The practice of philosophy encourages debate, open mindedness, clear thinking and writing, and critical engagement with some of the deepest questions human beings ask.<br><br>They are questions about the nature of reality, thought and consciousness, the scope and limits of human knowledge, the value and essence of art, and the foundations of ethics and justice.<br><br>Standardized exams for graduate, business, and law schools test for such skills, and the data demonstrate that philosophy majors do extraordinarily well on them.<br><br>Philosophy distinguishes itself by its methods: unpacking concepts, questioning beliefs, evaluating arguments, and examining the methods and assumptions of other disciplines, including natural science, social science, law, and fine arts. Students will learn to re-evaluate preconceived ideas, challenge their own biases as well as the biases of others, and be less likely to accept assumptions as valid logic.