The Florida State University Philosophy Club began in 2015 as the product of a few especially dedicated students who wanted to create a closer community of budding philosophers on campus. Meetings are held once a week and scheduled to be an hour and a half in length, but discussions often run into the two-hour range. Each week, the discussion revolves around a pre-selected area in philosophy. In some cases, a series of discussions are held surrounding topics in a similar field, and on other occasions, polls are conducted to see what the members are interested in. Every semester also features numerous invited guests, including professors and graduate students from both within and outside the Florida State philosophy community. This past academic year included talks with PhD candidate Alex Schaefer on the responsibilities of the state, PhD candidate Caleb Dewey on moral objectivity, Professor Stephen Kearns on moral language, graduate student Kevin Hollahan on inductive risk in science, and Paul Rezkalla on evolutionary debunking arguments.
Even though a number of faculty members present each year, meetings are organized and conducted entirely by student members of the Philosophy Club. In preparation for each weekly discussion, the Club President, currently Dan Crook, selects several recommended background readings on the chosen topic. The Club President is tasked with finding such articles, essays, and videos so that they may better guide the discussions and respond to points being made. The Philosophy Club also actively partners with other student-run organizations across campus, such as the Augustine Society and FSU Libertarians, for talks on theology and political philosophy.
There are numerous benefits to being involved in the FSU Philosophy Club. For starters, the diverse backgrounds of the club members ensure that arguments and ideas are tackled from a wide range of perspectives. Some of the members are well-versed in analytic philosophy, while others are better read in classics. Some identify as anti-realists, while others adamantly oppose them. This leads to very engaging discussions, as members rarely agree on how to tackle a particular philosophical issue. Another way students benefit from involvement with the FSU Philosophy Club is through the ability to receive feedback on their work. Whether students are writing a paper or are looking to explore a particular area in philosophy, there is always another peer to provide them with relevant essays, resources, or a fresh set of eyes on an argument. In the coming year, the club is looking forward to having in-person meetings once again as well as continuing to support FSU philosophy students by welcoming a number of guest speakers, providing a wealth of resources through the Discord server and social media pages, and encouraging open and honest dialogue on many important philosophical issues.
For questions, visit our Facebook Page, Instagram account, or Discord server. You can also email our recently graduated club president, Dan Crook at djc18cp@my.fsu.edu or our faculty advisor Wes Siscoe at wsiscoe@fsu.edu.
Wes Siscoe
Wes Siscoe is a Dean’s Postdoctoral Fellow at Florida State University and the Mellon Course Design Coordinator for the Philosophy as a Way of Life Project. He received his PhD from the University of Arizona and has been a visiting researcher at Brown, Notre Dame, and Rutgers. His research revolves around several themes– rationality, language, and virtue – and their importance for accounts of human excellence and achievement.
Daniel Crook
Dan Crook is a recently graduated Florida State University student. He graduated with a major in Philosophy and a minor in Religion and is the first member of his family to obtain a bachelor’s degree. His interests in philosophy include metaethics, epistemology, and philosophy of language, and he hopes to pursue philosophy at a graduate level in the coming year. In the meantime, Dan plans to immerse himself with political activism and polishing his philosophical writing. Whether as the Florida State Philosophy Club President or not, he is always eager to discuss philosophy and provide feedback. Feel free to email him any time at djc18cp@my.fsu.edu for any questions relating to his academic journey or questions regarding philosophy.
