Why am I doing a diploma in Philosophy, And how is it going to help my career?

My Journey in Philosophy

Introduction to Philosophy

My fascination with philosophy began when my dad introduced me to some of the profound teachings found in the Upanishads. It sparked precisely when I inquired about the meaning of my name.

Vedanta and the Upanishads

“Vedanta” encompasses the ideas that emerged from the Upanishads, which are collections of ancient Indian texts forming the philosophical core of Hinduism. My dad used to read to me the teachings of sages from the Upanishads. I was especially intrigued by concepts of Atmana (Soul), which describes the soul as a passenger metaphorically in a chariot. The body is the chariot with intellect as its charioteer, the mind as reins of the chariot, senses as horses that draw the chariot along, and objects perceived by the senses as roads along which the chariot can travel.

Learning Sanskrit

Fueling my passion for delving deeper into these philosophical treasures, I dedicated six years to learning how to read and write Sanskrit. This enabled me to directly engage with the original texts and gain a profound understanding of their nuances.

Founding a Book Club

During my undergraduate studies, I founded a book club. It started when I realized how unaware most of my batchmates were of the teachings in Hindu texts and wanted to share some of the knowledge I’ve gained over the past few years. We used to hold sessions to share the learnings of the books we’ve read.

Introduction to Western Philosophy

I was introduced to Western Philosophy by one of my friends at the club. We were intrigued to find out how some ideas are shared across both Eastern and Western philosophies. For instance, the chariot reference made in the Upanishads has been made by Socrates. In Plato’s Phaedrus, he presents an analogy of the soul dwelling in the body, likening it to a rider in a chariot.

The “Allegory of the Cave” had a profound impact on me. It pushed me to seek as much knowledge as I can and reminded me not to get comfortable with the idea of the world that I’ve built. I strive to learn more, seek enlightenment, and explore the world beyond the cave that I’ve been in.

Expanding Horizons with Dr. Peter Millican’s Course

To gain a better overall understanding of Western Philosophy, I took Dr. Peter Millican’s course on General Philosophy. It expanded my horizons, revealing the enduring link between creativity and philosophical thought across centuries and diverse cultures. How every ancient philosophical discussion has always been informed by religious concerns was something I wasn’t aware of.

Delving into Kant’s Works

Recently, I’ve been going through some of Kant’s works and realized that many of the terms he uses amount to a sort of code, which seems quite difficult to comprehend. This was one of my major motivations to apply for this diploma. With an experienced faculty, I would be able to seek help to break codes and get access to the interesting world philosophy literature has to offer.

Professional Experience at Amazon

After graduating from university, I joined Amazon in Cambridge as a Software Engineer. Before joining Amazon, I used to feel that creativity and engineering are two divergent fields and might not have a lot in common. While the former deals with art and abstract things, engineering is just pure logic.

Realization of Engineering as an Art

Working on projects serving millions of customers, I now know for sure that engineering is an art in itself. The solution employed to send a notification to your iPhone that someone is at your door is probably one of the most creative things I’ve witnessed. Transferring information across continents with less than a millisecond latency is nothing less than art.

With my experience at Amazon, I’ve gained knowledge on how to design solutions to some of the toughest engineering problems. I’ve been lucky to have exposure to a group of extremely talented engineers who can help me approach any engineering problem.

Goals with the Diploma

With this diploma, I hope to join a circle where I can discuss abstract ideas. I seek to develop a different perspective on how I view and understand things. In hopes of combining them with my adept technical skills to create something, to quote Kant, which is not only “original”—since “there can be original nonsense”—but also “exemplary”.

One of the main hindrances to a business’s or personal growth I’ve observed is cognitive fixedness, or the idea that there’s only one way to interpret or approach a situation or challenge. I hope to inculcate creative thinking with this diploma, ensuring that neither I nor my team stagnate.