The Public’s Opinion about Philosophy in Universities

“How important is it for a typical university to maintain a department in each of the following fields?” 15 fields were listed, and respondents were given four options: Essential — a university should always have this department Important, but could be cut if necessary Not very important This department should be cut. The field with the most public support, according to this survey, is English, with 86% of the respondents calling it “Essential” and another 11% calling it “Important”. In spots 2 and 3 were Mathematics and History. Very few deemed these fields “not very important” or said they “should be cut”. At the bottom of the list was Gender and Sexuality Studies, with 24% of the responses saying it is “Essential,” 28% saying it is “Important”, 21% saying “not very important,” and 28% saying “should be cut.” Where does philosophy fall on the list? Close to the bottom, with 34% calling it “Essential,” 45% calling it “Important”, 17% saying it is “not very important”, and 4% saying…