It's telling that this defense of the most non-utilitarian of disciplines appeals to a utilitarian argument: "Properly applied, the humanities teach us how to formulate our views, articulate them and defend them." That's a side-benefit, but hardly the core of philosophy or any of the humanities. I studied philosophy motivated by a spirit of discovery and creativity, a desire to explore ideas and perspectives and points of view. I didn't care (and still don't care) whether welders make more money than me (I hope they do; welders offer a valuable service to us all). Philosophy doesn't need defending. The reduction of all things to monetary value needs defending.
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