Dylan Flint is a PhD candidate at The Ohio State College, the place he’s engaged on a dissertation in Leibniz. He accomplished an MA in philosophy at Simon Fraser College in 2019.
What excites you about philosophy?
I really like arguing. I first received into philosophy as a result of it was the primary time that arguing with the trainer was inspired. I wish to perceive issues, and it bothered me that I used to be supposed to just accept a bunch of claims simply on the trainer’s authority. In philosophy, all the things should be backed up by causes, and I really like that. What actually excites me about philosophy now’s igniting the fervour I’ve for it with my college students. I really like that second when a scholar lastly understands the the reason why an opponent holds the views that they do, or once they see the explanations for what seemed like a very good argument crumble earlier than them, or once they grasp that, whereas any argument will be refuted, the stronger an argument, the extra pricey will probably be to refute. One final thing that excites me is the truth that anybody can do philosophy. So long as you’ve received causes to again up what you’re saying, you have got a seat on the desk. And that’s true no matter the place you come from or what you appear to be. In philosophy, we choose the argument, not the individual, and I really like that.
What’s your favourite factor that you simply’ve written?
I’ve a paper now that’s forthcoming within the Historical past of Philosophy Quarterly (HPQ) that I’m fairly happy with. It argues in opposition to a long-standing interpretation of Leibniz which says that he ought to by no means have stated that God can do in any other case, completely talking. The essential fear is that it looks as if when one supposes that God does in any other case that God would in some sense not be good, because it looks as if his good nature, in some sense, determines him to do what he in truth does. But when it implies that God is in some sense not good, then supposing God does in any other case would appear to be inconsistent with Leibniz’s personal conception of God because the ens perfectissimum, or probably the most good being.
Almost everybody since Russell has thought the identical factor about Leibniz, however it’s false! The perfect argument on provide which seeks to reveal the inconsistency between God doing in any other case and his good nature truly begs the query. I level this out within the paper, after which I do another issues to point out how Leibniz can accommodate the problematic instinct that just about everybody has when they’re requested to suppose that probably the most good being does one thing lower than the easiest. Principally, what I say is that what is definitely being denied is God’s praiseworthiness, however that this an okay factor to disclaim, as a result of praiseworthiness is finest understood, for Leibniz, as merely a contingent, or inessential, perfection of God. If I’m proper, then this opens up a pleasant method of stopping Leibniz’s system of philosophical theology from collapsing into necessitarianism.
As soon as the paper is revealed will probably be linked to my PhilPeople web page, which will be accessed here
What widespread philosophical dilemma do you suppose has a transparent reply?
The Drawback of Evil! For that is one of the best of all attainable worlds.
What do you contemplate your biggest accomplishment?
Effectively, it hasn’t occurred but. However I’m engaged to be married this July! For a thinker, discovering somebody who’s keen to marry you is kind of the accomplishment. However in the event you’re not into fronts, then my biggest accomplishment to this point must be being accepted to the College of Washington for my undergrad. I didn’t do effectively in highschool. In truth, I dropped out, received a GED, and went to ski college in Colorado! (I wished to be skilled skier earlier than I fell in love with philosophy and earlier than I had 7 surgical procedures from varied snowboarding accidents :/). In any case, so I didn’t do effectively at school, however once I moved again to Washington from Colorado, I actually wished to return and get my undergraduate diploma. I enrolled at the local people school and labored my tail off. That is the place I took my first philosophy class and received hooked. Lengthy story brief, I excelled on the neighborhood school, pulled out a 3.9 whereas I used to be there, and efficiently transferred to UW after finishing my associates. I’ll always remember the sensation once I acquired that acceptance letter.
If a crystal ball might inform you the reality about your self, your life, the long run, or anything, what would you wish to know?
Is anybody going to rent me after my PhD?
When you might have a one-hour dialog with any thinker or historic determine from any time, who would you decide and what matter would you select?
Kant, in order that I might ask him to make clear himself, although I’m fearful that this may take for much longer than an hour.
When you might solely use one condiment for the remainder of your life, which condiment would you decide and why?
Is peanut butter a condiment? As a result of I actually put it on all the things.
The place would you go in a time machine?
This can be a toss-up between Athens in 399 BC and Jerusalem in 33 AD. Athens, as a result of I’d have beloved to have seen one of the vital epic stands of fact to energy of all time, although I most likely would have been like “come on, Socrates, simply apologize and be accomplished with it.” And Jerusalem, as a result of witnessing the loss of life and resurrection of Christ would have been, effectively, fairly particular. Truly seeing that transpire would little question assist to reconcile one in all, I believe, the toughest elements of my religion to just accept. However, then once more, who is aware of. Possibly I’d nonetheless doubt what my senses have been telling me.
What’s your poison? (Favourite drink.)
Ginger beer.
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