Professor teaches philosophy is more than a study, it’s a way of life
To some people, the study of philosophy is just about confusing ideas and obsolete people from the old days of yore.
But, for Charlie Huenemann, the philosophy professor and department head, it is a way of life.
Philosophy has been his love since high school. It sparked his interest and he pursued it from then on, he said.
It has led him to become head of the Utah State University’s philosophy department, which happened three years ago.
He studied at the University of Chicago, then came to Utah as a professor.
“I really like Cache Valley,” Huenemann said. “If you don’t know someone in town, you know someone else who knows them. There’s only a first degree of removal, it’s very nice.”
Some of Huenemann’s favorite teachers in philosophy are men from the 19th century, such as Nietzsche and Kant, and even thousands of years ago, like Plato and Socrates.
“Contemporary philosophers have worth too,” he said. “But, history has weeded out a lot of people over the years, so you know you’re getting the good stuff.”
Within the department of philosophy, there is a huge variety of people with many conflicting ideas, he said and discussions and arguments can be very common in classes.
“Two people will get into a heated argument and still be the best of friends. They’ll go eat lunch together,” Huenemann said.
Having a major in philosophy can lead to great things, he said.
“Philosophy prepares you for anything. If you can sort out problems like free will, whether God exists, what’s right to do and what consciousness is, then you can jump into nearly any situation, figure it out and prevail,” he said.
Like in any humanities major, Huenemann said, a student of philosophy needs to know how to think and communicate.
“Philosophy majors may start out at entry level jobs, but their thinking and writing skills move them to the top very quickly,” he said.
Philosophy is often known by students as a major that offers almost zero career options. Huenemann thinks that the reputation shouldn’t stop anyone.
“You come here and you have four years to do whatever you want to do. You shouldn’t waste it with something you’re not interested in.”
When it comes to the worthiness of philosophy as a goal in life, Huenemann is adamant about its importance. It has shaped his own career and turned it into a success as he continues to search for truth.
“Philosophy is literally the love of wisdom. Wisdom, I think, is understanding what’s important in a human life,” he said. “So philosophers work hard to understand how a human ought to live. What can be more important than that?”
-maripark@cc.usu.edu