http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2213665,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=8

News that employers and the public hold philosophers in higher regard should presumably be cause for celebration? Not entirely, says Blackburn. "It is also slightly worrying, because people turn to philosophers when they feel less confident and more insecure."

"It is also slightly worrying, because people turn to philosophers when they feel less confident and more insecure."

They do? - B.S.

Training in philosophy is somewhat narrow these days, less exciting than the pronouncements of 'wisdom'. Its graduates are sought after because of their training in logical and linguistic analysis. Remember that Wittgenstein (et al) came to destroy philosophy: propositional and predicate calculus don't prepare students to stand on rooftops and proclaim the meaning of life, but it surely gives them the wit to deconstruct the follies of those who do.

propositional and predicate calculus don't prepare students to stand on rooftops and proclaim the meaning of life, but it surely gives them the wit to deconstruct the follies of those who do.

Nicely said.

the wit? am not so certain, the tools, yes. it's tough deconstructing that which does not desire to be deconstructed..

Oh it's limited. It can only point out logical and linguistic errors. Hardly likely to have any impact on the way we think and behave!