R Neil Marshman BA Philosophy, 1982

Owner and Director of Marshman Price Ltd

Hi, I'm R Neil Marshman and I studied BA Philosophy within Philosophy at the University of Southampton.

Philosophy has given me the skills to quickly assimilate complicated written material and identify weaknesses in lines of argument and spot where issues are being ducked, hidden or ignored. These skills help me structure my work planning and to be able to provide quick responses in a reasoned and logical manner and allows me to be able look at the information or problem as a whole.

Why did you choose Philosophy?
I have always had an enquiring mind and liked to “mull things over” in my head.
I was advised to do a subject I enjoyed at University and couldn’t do better than this. The skills learned during the degree may not be immediately obvious to an outsider – but they set you up for life – giving you a useful bag of mental and life skills that you can use all of your life. I couldn’t have done a more useful degree.

What did you like most about your degree programme?
Having the freedom to spend days in the library exploring the subject and having time to think about the subject and stuff!

Which were your favourite branches of Philosophy?
I really enjoyed the course we did on Wittgenstein and the History of Philosophy – as this shows you where today’s thinkers have come from and it helps you avoid the mistakes of the past.

What was the best thing about living and studying in Southampton?
Being away from home – learning independence and self-sufficiency – all in one of the country’s best Universities.

What have you been doing since you graduated?
I work as a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner – there are only about 1,200 of us in the country – this allows me to undertake all types of formal insolvency work – from Bankruptcies to Administrations.

Has studying Philosophy helped you in your career?
Undoubtedly – my job involves dealing with many complicated scenarios. It has taught me the benefit of questioning everything!

Are you still interested in philosophical ideas?
Definitely – once you have the training of the degree course, it stays with you.

Would you recommend studying the subject to other people?
Unreservedly – if you want a challenging and stimulating subject, which gives you a mental tool-kit that stays with you – this is the course for you.