Embracing Philosophy in Our Education

“If you lay hands on today, you will find you are less dependent on tomorrow. While you delay, life speeds on by.” —Seneca (Letter 1, From Seneca to Lucilius - Greetings)

If I had to characterize the first semester of my junior year in terms of philosophical thought, I would label it as a period of enlightenment coupled with an existential crisis. In the past few months, I’ve gained a newfound awareness of the persistent relevance of ancient wisdom in a modern world slowly forgetting it. 

This semester in Latin III, we have ventured into the philosophical works of Seneca the Younger, the Roman father of Stoicism from the first century C.E., as we read the letters he wrote to his correspondent Lucilius on the dangers of mob mentality and the fleeting nature of time. For our final project, I’ve been tasked with independently exploring Seneca’s writings and finding a piece that resonates with me. From there, I must commit 75 words of authentic Latin to memory, recite it to the class, and write an analysis of my chosen piece. I find this project quite fulfilling; it feels like discovering a treasure trove of lost works, standing the test of time—writings meant just for me to uncover. Seneca’s letters feel incredibly intimate, as if they speak directly to the reader’s own struggles. 

Alongside my philosophical tenure in Latin class, throughout the past month in A.P. English Language and Composition with English teacher Dr. Minkyu Kim, we have been reading the works of transcendentalist thinkers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism, emphasizing self-reliance and connections with nature as seen in Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” and Thoreau’s Walden, encourages one to seek self-fulfillment from a direct relationship with the natural world rather than giving in to external validations. The focus on living deliberately and questioning societal norms, such as the conventional metrics of measuring success, resonates with me deeply as I navigate the many stresses of junior year and consider what I want my scarily-nearing adulthood to look like. 

As a result, I’ve reflected on the values of philosophy, not just in regard to my classes but as a life skill—one that should be part of all high school curricula. I would even go so far as to say that standardized philosophy classes for high schoolers are just as important as physical education or health classes. While physical education and health classes are meant to teach wellness, philosophy classes would teach emotional resilience and provide students with tools to navigate social-emotional complexities. At the very least, exposing teenagers to philosophical thought and encouraging them to draw connections to their own lives hold fruitful benefits. 

One of the key advantages of incorporating philosophy into high school curricula is the stimulation of critical thinking and conversation-based analysis. The philosophical discussions that I have had in my English and Latin classes this past semester have forced me to engage with complex ideas from different perspectives. These discussions not only challenge me intellectually but also emotionally, fostering a stronger sense of emotional intelligence. Engaging with the thoughts of thinkers like Thoreau and Seneca helps me examine my own life by undoing the layers of how I have been taught to live and what I have been told to prioritize. As a Stuyvesant student, I feel as if success is measured by how much I get done in the shortest amount of time instead of by the substance of what I actually do. In Thoreau’s Walden, he says, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately”—his words challenge me to rethink how I rush through life. I’ve realized I need to slow down my approach and live with greater intention in my actions. 

Another key benefit is the development of deeper self-awareness. As I read the works of Thoreau, I began to question whether the things I surround myself with in life truly bring me fulfillment or if they do simply as a result of societal expectations. I’ve reached the conclusion that I really do love what I fill my time with, whether it be coordinating the tri-yearly blood drive with the New York Blood Center or making the trek to Randall’s Island multiple times a week in the spring for lacrosse games. But I realized that I should continually evaluate my priorities and whether they bring me genuine joy. Walden reminds me that life is not just about checking off boxes from a to-do list but truly engaging with the world around me.  

Something I find so exciting about these conversations is the realization that the ideas an Ancient Roman philosopher wrote about at the dawn of our millennium and the essays of old, white men in the 1800s still hold relevance for a 16-year-old girl in the 21st century. As someone prone to overthinking, I’ve found that Seneca’s writings on accepting the limitations of control we have in our lives have aided me immensely when I catch myself worrying about the results of a test or how others perceive me. Philosophy remains timeless, and its insights are just as applicable today as when they were transcribed. 

To return to Seneca’s quote, as we delay living intentionally, we lose time—something we can never reclaim. That is why it is of the utmost importance to teach philosophy in schools as soon as possible. While introducing philosophy in elementary and middle school settings can be beneficial, high school is the time when students are better equipped to engage with complex ideas and apply them to their own experiences as they undergo the transition toward post-adolescence. Providing students opportunities to engage with philosophical texts allows them to look introspectively and gain a greater understanding of their environments and themselves. 

Overall, Stuyvesant has done a good job of exposing students to philosophy, whether it be in the curricula of the aforementioned classes or electives like Western Political Theory. However, I encourage more expansion into Eastern philosophies. In my sophomore year Foundations of Literature class with English teacher Judd Staley, we read pieces of literature like the Daoist Tao Te Ching and Siddhartha, which explored Buddhism. It is important to remember that philosophy is not solely made up of Western philosophers, as we so often think, but also rich traditions from Eastern, African, and other non-Western cultures. Other schools should follow suit, incorporating Stuyvesant’s intertwining of philosophy into existing curricula and adopting otherwise untaught Eastern philosophies. 

Now, I am not a self-proclaimed philosopher by any means, nor am I anywhere near worthy of that title, but I have a budding interest that I hope will continue to grow. Philosophy does not have to be confined to the pages of dusty books on bookshelves or conversations between two stereotypical intellectuals—it’s something we can all actively engage with. While I hope that schools across the country realize the profound potential of teaching philosophy and begin integrating it into existing classes, in the meantime, I encourage everyone to check out the writings of thinkers like Emerson, Thoreau, and Seneca. Admittedly, their language can be dense and, at times, superfluous, making their ideas hard to access for those new to philosophy. However, it can be just as rewarding to read modern adaptations of their writing or simplified summaries. By doing so, we can break down the barriers that make philosophy seem arcane and instead embrace philosophy as a resource. Their wisdom can provide guidance in the complex world of the 21st century and enable us to navigate its challenges with purpose.