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Who Studies Philosophy?
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Studying philosophy is valuable no matter what career path one pursues, from academia to business to
entertainment to politics. The following are just a few examples of people in a wide variety of fields who
have studied philosophy.
Government and Politics
Activism
Academia
Business
Religion
Writing
News and Journalism
Arts and Entertainment
Sports
Government
and Politics
William "Bro” Adams,
chairman of the National
Endowment for the
Humanities and former
university president
Bachelor’s Degree, Colorado
College, 1972
Fulbright Fellowship, Ecole
des Haute Etudes and Ecole
Normale Superieure, 19771978
Ph.D. (History of
Consciousness), University of
California Santa Cruz, 1982
William Bennett, Secretary
of Education and best-selling
author
Bachelor’s Degree, Williams
College, 1965
Ph.D., University of Texas at
Austin, 1970
Stephen Breyer, Supreme
Court Justice
Bachelor’s Degree, Stanford
University, 1959
Patrick Buchanan, Politician
Bachelor’s Degree,
Georgetown University,
1960
Bill Clinton, U.S. President
Rhodes Scholarship at
University College Oxford,
1968-1970
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Rudolf Giuliani, former New
York City mayor and
presidential candidate
Bachelor’s Degree (minor),
Manhattan College, 1965
Raisa Gorbachev, former
first lady of the Soviet Union
Moscow State University,
1954
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(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMartin_Luther_King_Jr_NYWTS.jpg)
Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Swanee Hunt, former US
Ambassador to Austria
Bachelor's Degree, Texas
Christian University, 1972
Thomas Jefferson, U.S.
President
Bachelor’s Degree, College of
William and Mary, 1762
Robert MacNamara,
Secretary of Defense and
head of the World Bank
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of California
Berkeley, 1937
Paul Martin, former prime
minister of Canada
Bachelor's Degree, St.
Michael's College at the
University of Toronto, 1961
Beverley McLachlin, first
female and longest serving
Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of Canada
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Alberta, 1965
Master’s Degree, University
of Alberta, 1968
Elizabeth Anne Reid, former
women’s affairs adviser to
Australian Prime Minister
and UN program director
Bachelor’s Degree,
Australian National
University, 1965
Bachelor of Philosophy
(Post-Graduate) Degree,
Somerville College Oxford,
1970
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ASheila_C._Bair.jpg)
Former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACarly_fiorina_speaking.jpg)
Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AL_Sanger.jpg)
Wikipedia Co-Founder Larry Sanger
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AJohannesPaul2portrait.jpg)
Pope John Paul II
David Souter, Supreme
Court Justice
Bachelor’s Degree, Harvard
College, 1963
Fred Thompson, former
senator and presidential
candidate (and erstwhile
actor)
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Memphis, 1964
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APearl_Buck_(Nobel).jpg)
Pulitzer & Nobel Prize Winner Pearl Buck
George F. Will, journalist,
author, and political
commentator
Bachelor’s Degree, Trinity
College, 1962
Karen Lerohl Wilson, lawyer
and public policy expert
Bachelor’s Degree, College of
William and Mary, 1972
Activism
Stokely Carmichael / Kwame
Ture, civil rights leader
Bachelor’s Degree, Howard
University, 1964
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AThomas_Stearns_Eliot_by_Lady_Ottoline_Morrell_(1934).jpg)
Poet T.S. Eliot
Angela Davis, social activist
Bachelor’s Degree, Brandeis
University, 1965
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.,
civil rights leader
Taught social philosophy at
Morehouse College, 1961
Aung San Suu Kyi, 2002
Nobel Peace Prize winner
Bachelor’s Degree, St Hugh's
College Oxford, 1969
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARebecca_Goldstein.jpg)
Author Rebecca Newberger Goldstein
Academia
Noam Chomsky, professor,
activist, author, and public
intellectual
Professor Emeritus,
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACharlesJohnson.jpg)
Novelist Charles R. Johnson
Rev. John I. Jenkins,
President, University of
Notre Dame
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Notre Dame,
1976
Master’s Degree, University
of Notre Dame, 1978
Business
Herbert Allison Jr., former
Fannie Mae CEO
Bachelor’s Degree, Yale
