"
RL, I do think the debate is ridiculous and that failure to have a degree or be part of the club in no way determines one's status as a philosopher or otherwise. However this debate is unlikely to go away if even sources like Routeledge and Stanford are apparently unacceptable, and I think ""amateur"" is a perfectly informative modifier. It gives context to her later financial troubles, as she derived no income from her philosophy.   "