Introduction to My Philosophy Major
This section is intended to demonstrate my passion for philosophy and how I can see my philosophy major influencing my future as an educational leader. My philosophical studies have exposed me to many different areas within philosophy. My favorite area and the area that I have chosen to concentrate on during my studies senior year and write my thesis on is experimental philosophy. I was introduced to experimental philosophy, or ex-phi as it’s called, by the Intuitions and Philosophy seminar. During this seminar we studied thought experiments, which consists of having people think of specific scenarios and having them answer a question or come to a conclusion based on the scenario. Thought experiments became meaningful to me because I found that they provide me with insights into how people think and why we come to conclusions in the way that we do. My thesis, entitled “Do Biases in Thought Experiments Render Experimental Philosophy Useless?” examines many biases that are inherent in the implementation of thought experiments. I conclude that thought experiments should not be used as data for normative philosophical conclusions; however, I do not suggest ending experimental philosophy. Rather, I believe that philosophers should still continue pursuing experimental philosophy and thought experiments, but philosophers need to use thought experiments differently from how they’re currently being used. I really enjoyed writing this paper, which received departmental honors after I successfully defended it for the faculty, because it gave me the opportunity to examine what influences the way people respond to questions. I learned that most of what influences the way a person responds to a question is due to outside factors and influences that the individual has very little (if any) control over. I think this is something that teachers have to keep in mind while teaching. Not only are parents, friends, and the student’s environment shaping his or her responses, but the teacher, especially at the elementary level, will have a profound influence on the way a student develops and responds to questions in the moment as well as later in life.