University, 1965
Sheila Bair, former FDIC
chair
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Kansas, 1975
Stewart Butterfield, cofounder of Flickr
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Victoria, 1996
Master’s Degree, University
of Cambridge, 1998
Patrick Byrne, founder of
Overstock.com
Ph.D., Stanford University,
1995
Chris Dixon, internet
entrepreneur and investor
Bachelor's Degree, Columbia
University, 1996
Master's Degree, Columbia
University, 1999
Paul Draper, winemaker
Bachelor's Degree, Stanford
University, 1959
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHanif_Kureishi.jpg)
Playwright Hanif Kureishi
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMSNBC_host_Chris_Hayes_on_2012_Brooklyn_Book_Festival_panel_(8024131849).jpg)
MSNBC Host Chris Hayes
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AJuan_williams_2011.jpg)
Journalist Juan Williams
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AStephen_Colbert_4_by_David_Shankbone.jpg)
Comedian Stephen Colbert
Carly Fiorina, former CEO of
Hewlett-Packard and
presidential candidate
Bachelor’s Degree, Stanford
University, 1976
Paul Graham, computer
scientist and venture
capitalist
Bachelor's Degree, Cornell
University, 1986
Robert Greenhill, investment
banker
Bachelor’s Degree, Yale
University, 1958
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APhilip_Glass_018.jpg)
Composer Philip Glass
Reid Hoffman, co-founder of
LinkedIn
Master’s Degree, Wolfson
College Oxford, 1993
Damon Horowitz,
entrepreneur and in-house
philosopher at Google
Ph.D., Stanford University,
2007
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AChrisHardwickJul2011.jpg)
Comedian Chris Hardwick
Carl Icahn, investor and
former CEO of TWA Airlines
Bachelor’s Degree, Princeton
University, 1957
Gerald Levin, former CEO of
Time Warner, Inc.
Bachelor’s Degree,
Haverford College, 1960
John Mackey, co-founder
and co-CEO of Whole Foods
Market
Majored in philosophy at
University of Texas at Austin
and Trinity University (no
degree earned), ca. 19751977
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARashida_Jones.jpg)
Actor Rashida Jones
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ALisa_Kennedy_Montgomery_2013.jpg)
TV Personality Kennedy
Richard Moross, founder of
MOO
Bachelor's Degree,
University of Sussex, 2000
Lachlan Murdoch, media
magnate and son of Rupert
Murdoch
Bachelor’s Degree, Princeton
University, 1994
Max Palevsky, co-founder of
Intel and venture capitalist
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Chicago, 1948
Graduate studies at
University of Chicago,
University of California
Berkeley, and University of
California Los Angeles
Larry Sanger, co-founder of
Wikipedia
Bachelor’s Degree, Reed
College, 1991
Ph.D., Ohio State University,
2000
George Soros, investor and
philanthropist
Bachelor’s Degree, London
School of Economics, 1951
Peter Thiel, founder of
PayPal
Bachelor’s Degree, Stanford
University, 1989
Religion
Rabbi Michael Lerner,
political activist and editor of
Tikkun
Bachelor’s Degree, Columbia
University, 1964
Ph.D., University of
California Berkeley, 1972
Pope John Paul II
Ph.D., Jagiellonian University,
1948
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ADeepa_Mehta.jpg)
Filmmaker Deepa Mehta
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAlex_Trebek_2009.jpg)
Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APhil_Jackson_3_cropped.jpg)
NBA Coach Phil Jackson
Albert Schweitzer, Nobel
Peace Prize winning
theologian and missionary
Ph.D., University of Tübingen,
1899
Writing
Simone de Beauvoir, writer,
philosopher, and political
activist
Master's Degree, Sorbonne
University in Paris, 1929
Pearl Buck, Pulitzer and
Nobel Prize winning writer
Bachelor’s Degree,
Randolph-Macon Women’s
College, 1914
Mary Higgins Clark, novelist
Bachelor’s Degree, Fordham
University, 1979
Susanna Clarke, Hugo
Award-winning author
Bachelor’s Degree, St. Hilda’s
College Oxford, 1981
Alain de Botton, writer,
philosopher, and television
presenter
Master's Degree, King's
College London, 1992
E.L. Doctorow, novelist
(Ragtime)
Bachelor's Degree, Kenyon
College, 1952
Alice Domurat Dreger,
author (Galileo's Middle
Finger), activist, and former
professor
Ph.D. (History and
Philosophy of Science),
Indiana University
Bloomington, 1995
Umberto Eco, author (The
Name of the Rose)
Laurea (Master’s) Degree,
University of Turin, 1954
T.S. Eliot, Nobel Prizewinning essayist, publisher,
playwright, and poet
Bachelor’s Degree, Harvard
College, 1909
Continued philosophical
studies at Harvard and at the
Sorbonne.
