Theoretical Physics or Cosmology or Philosophy of Perception?

N

Nancy

New member
Or any suggestions are welcomed. I am starting college again, due to my taking a break and starting a family and all, and am wondering what I should major in. Any suggestions on things to read, start studying, and alternate majors, as I am not even sure if those that are listed above in my question are actual majors.

I have always had a passion for science and math and have seemed to excel in the subjects in grade school. I love watching and observing others and tend to be quite introverted though am not overly egotistical, mainly just reclusive I guess I should say. I love to learn about ancient philosophers and ancient and modern physics and physicists. I cant stand not knowing how things (animate or not) work, if I can help it. Some things seem that they will forever remain a mystery though... I know this is a weird question since there is so little that you would know of me and my interests but i would like feedback of any sort really. I just want to see what you would recommend based upon what I have written (please dont scold for grammatical errors as I know they must be many) (cant be good at everything, right?)

Thanks in advance!
Also if any one knows of any universities on the east coast (especially va) that offer or are know for any of the stated or suggested major I would greatly appreciate!
Thanks again!
DVOTA : Did I mention money? No, I didnt think so. As long as I pay my bills on time I dont care what excess remains. AND are you joking? Of course I wont but insight from others is always appreciated, I am human.
 
It seems you have a healthy interest in the world around you and should do well, in general. The first few years of college are filled with compulsory courses, so you will get a chance to "sample" just about every subject and field you have mentioned. If you are accepted into a college and can not enter with an "undecided" major, you could go in with just about any major, including Liberal Arts (check the catalog to see how many students are admitted and graduated in each major each year). Use your first year or so to explore the subjects, resources and instructors available at your school. Good luck and congratulations on the return!
 
It seems you have a healthy interest in the world around you and should do well, in general. The first few years of college are filled with compulsory courses, so you will get a chance to "sample" just about every subject and field you have mentioned. If you are accepted into a college and can not enter with an "undecided" major, you could go in with just about any major, including Liberal Arts (check the catalog to see how many students are admitted and graduated in each major each year). Use your first year or so to explore the subjects, resources and instructors available at your school. Good luck and congratulations on the return!
 
Theoretical Physics and Cosmology are definitely subjects you could study and get up through a Ph.D. However, there is a world of difference between being smart (and knowing it) and excelling in math and science in GRADE school of all places and succeeding at that level in abstract physics. Succeeding in those disciplines would require that you master mathematics through algebra, geometry, calculus, differential equations, and a host of specific math courses, not to mention general physics which is no picnic either for physics majors. To answer your question, there are many fine and respected universities on the east coast (Harvard being only one example) that do indeed offer these disciplines in physics majors. I'm not saying you can't do it. But I am saying you're smart (whoopee) and now you have to start at the beginning and learn a whole lot of difficult stuff (let's say a decade's worth of really difficult stuff) to get a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics or Cosmology. This stuff is no joke. I'm a science guy, I teach physics, but I don't have the math skills to Ph.D. in these disciplines. If "Big Bang Theory" is your favorite show and you actually GET the comedic soliloquies, then you might be on the right track.
On the other hand, by comparison, something called the "Philosophy of Perception" sounds like what I call a "mush-major". It sounds like something one can BS his way through, with BS not standing for Bachelor of Science. It sounds like the sort of thing really smart people would major in if they didn't want to master the math (or really couldn't master the math). Sheldon Cooper would ridicule this major, and in my opinion rightfully so.
Even if you could get a job in Theoretical Physics or Cosmology, though, you would have to slog through an undergraduate physics degree first, and it ain't like studying psychology. One of the reasons there are so few physics majors is that physics is hard. The math you need is hard. Then, you'd probably have to get a Master's degree in physics. That's at least as hard and would probably suck up three years of your life. So you'd have to probably move to a new university, and suck heels as a grad assistant. Then, you'd still face 4 or more years at yet another university where you'd have to suck heels to professors even more and move again and live on Ramen noodles for 4 more years. Finally, after a decade studying, you'd get (if you're lucky) a post-doc assignment which sucks a little less. There's a lot of sucking involved in this process. Eventually, you would probably be able to get hired at a university teaching and doing research. After a decade or two of that maybe you'd become a tenured professor. And maybe not, and get rejected like the woman that gunned down her fellow professors a few days ago. Because when you've invested your life to get rejected, that really sucks. But anyway, even if you get to the rank of tenured professor, after 2 decades of wrenching mental effort, your salary is still probably only slightly better than the science teacher at the local high school. And that really, really, REALLY sucks. Which is why I'm the science teacher at the local high school. It's just easier.
 
Are you seriously going to base your entire future on a Yahoo Answers question? Study what you're interested in, not what gets you more money. If you're alive and not doing what you love, you might as well be dead.
 
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