Thomas Ames is an M.A. student in Philosophy at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He studies memory and the self, delusions, and motivation. He plans to apply to Ph.D. programs in philosophy this December.
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
I’ve achieved what I call the “trifecta.” My professor and thesis advisor Lauren Olin and I together gave comments on The Measure of Madness: Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Delusional Thought by Philip Gerrans at APA Central in 2017, I presented my research on a three-factor approach to monothematic delusion at APA Pacific in 2018, and this coming January I will present my research on systems of memory and the self at APA Eastern. As an M.A. student, I am proud to have my research already validated. Now comes the hard part: taking the great comments I received at these conferences and preparing my research for journal submissions. It’s a learning experience!
Name a trait, skill or characteristic that you have that others may not know about.
I have at least three forms of synesthesia and also have aphantasia. Most think the synesthesia is interesting, but sometimes it’s more annoying than anything else. Time and dates aren’t linear to me, so sometimes I really have to think about what time of the year it is, and how close a date or time is to the present. I also see music and tend to quickly pick out copied/influenced melodies and hidden sounds way in the background of songs. Also, to me, numbers have inherent body types. Funny enough, I’m not convinced my synesthesia stops there. Sometimes I get olfactory hallucinations, and I’m convinced it’s some shape, color, texture, or something that causes the sensation, but I just can’t quite figure out yet what it is. My aphantasia, meanwhile, means I don’t have a mind’s eye, and so I can’t do some common things like picture my own family, easily remember what people look like, or “visibly” imagine going to the store, and I subsequently blame this affliction on my worse-than-childlike inability to draw.
What are your goals and aspirations outside work?
The distinction between work and outside of work is problematic for me due to the nature of my academic and work life. In addition to my academic studies, I’m in the midst of developing a business consulting company that uses philosophical principles and concepts to inform business decisions. Most might think of this in terms of ethics (which is often led by companies’ legal departments or, in healthcare, bioethics departments), but there are far more applications than just those. In my professional career, which spans from an eHealth strategist for some of the largest healthcare systems in the United States, to a VP of Data Science for a multi-million dollar agency, I found my philosophical training to be immensely valuable to determining the true root causes of problems, identifying fallacious thinking and strategies, and dealing with complex issues. Though it has perhaps hurt that I won’t do things I find unethical. But if I can primarily employ philosophers along the way, I feel this will greatly benefit our field.
What would your childhood self say if someone told you that you would grow up to be a philosopher?
Honestly, my childhood self probably wouldn’t know what a philosopher is. My dad always wanted me to become a lawyer since I’m good at arguing, and, as a teenager, I fought and won in court after receiving an undeserving ticket. But traditionally, until college, I wasn’t a very good student, spending far more time annoying others than finishing my work, and arguing that the homework I was assigned was more akin to busy work than genuinely educational. In 7thgrade I led a revolt against the school, its policies, and the level of education we received by creating a petition outlining our concerns and experiences. As a result, many students and parents, agreeing with the concerns, transferred to another school for the next year, and the original school no longer had an 8thgrade. My first real exposure to philosophy was picking up Human Cloning and Human Dignity as I prepared to enter college to study biology. So while I might not have known I would become a philosopher, the curious nature, argumentative attitude, and potential for taking charge and leading a revolution has always been there.
What’s your most treasured memory?
My dad was my baseball and basketball coach, and he and I used to spend time outside playing catch or basketball in our driveway. One time while doing some 1v1 basketball, I went for a ridiculous hook shot that went off the rim but didn’t go in. He asked, “Why did you try that?” And I said, “Well it almost went in.” And he responded with one of my favorite quotes ever: “Almost gets you nothing.” And while of course that’s not entirely true – sometimes trying is enough or is part of the journey – to me it had a deeper meaning: don’t settle. If you really want something, you should do your best to accomplish it.
What do you like to do outside work?
I spend a lot of time with my family, watching them grow and find their own passions, which is always fun. None really share my passions, which I’m perfectly fine with, and so learning from them as they explore something new to both of us is really exciting. Whether it’s cooking, robotics, gymnastics, gardening, gaming, or whatever, there’s always something new to learn and experience alongside them.
What advice do you wish someone had given you?
Do what you truly enjoy right now or else you’ll be left unfulfilled and it may either be too late, or the sacrifices you have to make might be too great. I feel lucky and grateful that after having taken time off after undergraduate to pursue a successful business career that my department took a chance on me. The support I’ve received at UMSL from Lauren Olin, Eric Wiland, Jon McGinnis, Gualtiero Piccinini, and our other faculty has made me the philosopher – and more importantly the person – I am today.
This section of the APA Blog is designed to get to know our fellow philosophers a little better. We’re including profiles of APA members that spotlight what captures their interest not only inside the office, but also outside of it. We’d love for you to be a part of it, so please contact us via the interview nomination form here to nominate yourself or a friend.
Dr. Sabrina D. MisirHiralall is an editor at the Blog of the APA who currently teaches philosophy, religion, and education courses solely online for Montclair State University, Three Rivers Community College, and St. John’s University.
