Damian Fisher is a Ph.D scholar within the philosophy division on the University of Kansas. His major analysis pursuits are: philosophy of thoughts and metaphysics, and 19th-20th century European philosophy (esp. Nietzsche and phenomenology). He acquired his B.A in Philosophy and English from the University of Missouri—Kansas City in 2018.
What excites you about philosophy?
Issues associated to consciousness and self-consciousness I discover fascinating, particularly once they intersect with feelings and indexicals like ‘I,’ ‘you,’ and ‘we.’ Partly as a result of it’s a tough downside, but in addition as a result of it’s the commonest factor to so many entities but investigating its construction and its phenomenal content material is confusingly troublesome and highlights numerous complexities about our daily lives.
What are you engaged on proper now?
Although I’m nonetheless finishing coursework, I’ve been engaged on the paradox of emotional responses to fiction: how it’s we will have feelings about Harry Potter since Harry Potter is nonexistent and the way we will check with stated object. There’s a enormous quantity of literature on this downside and at frequent factors sure arguments deny the empirical existence of the thing to resolve the paradox, however then point out the metaphysical essence or existence of the thing. My account attracts on Alexius Meinong’s ontology and sure (contentious) guidelines of ‘I’-uses to argue the paradox of fiction is concerning the emotional properties of an object somewhat than the nonexistence of the thing. This, I feel, is linked to the fittingness or unfittingness of our feelings about such objects. One model of my argument is in ASAGE’s 2021 Fall/Winter Issue.
What subject do you assume is underneath explored in philosophy?
One subject that I feel is underneath explored in philosophy is philosophical anthropology and anthropologically knowledgeable philosophy typically. Particularly, what philosophy might study from anthropological analysis and the way stated analysis might enhance our considering or change our strategy to sure philosophical points. For instance, the fittingness or unfittingness and instrumental worth of feelings range broadly relying on social group. This level, nevertheless, appears to be underappreciated in a few of our normative assumptions and theories. I imagine some are at present working in direction of higher integrating this and I’m excited to see how, if in any respect, this work would possibly assist with points in social and political philosophy, ethics and ethical psychology, and the philosophy of thoughts.
What’s your favourite sound on the earth?
Something written by Ten Grand, Pygmy Lush, or Jason Molina are my favourite sounds.
What do you love to do exterior work?
Past catching up with household and buddies, exterior of labor I get pleasure from music, whether or not enjoying devices, listening to music, or (now) attending dwell music occasions. Equally, I get pleasure from studying and writing fiction and poetry. I’ve been in numerous musical initiatives via the years and have a tendency to attempt to mix as many inventive approaches in these contexts as I can. Exterior of that context, I get pleasure from inventive writing. Each for conserving a basic writing behavior and for considering via sure philosophical concepts. I’ve been fortunate to publish a few of these in small publishing homes.
What books are at present in your ‘to learn’ record?
My summer time studying record up to now is:
Elizabeth Schechter’s “Self-Consciousness and ‘Split’ Brains: The Minds’ I”
David Graeber and David Wengrow’s “The Dawn of Everything”
Leonard Cohen’s “Let Us Evaluate Mythologies”
Ludwig Wittgenstein’s “Zettel”
What would your childhood self say if somebody informed you that you’d develop as much as be a thinker?
I didn’t know what philosophers had been till highschool, so I feel my elementary college self could be pretty shocked that I didn’t stick with the assorted paths I had initially considered pursuing. Some highlights from my elementary college profession aspirations: blacksmith, Egyptologist—fluent in Previous Egyptian, a health care provider, a paintless dent restore particular person, or a science fiction writer or poet. An eclectic mixture of profession paths, possibly in one other world I’m doing one among these.
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