In the following Q-and-A, senior Ryan Jones shares some of his experiences as a philosophy major.
What have you enjoyed most about being a philosophy major at ISU?
ISU offered attractive philosophy courses. They were diverse, interdisciplinary, and completely enthralling. I was able to find courses that not only interested me but challenged me to think beyond what I previously thought capable.
If you had to take one—and only one—philosophy book or article to a desert island, which one would it be?
W.K. Clifford’s The Ethics of Belief. I believe this is what I would take.
Do your friends and family know that you study philosophy?
Very few of my friends know I study philosophy. I am proud of my philosophy background but bringing it up in casual conversation is difficult sometimes. Not everybody wants to talk “philosophy” on their day off, and when a dialogue is started, it typically digresses into a heated political debate consequently killing further discussion. I wouldn’t have it any other way. … Or would I?
What other majors did you consider?
I considered political science at one point but refrained. I also carefully considered psychology, but quickly realized that it is probably best that I clean out my own backyard before attempting to help clean out someone else’s. I will be trimming hedges for the foreseeable future.
What are you plans after graduation?
I am taking a year off to enjoy my bachelor degree and bachelorhood before diving into a master’s of environmental studies program—save planet Earth!
