Here is a list of famous individuals who were Philosophy Majors!
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
William Bennett– former Secretary of Education and Head of the Drug Enforcement Agency
Patrick Buchanan– former Presidential Candidate and Political Columnist
Angela Davis–Social Activist and Political Philosopher
Jules Debray–Writer and Government Official, France
Rahm Emanuel–Clinton White House Political Advisor
Thomas Jefferson–U.S. President
Vaclav Havel–former President of Czeckoslovakia
Aung San Suu Kyi–Human Rights Activist, Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Robert MacNamara–Secretary of Defense and Head of the World Bank
John Silber–former Candidate for Governor of Massachusetts and President of Boston University
David Souter–Supreme Court Justice
ARTS AND LETTERS
Wes Anderson–Filmmaker and Writer (Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic) Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin
Mary Higgins Clark–Mystery Writer
Joseph Chaikin–Theatre Director
Ethan Coen–Filmmaker and Writer (Raising Arizona, Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Romance and Cigarettes) Philosophy, Simon’s Rock College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Umberto Eco–Novelist and Semiologist
Ken Follett–British Writer
Michael Frayn–Novelist
Northrup Frye–Literary Critic
Martin Gardner–Essayist
Philip Glass–Composer
Rebecca Goldstein–Novelist
Claude Lanzsmann–Film Maker
Michael Lerner–Editor/Publisher Tikkun Magazine
Ira Levin–Writer
James Michener–Writer
Iris Murdoch–Novelist
Steve Reich–Composer
Meyer Schapiro–Art Critic
Alexander Solzhenitsin–Writer
Wallace Shawn–Playwright and Actor, BA in History from Harvard, studied Philosophy at Oxford
Susan Sontag–Writer
David Foster Wallace–Novelist
Elie Wiesel–Writer
RELIGION
Joseph Bernardin–Cardinal, Chicago
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf–Muslim leader, Arabic scholar
Mircea Eliade–Religious Studies
Martin Luther King, Jr–Minister & Civil Rights Leader
Madelyn Murray O’Hair–Famous Atheist
Pope John Paul II—Pope and Vicar of Christ
Willard Scott—Meterologist, NBC, American University, Religious Studies
Michael Lerner–Editor/Publisher Tikkun Magazine
George Pires — Nobel Peace Prize (1958)
George Stephanopoulos — Political Commentator, Masters degree in theology at Balliol College, Oxford University, England, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude in political science.
Shane Battier — Professional Basketball Player, Duke University, Religious Studies
SOCIAL STUDIES
Gertrude Himmelfarb–Historian
Herbert Simon–Economist, and Nobel Laureate
C. Vann Woodward–Historian
SPORTS
Phil Jackson–Coach, Chicago Bulls
Michael McKaskey–Owner, Chicago Bears
Aaron Taylor–Offensive Tackle, Green Bay PackersJohn Elway, Quarterback, National Football League
Mick Schmidt–former Philadelphia Philly
PERFORMERS
Woody Allen–Director and Comedian
John Chancellor–News Broadcaster
Harrison Ford–Actor
Chris Hardwick–MTV Host
Bruce Lee–martial arts & actor
Jay Leno, Comedian and Host of The Tonight Show
Amy Madigan–Actress
Steve Martin–Comedian, Actor (See this page from his alma mater! http://www.csulb.edu/~jvancamp/alumni_alumnae.html formerly located at http://www.csulb.edu/depts/philosophy/WhatDoMajorsDo.pdf )
Dennis Miller–Comedian
Stone Phillips–News Broadcaster
Brad Roberts–Crash Test Dummies
Susan Sarandon–Actress
Gene Siskel–Movie Critic
Steve Thomas–Host for TV Show, This Old House
Alex Trebek–Host for TV Show, Jeopardy
BUSINESS
Mark Hulbert–financial columnist FORBES magazine
Carl Icahn–CEO, TWA Airlines
Gerald Levin–CEO, Time-Warner, Inc.
George Soros–Financier & Money Manager
Moses Znaimer–Owner of CITY-TV and MUCH-MUSIC, Toronto
CANADIAN and other recent additions to the list
Beverly McLachlin (Canadian Chief Justice)
Ed Broadbent (leader of Canada’s federal NDP 1970’s and 1980’s, Ph.D
in Philosophy
Pierre Trudeau (Former Canadian Prime Minister)
Paul Martin (Canadian Prime-minister in waiting?)
Max Yalden (former Language Commissioner of Canada)
John Roberts (former Canadian liberal cabinet minister)
Dave Thomas (one of the “Mackenzie Brothers” on SCTV).
Don Harron (Canadian comedian, author of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES libretto)
Robert Weaver (doyen of Canadian literature, head of CBC’s ANTHOLOGY)
Rick Salutin (columnist for THE GLOBE AND MAIL)
John Mighton, (Canadian playwright, winner of Governor General’s
award for drama)
Adam Zimmerman (retired CEO of Noranda Inc; one of Canada’s largest
Mining companies)
Moses Znaimer, (Owner of CITY-TV and MUCH-MUSIC, Toronto)
Brad Roberts, (Singer Songwriter for CRASH TEST DUMMIES)
Mike Brierley (Captain of the England Cricket Team in the 1980s was
previously a university philosophy lecturer).
Steve Allen (writer & comedian)
David Duchovny (actor on X-FILES)
Peter Hoeg (author of SMILLA’S SENSE OF SNOW)
Kate Millett (author of SEXUAL POLITICS)
Bob Moses (civil rights activist)
Robert Motherwell (painter)
Patricia Rozema (film-maker, I’VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING)
Neil Peart (drummer for rock group, RUSH)