Senior Dane Dusthimer will be graduating from Illinois State University in May, along with nine other philosophy majors.
Dusthimer sat down to answer a couple of questions from the Department of Philosophy:
What have you enjoyed most about being a philosophy major at Illinois State?
I’ve greatly enjoyed being taught how to think in a more structured and organized manner. I do not approach problems or moral issues in the same way that other students do, and I appreciate this new viewpoint that I’ve gained through my education.
If you had to take one philosophy book or article to a desert island, which would it be?
If I were stuck on a desert island, I would bring with me The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus.
Do your friends and family know that you study philosophy?
My friends and family know that I study philosophy, and though sometimes I get on their nerves, I believe they see the value in the the material I’m learning and the skills I’m developing.
What other majors did you consider?
I used to be an English education major, but the requirements made me realize that the major and job afterward wasn’t for me. I ultimately became a double-major in English and philosophy because I could complete both programs in my time here, and I thought that English would help me to structure my philosophical essays, and it did!
What are you plans after graduation?
After graduation, my plan is to find a job that will allow me to pay my bills, loan payments, and work for the startup company I am a part of. My goal is to actually use what I’ve learned in school in my career, and I plan to continue learning and working towards understanding and arguing for philosophical views.
