Emma Fieser is currently a second-year philosophy PhD student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in her hometown at the University of Tennessee at Martin where she majored in philosophy and minored in French and studio art.
What excites you about philosophy?
Learning new ideas and perspectives, and teaching people how to use the tools philosophy gives us to critically think. Philosophy has so much value to give to everyone, not just those interested in it. We can gain so much merely by learning how to think in different ways, and I’d like to spread that skill to as many people as I can.
If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?
I would ask the crystal ball something inconsequential such as if I will like the new Batman movie that’s in theaters. That way I can know if I should spend money to go see it or wait until it’s on HBO Max. I would never ask the ball anything important about my future because the risk of finding out something bad isn’t worth it.
What do you like to do outside work?
I enjoy traveling and working on different art projects. I like to explore new locations and travel to as many places as I can (Covid willing). As with traveling I like to try new things and often move through different mediums of craft, from felting or sculpting to digital art. One of my minors in undergrad was in studio art and I’d like to maintain the skills I think I acquired during that time.
What would your childhood self say if someone told you that you would grow up to be a philosopher?
My childhood self would not be surprised, philosophy was always on the table and anything in academia is better than a 9-5 in a corporate office.
Where is your favorite place you have ever traveled and why?
For fall break back in undergrad I took a trip to Pompeii. To have an opportunity to walk around a Roman city, to see their houses and fast-food restaurants was really a mind-blowing experience. It was a good reminder that even though they lived almost two thousand years ago, we really aren’t that much different than them.
What’s your favorite quote?
“I would prefer not to” from Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville. While I don’t think this quote represents some facet of myself in any meaningful way, I do find it to be a very handy phrase to use in my everyday life; for example, when I’d prefer not to do something.
What cause or charity do you care about most?
Right now, the biggest cause I care about is helping my local community in West Tennessee and South West Kentucky that was hit by a series of deadly tornados in December of 2021. While the media only covered the tornado damage for about a week, the damage remains, and recovery is slow going because of the remoteness of the area. Though I cannot be there physically at the moment, I try to help my friends and neighbors who lost everything as much as I can.
Wild card: What life event changed the way you see the world?
A few years ago, I worked as an intern for a senator in my home state’s capitol. I found that the officials running our state government had little concern for people with different life experiences, particularly those who did not mirror their own family upbringing. They also displayed no interest in learning about the struggles of their less fortunate constituents. This gave me a more realistic sense of what to expect from our government.
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.
