge" but as an **activity (inquiry)**.

• Questioning assumptions,

• Constructing arguments that withstand counterexamples,

• Refining conceptual distinctions,

• Tracing the implications of positions to the end.
  This repetition strengthens linguistic and logical "muscles" and intellectual attitudes, which is the background of the findings.intellectual attitudes Phys.org
  
  

However, Limitations Are Also Noted

The paper is honest. It measures only the growth in abilities and tendencies, and whether these skills are used for good in society is a separate issue. Application and value realization require future follow-up studies. Phys.org

Timely Reasons: The AI Era and Trust in Higher Education

As generative AI is replacing white-collar skills, human critical thinking has become more important. On the other hand, trust in higher education has been shaken over the past decade (although it recovered to **42% in July 2025 according to a Gallup survey, it still falls short of the **57% in 2015). The learning effects of philosophy could provide a compelling answer to "what is learned in college." Phys.orgGallup.com

Reactions on Social Media: Three Trends

The report quickly spread on social media, with reactions largely divided into three categories: praise, skepticism, and implementation-oriented.

1. Praise Group:
   University PR and media actively shared the findings. Headlines like "Data from 600,000 support it" highlighted the renewed recognition of the value of philosophical education (departmental pages and news releases followed suit).philosophy.ucdavis.eduYahoo!

2. Skeptics:
   Questions like "What about its value in the job market?" and "Is causality really proven?" were raised. On discussion boards, realistic concerns about career outcomes were still expressed (a common opinion being "I don't regret studying philosophy, but career planning is necessary").Just Plain Politics ForumsReddit

3. Implementation-Oriented Group:
   "How can philosophical skills be embedded across curricula as thought training that works in the AI era?"—discussions in educational settings and ed-tech contexts are increasing. Psychology blogs are also proposing methods for critical thinking that withstands AI influence based on this study.Psychology Today
   
   

In summary, while the "value of philosophy" is being re-evaluated, the next focus is on how to design career mapping and educational implementation.

Implications for Practice: How to Incorporate "Philosophical Workouts" into Curricula

• "Foundations of Argumentation" as a First-Year Requirement for All: Standardize the set of claim-evidence-counterargument-reconstruction in reports and oral exams.

• Cross-Disciplinary "Ethics and Decision-Making" Exercises: Address "value conflicts" in fields like business, engineering, information, and design using philosophical procedures.

• Visualization of Evaluation: Track learning outcomes through pre-and post-comparison of language, logic, and intellectual virtues before and after admission (the same concept as this study).DOI
  
  

Tips for Applicants and Undergraduates: "Philosophical Workouts" You Can Start Today

• Counterexample Diary: Find one counterexample to your daily convictions.

• Definition Refinement: Sharpen "What is X?" using borderline cases.

• "Steelman" Exercise: Reconstruct the opponent's argument in its best form before refuting it.

• Implication Tracking: "If that premise is true, what follows next?" up to three steps ahead.
  
  
  

Conclusion: Redefining the Meaning of "Useful"

The value of learning is not determined solely by its immediate career impact. Posing questions, providing reasons, and withstanding counterarguments—this series of practices that philosophy hones becomes the "foundation" supporting human judgment in an era where AI provides "plausible" answers. This study has shown with data that philosophy is not just cultural education but a training with reproducible learning effects.DOI Phys.org

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