Casey Scott is a graduate student at the University of Iowa. He is interested in Kant, Social/Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Technology, and Philosophy of Mind. He currently serves as the Graduate Student Chair for the Minorities and Philosophy (MAP) working group.
What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on an article that tries to show that there are some moral propositions that are truth-functional, meaning that we can say “I ought to X” and that statement can be said to be necessarily true or necessarily false. It’s unclear to me, at this point, whether this is even possible and what significant impact this will have on ethics, philosophy of language, logic, etc. But, it presents a puzzle I’ve been trying to solve for the better part of a year now and I have yet to find a solution.
What topic do you think is under explored in philosophy?
I suspect because it is such a recent technological development, artificial intelligence (AI) has so many rich and interesting avenues for research that have yet to be explored. Though many ethicists and legal scholars have recently started seriously considering the impacts of AI, it is also important for logicians and philosophers of language and mind to consider how dramatically AI will shape philosophy as a discipline. Some scholars have suggested that the problem-solving ability of AI will match or surpass that of a human by 2026. On this score, philosophers may eventually benefit by posing their philosophical inquiries to a computer.
What are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
I like to have two books to read at a time. My first book is usually some type of fiction or a leisurely read. Right now, I’m reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins in preparation for its movie adaptation later this year. I also like to read something that is philosophically enriching in some way or another. Currently, that book is Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason (Guyer & Wood translation). As anyone who’s read through the Critique may know, it can oftentimes be very long-winded (a belief that Kant himself recognized), so having a lighter book to pick up during these times can keep those reading neurons firing.
What would your childhood self say if someone told you that you would grow up to be a philosopher?
Do I have to wear a toga to work?
When did you last sing to yourself, or to someone else?
I sing constantly—maybe too much at times. Outside of studying philosophy, I participate in community theater productions. Currently, I’m playing Jack in Stephen Sondheim’s classic, Into the Woods. People familiar with the show may know that my character sings a lot. So, I’m often singing through his songs (and anything else stuck in my head) while showering, doing dishes, vacuuming, or anything else that doesn’t necessarily involve singing.
What’s your favorite quote?
“The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.” – Bertrand Russell.
What technology do you wish the human race could discover/create/invent right now?
Super-speed space travel. I have in mind something so fast that it approaches the speed of light. As it currently stands, we believe that there are some galaxies far away because we can perceive the light of those galaxies. However, that light takes a long time to get to us on Earth. So, if we could use super-speed space travel, we could literally time travel to places that humans on Earth may not know exist for thousands of years (given that we also have the technology preserve a human life for thousands of years). Not to mention, super-speed travel would grant us more options to eventually find a new host planet as Earth burns up due to the disastrous effects of climate change—hopefully somewhere with oxygen in its atmosphere.
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.
Alexis LaBar has a Master’s degree in Philosophy from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Before attending West Chester, she graduated from Moravian University with a Bachelor’s in Philosophy, a minor in Global Religions, and an Ethics certificate. She is the recipient of the 2022 Claghorn Award in Philosophy, awarded by West Chester University, and the 2021 Douglas Anderson Prize in Philosophy, awarded by Moravian University. She is the Editor of the Teaching Beat and Work/Life Balance Beat.
