Will MacAskill, Research Fellow at Cambridge and soon-to-be Associate Professor at Oxford, has drawn my attention to several posts he has written at 80,000 Hours on seeking a career in philosophy, and says he would love feedback from the community. I encourage you all to check out:
- Career Profiles: Philosophy PhD
- I want to make a difference. Should I become a philosopher? (with a nice link to us!)
- Chances of Becoming a Philosopher
The third of these links is especially interesting, as it uses data collected by Carolyn Dicey Jennings on placement and attrition rates from eleven Leiter top-15 philosophy PhD programs from 2000-7 to calculate the probability of obtaining a tenure-track position in philosophy. The verdict? For those who finish the programs: a 77.27% probability. And when attrition is included: 59%. Sobering figures indeed.
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