Ken Follett, author (Eye of
the Needle)
Bachelor’s Degree,
University College London,
1970
Michael Frayn, playwright
(Copenhagen) and novelist
Bachelor’s Degree,
Emmanuel College
Cambridge, 1957
Rebecca Newberger
Goldstein, author (Plato at
the Googleplex) and
Macarthur Fellow
Bachelor’s Degree, Barnard
College, 1972
Ph.D., Princeton University,
1977
Sam Harris, author (The End
of Faith) and co-founder of
Project Reason<
Bachelor’s Degree, Stanford
University, 2000
Christopher Hitchens,
author
Bachelor’s Degree, Balliol
College Oxford, 1967
Charles R. Johnson, novelist
(Middle Passage)
Master’s Degree, Southern
Illinois University, 1973
Ph.D., Stony Brook
University, 1988
Hanif Kureishi, playwright,
screenwriter, and novelist
Bachelor's Degree, King's
College London, 1977
Yann Martel, author (Life of
Pi)
Bachelor’s Degree, Trent
University, 1985
Iris Murdoch, author (Under
the Net)
Bachelor’s Degree,
Somerville College Oxford,
1942
Ayn Rand, author (The
Fountainhead, Atlas
Shrugged)
Bachelor’s Degree,
Petrograd State University,
1924
Susan Sontag, writer and
Macarthur Fellow
Master’s Degree, Harvard
University, 1955
Studs Terkel, oral historian
and writer
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Chicago, 1932
Miguel de Unamuno, author
(Abel Sánchez)
Bachelor's Degree,
University of Madrid, 1883
Ph.D., University of Madrid,
1884
David Foster Wallace,
author (Infinite Jest)
Bachelor’s Degree, Amherst
College, 1985
Elie Wiesel, author (Night)
Studied at the Sorbonne,
1948-1951
News and
Journalism
Suroosh Alvi, co-founder of
Vice Media
Bachelor's Degree, McGill
University, 1991
Barbara Amiel, Lady Black of
Crossharbour, journalist and
writer
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Toronto, 1963
John Chancellor, journalist
Majored in philosophy at
University of Illinois Navy
Pier (no degree earned),
1947-1948
Chris Hayes, journalist,
political commentator, and
MSNBC host
Bachelor’s Degree, Brown
University, 2001
Tamara Keith, journalist and
NPR White House
correspondent
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of California
Berkeley, 1999
Kathryn Jean Lopez,
journalist, political
commentator, and National
Review Online editor
Bachelor’s Degree, Catholic
University of America, 1997
Stone Phillips, broadcaster
Bachelor’s Degree, Yale
University, 1977
Juan Williams, journalist
Bachelor’s Degree,
Haverford College, 1976
Arts and
Entertainment
Wes Anderson, filmmaker
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Texas at Austin,
1990
Ethan Coen, filmmaker (of
the Coen Brothers)
Bachelor’s Degree, Princeton
University, 1979
Stephen Colbert, comedian
and TV host
Majored in philosophy at
Hampden-Sydney College
(transferred), 1982-1984
Wes Craven, filmmaker
Master's Degree, Johns
Hopkins University, 1964
Arthur Danto, art critic and
philosopher
Ph.D., Columbia University,
1952
Lana Del Rey, singersongwriter
Bachelor’s Degree, Fordham
University, 2008
Dessa, rapper, singer, and
poet
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Minnesota,
2003
Harrison Ford, actor
Majored in philosophy at
Ripon College (no degree
earned), 1960-1964
Richard Gere, actor
Majored in philosophy at
University of Massachusetts
Amherst (no degree earned),
