Professors, Ph.D.s and Friends

Although I am not a television freak, I do watch a few regular shows, including some sitcoms, and tonight is the night that they’re showing the Friends final episode. It’s two hours long and it’s supposed to be very good. Apparently this will be one of the most watched programs in history. Apparently commercials spots were going for two million a pop? Maybe more, can’t recall. Anyway, two hours of my time this evening will be wasted in front of the television, and of course if Sherri has anything to say about it I’ll also be watching the season finale of E.R.

I wrote an email message to a professor (the head, I think) of philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh to tell him that I was interested in pursuing an advanced degree in philosophy. I asked if I should get an undergraduate degree and then try graduate school or just take the GREs and go to graduate school directly. He told me the following, which I thought was an interesting idea:

"I think the best plan is to begin part time with one or two upper division philosophy courses. You will be able to assess your needs and plans from your work in those classes. Your work will also give you a basis to apply to graduate programs.

Good luck,
Michael Perloff"

Anyway, I might look into this. I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to go back to school, get a Ph.D., work in academe, maybe research. I like to sit and think and to write and what better job than to be a tenured professor at a university somewhere. Not sure about the teaching, but then that’s where graduate students come in.

Reading his email I began to think about the kinds of work I might do in these classes that would help me decide on various graduate programs. I suppose he was saying simply that if you like it and can do it well enough then you can probably get in to a graduate program. I don’t know. I have no confidence. I know I will never go back to school and it will be my biggest regret. I am an idiot.