Graduate Testimonials

Fintan Mallory

I became interested in Philosophy because it appeared to be the subject which asked the most important and interesting questions. What makes something meaningful? Why should we be moral? Are there limits to what we can think?

A great thing about the course in Trinity is the depth with which the History of Philosophy is studied. Everyone in the Department has his or her own expertise in various areas, and as a student you see the same questions approached in different ways by different people; from this you get a much better understanding of what you were asking in the first place. In the third and fourth year you get to focus on the areas that most interest you, and the lectures give way to more intimate seminars with more discussion and debate. In this context you may find yourself defending views you didn't know you had. To test your ideas, I'd recommend giving a paper at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society, the student–run 'philosophy club' where guests and student speakers present what they are working on and receive feedback.

If you are concerned about the 'career advantages' of studying Philosophy, it trains you to see complex issues clearly, to analyse arguments thoroughly, identifying assumptions and tracing logical dependencies, and to present your conclusions in a carefully reasoned manner. These are all important skills which, I am told, employers care a good deal about. More importantly, it is exciting, profound and your life will be richer for it.