Mary-kate Boyle is an undergraduate student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She is currently interested in ethics, German idealism, epistemology, and philosophy of mind. Mary-kate organizes and directs an after-school philosophy program for students of Lincoln Northwest High School. Please email her directly for her independent work in philosophy.
What are you most proud of in your professional life?
At this point in my life, I take the most pride in the local outreach efforts I have organized in my community for education in philosophy. Studying philosophy in high school for me was very much an isolated personal endeavor. I truly believe that living in a world where we could informally discuss philosophy with the people we love, our families, and anyone else we typically surround ourselves with on a semi-casual basis would create beautiful connections and unity in ways we’ve never seen before. Often, the inaccessibility of academic philosophy limits this from occurring in smaller communities; in my community it’s fairly standard that philosophy is not taught in high schools at all. I’m proud of myself for seeing a way to make a difference in my hometown with philosophy and actually achieving it. I’m also deeply thankful to folks at Northwest High School and the Boys and Girls Club of Lincoln for giving me the space to do so!
What advice do you wish someone had given you?
It is painfully easy and all too common for philosophers to become hermits in their studies and disregard the integral community-building aspect of philosophical discussions. When I first got into college, I regrettably told myself, “Well, it just seems like there aren’t any opportunities for me as a young person studying philosophy.” While this is unfortunately often the case, this lack of opportunity should be a harrowing call to action for us to create possibilities for ourselves and for future generations within our communities. I think students of philosophy also experience a lack of confidence in sharing our perspectives because the subjects we study are so complex, vast, and complicated. When you’re as young as I am, it feels like the more philosophy you read the more questions you worry about! Still, I’d argue that even this “problem” encapsulates a lot of the beauty in studying philosophy, that is, we teach ourselves to ask better questions about theory itself and the way it’s applied. Moreover, if we truly believe in this type of value in studying philosophy, access to philosophical education must be expanded to non-philosophers as well.
If you could have a one-hour conversation with any philosopher or historical figure from any time, who would you pick and what topic would you choose?
Definitely Immanuel Kant. I would request that he host a dinner party according to his rules in Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View. I would be really interested to hear about what Kant would have to say about forms of alternative consciousness (like in AI and non-human animals) given contemporary findings in science.
What’s your poison? (Favorite drink.)
Diet Coke.
What’s your favorite quote?
“Experience without theory is blind, but theory without experience is mere intellectual play” –Immanuel Kant
What topic do you think is under explored in philosophy?
The ethics of fame! A few modern philosophers have explored it, such as Spinoza and Schopenhauer, as well as Robert Nozick in The Examined Life. But I think there is still so much more to be studied on this topic, especially with the changes brought to the dynamic between fame and society by social media. I hope to write about the topic more in my personal work.
Name a trait, skill or characteristic that you have that others may not know about.
I think I’m pretty good at basketball! I’m currently on a mission to beat some of my undergrad peers in the UNL Philosophy Department at 1v1 games. I’ve been successful thus far…
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.
