I received a BA in philosophy from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2008. After that, I spent roughly a decade traveling Europe and North America as a touring musician. Now I am working on a master’s in philosophy and philology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden with the goal of teaching at the university level. Some specific areas of interest include medieval grammar and free will. Michel Foucault’s approach to the history of philosophy has been a huge influence on me, and his work on notions of the self and power structures bring history to the present.
Thank you, Dom Eccleston, for a fantastic question; it scrutinizes the stereotype of the isolated contemplative sitting in an ivory tower rationalizing their way through metaphysical and existential puzzles. Questioning things that we take for granted is at the heart of philosophy, and all knowledge-driven endeavors, really. Because I trust that you’ll keep reading, I’ll […]
Does philosophy require solitude? Read More
If we do, how do we actually determine that the self exists? Thank you, Danica Aposaga, for such a fundamental question. First, if I may, I think it would be helpful to reverse the questions: how do we actually determine that the self exists, and, if it does exist, will we ever understand it? After
Will we ever understand the self? Read More
Thank you, Kurt Elarcosa! A classic question, and timely too! If ever there was a year that prompted a question like this, it’s 2020. Let’s get to it. First, we need to distinguish between evil and suffering, as they are actually mutually exclusive. Physical suffering, pain, can come from growth or healing, as in growing
Why does an omnipotent and omnibenevolent God allow evil and suffering? Read More
Excellent question, Huka Dabaso! This is actually something I have thought about quite a bit. Like many people, before I studied philosophy in a formal sense, I was pondering the same big questions that philosophy has been dealing with since… well, since we started wondering. In his Metaphysics, Aristotle says that philosophy began when man
How can we reconcile public philosophy with institutionalized philosophy? Read More
Great question! Basically, your freedom exists in your choosing from a set of acceptable behaviour choices provided to you by institutions of power, namely, the state or your culture. That being said, try walking into your neighbour’s house uninvited and pulling some ice cream out of the freezer, and you’ll find that cultural and societal
Thank you, Daniel G. Shayne, for such a relevant and introspective question. Human decadence is one the greatest threats to the health of our environment, those we share it with, and ourselves. This being the case, it is of utmost importance that, if there is a defense against it, we identify and employ it –
Is there any defense against human decadence? Read More
Thank you, John Presley, for a great question and a great opportunity to reflect upon the fluid and slippery nature of our cultural icons. As good Aristotelians, we need to break down the question in order to get to the truth. We can start by defining the term icon. We get the word from the
What makes an artist an icon? Read More
Thank you, Gnanak Gerhardson Munnangi, for a great question! Although it may seem a bit distrusting to consider the motives of someone seeking your friendship, doing so may reveal a lot about yourself. When I saw this question, I was tempted to say that in a friendship I would like caring and understanding, as well
What are your expectations from a person who wants to be your friend? Read More
If predation is necessary within various ecosystems and predators have no regard for the well-being of their prey, is it not ethical for humans to replace the role of predators to mitigate suffering? This question is a great example of the existential crisis of our species. Where do we fit in? As predators, it is
Should we replace predators to mitigate suffering? Read More
Thank you, Austin Birch, for a great question. When I say “great”, I mean not only “fantastic”, but also “great in magnitude”, because exegesis is a huge concept within the history of philosophy. After all, as Whitehead put it, Western philosophy is nothing but a series of footnotes to Plato’s dialogues. To start, I’d like
