http://news3.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/25/content_4471452.htm
Philosophy as a major, anyone?
www.chinaview.cn 2006-04-25 13:19:10
BEIJING, April 25 -- Philosophy departments at
local universities have had a tough time in recent
years as few high school graduates are willing to take
the abstract subject as their first major choice.
During Fudan University's admission open day last
weekend, officials said that several parents tried to
prevent their children with interest in philosophy,
from applying for the major.
"Everybody wants a good job after university life,
but God knows what a guy with a brain of strange
thoughts can do after graduation," said Yuan Chunfen,
mother of a local high school boy.
However, the first batch of three philosophy
graduates who were honored as elite alumni and invited
to address students during the 50th anniversary
celebration of Fudan's philosophy department yesterday
turned out to be renowned entrepreneurs.
Guo Guangchang, president of Forsun High-Tech
Group who was listed seventh among China's Top 400
Richest by Forbes 2005; David Yu Feng, co-chairman of
Focus Media Holding Ltd; and Dai Zhikang, real estate
entrepreneur and president of the Shanghai Zendai
Group, studied philosophy in the 1980s.
"The country's economic boom in recent years has
made the public near-sighted. They look for quick and
short-term profits," said Wu Xiaoming, dean of Fudan's
philosophy department. "And this has hurt the whole
philosophy education."
For instance, Fudan officials said that the
department was able to recruit only seven students in
1990, its worst year.
Only half the freshmen it recruited in the city
last year listed philosophy as their first major
choice.
The percentage of non-first-choice philosophy
students even reached 90 percent at other
universities. In fact, some scholars had suggested
scrapping philosophy as a subject at undergraduate
level, according to Chen Jiaying, dean of East China
Normal University philosophy department.
Many philosophy graduates have taken up business
jobs, officials said.
Unlike other disciplines of practical skills,
philosophy leaves students with a basic method of
thinking, which helps them ponder over their choices
and thereby become wise decision makers, Wu said.
He added that many business leaders return to
basic philosophy courses after undertaking fashionable
golf training and Master of Business Administration
programs.
(Source: Shanghai Daily)
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