1967-1969
Ricky Gervais, comedian and
creator of The Office
Bachelor’s Degree,
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AArian_Foster.jpg)
NFL Player Arian Foster
University College London,
1983
Philip Glass, composer
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Chicago, 1956
Matt Groening, creator of
The Simpsons and Futurama
Bachelor's Degree (studied
philosophy but did not
declare any major),
Evergreen State College,
1977
Chris Hardwick, comedian,
TV host, and founder of
Nerdist.com
Bachelor's Degree,
University of California Los
Angeles, 1995
Theo James, actor
Bachelor's Degree,
University of Nottingham,
2007
Zola Jesus, musician
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Wisconsin
Madison, 2010
Duncan Jones, director,
producer, screenwriter
Bachelor's Degree, The
College of Wooster, 1995
Graduate studies (no degree
earned), Vanderbilt
University, 1995-1997
Rashida Jones, actor
Bachelor's Degree, Harvard
University, 1997
Kennedy, TV personality and
former MTV VJ
Bachelor's Degree,
University of California Los
Angeles, 2005
Stacy London, stylist and
host of What Not To Wear
Bachelor’s Degree, Vassar
College, 1991
Terrence Malick, filmmaker
(The Thin Red Line)
Bachelor’s Degree, Harvard
University, 1965
Rhodes Scholarship at
Magdalen College Oxford,
1966-1968
Taught philosophy at the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 1968
Steve Martin, comedian,
actor, and musician
Majored in philosophy at
California State University
Long Beach (no degree
earned), 1963-1967
Deepa Mehta, director and
screenwriter
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of New Delhi,
circa 1971
Robert Motherwell, painter
and printmaker
Bachelor's Degree, Stanford
University, 1936
Steve Reich, composer
Bachelor's Degree, Cornell
University, 1957
Buffy Sainte-Marie, singersongwriter
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, 1983
Susan Sarandon, actor
Bachelor’s Degree (minor),
Catholic University of
America, 1969
Willard Scott, actor
Bachelor’s Degree, American
University, 1953
Wallace Shawn, actor and
playwright
Bachelor's Degree
(Philosophy, Politics, &
Economics), Magdalen
College Oxford, 1968
Gene Siskel, film critic
Bachelor’s Degree, Yale
University, 1967
Elliott Smith, singersongwriter, musician
Bachelor’s Degree,
Hampshire College, 1991
Kim Thayil, musician
(Soundgarden)
Alex Trebek, host of
Jeopardy!
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Ottawa, 1961
Christy Turlington, model
Bachelor’s Degree, New York
University, 1999
Sports
Arian Foster, American
football player (Houston
Texans)
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of Tennessee,
2009
Phil Jackson, NBA coach
Bachelor’s Degree,
University of North Dakota,
1967
Bruce Lee, martial artist
Studied philosophy at
University of Washington (no
degree earned), 1961-1964
Michael McCaskey,
president/chairman of the
Chicago Bears
Bachelor’s Degree, Yale
University, 1965
The above have been sourced and verified to the best of our ability. If you notice an error or would like to
suggest additions to the above, please email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
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