This college major could improve your critical thinking skills

AI makes it easier than ever to lean on technology to do our thinking and some research says it may even be making us dumber. However, researchers have found that studying philosophy may help sharpen your thinking skills.

In a new study published in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, researchers found that majoring in philosophy can improve thinking more than other majors. 

While the results may seem self-serving, the researchers did draw upon a huge dataset collected by Higher Education Research Institute with records from over a half a million U.S. undergraduates spanning 800 institutions. The data included results from standardized tests such as the SAT, LSAT, and GRE and two surveys. The first survey, Habits of Mind, measured traits such as curiosity, intellectual rigor, and intellectual humility. The second, Pluralistic Orientation, measured open-mindedness.

First, the researcher found that students who are already strong thinkers may be more inclined to take philosophy classes to begin with. They found that a one standard deviation increase in SAT verbal corresponded with a 57% increased chance of majoring in philosophy. Similarly, a one standard deviation increase in freshman year scores for Habits of Mind and Pluralistic Orientation was associated with a 34% and 13% (respectively) increased chance of majoring in philosophy.

However, this relationship did not extend to quantitative thinking—there was no statistically significant correlation between the SAT math score and majoring in philosophy.

Second, the researchers examined senior year exam scores for philosophy and non-philosophy majors (a group that included 57 different majors). When the researchers controlled for SAT results and freshman year scores, they still found that philosophy majors scored significantly higher than non-philosophy majors on the GRE verbal and LSAT. Philosophy majors scored an average of 33 points higher on the GRE verbal than non-philosophy majors, and two points higher on the LSAT.

They also came in first for the Habits of Mind survey, and sixth for the Pluralistic Orientation survey. However, philosophy students didn’t stand out in the GRE Quantitative: they placed 30th out of 57.

Overall, the research found that those who majored in philosophy outperformed every other major when it came to verbal and logical reasoning on standardized tests. They also had higher levels of traits like “curiosity, intellectual rigor, intellectual humility, and open-mindedness,” than non-philosophy majors.

While researchers say the study is pivotal, they also believe there is a long way to go in terms of learning the most important consequence of the major: how philosophy students actually use their knowledge out in the world. They noted, “it is one thing to form sharp, analytical thinkers, and quite another to cultivate intellectually virtuous citizens inclined to use their minds responsibly in service of the common good.”