Ahmed Abohamad is a Ph.D. student in the Philosophy Department at the University of Connecticut. He obtained a B.A. in Biological Sciences and Philosophy, summa cum laude, with honors in Philosophy from Connecticut College in May 2021. His areas of interest span moral psychology, social epistemology, philosophy of education, ethics, and philosophy of science.
What excites you about philosophy?
Philosophy helps us navigate the complexities of life by breaking down big questions into more manageable parts. Two major things about this excite me. First, critical thinking can help us perceive reality with greater nuance, which opens up intellectual possibilities and allows us to chart new territories of thought and being. Second, studying philosophy enables us to communicate more effectively with others. It grants us expressive power by providing us with terms and conceptual frameworks through which we articulate our thoughts and lived experiences.
What are you working on right now?
I am working on my M.A. proposal, in which I am outlining a future project that will be (tentatively) titled The Ethics and Politics of Inward-looking Philosophies of Self-Transformation. In this project, I will develop an account of philosophies that direct us to focus on changing our desires rather than our circumstances. Sufism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Buddhism are some of the philosophies that I call “inward-looking philosophies of self-transformation.” While they have therapeutic benefits that can help people survive certain forms of oppression, I engage with two (seemingly paradoxical) long-term negative consequences of adopting such philosophical approaches in the struggle to survive and resist authoritarian conditions. On the one hand, becoming psychologically untroubled by the deprivation of external goods that are needed for basic flourishing could motivate some to become civically disengaged. On the other hand, immunization against adverse circumstances could lead others to lose healthy intimate attachments with the external world, which could make them vulnerable to forms of extremism.
What topic do you think is under explored in philosophy?
Selective empathy is a phenomenon that has been addressed by some scholars across the humanities and social sciences, yet I believe it remains under explored in philosophy. In a world where injustices and oppression are pervasive, it seems impossible to extend empathy to all victims equally. It is understandable that we often feel more empathy for certain groups than others who may be experiencing similar or even worse suffering. However, a key question that needs further exploration is when selective empathy becomes morally blameworthy. Another question is how implicit non-moral (like aesthetic) judgements influence our tendency to either empathize with others or turn a blind eye to injustice.
What books are currently on your ‘to read’ list?
Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject by Saba Mahmood
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks
Representations of the Intellectual by Edward Said
If you could wake up tomorrow with a new talent, what would you most like it to be?
Being a fast reader.
What’s your favorite quote?
The Arab poet Elia AboMadi wrote a poem called “كُن بلسمًا,” which can be translated as “Be a Source of Healing.” One of my favorite lines is “Love, and by dawn the hut will become a glowing world … Hate, and by evening the whole world will become a dark prison.”
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.
