Harry Alanen accomplished his D.Phil. in Philosophy on the University of Oxford in 2022 and can be a Visiting Scholar on the University of Pittsburgh in 2023–24, co-sponsored by the Fulbright Finland Foundation and the Ella & Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation. His analysis explores Aristotle’s metaphysics and pure philosophy specializing in Aristotle’s philosophy of motion.
What excites you about philosophy?
As I hear it, this query could be understood in two alternative ways. Both as “what’s it about philosophy itself that excites me,” or as “what subjects inside philosophy do I discover thrilling.” I’ll attempt to reply each.
In an effort to reply the primary query some characterization of what I take philosophy to be is required. My tough reply is that philosophy is an open-ended mental self-discipline. By “mental self-discipline” I imply a scientific examine about what strikes one as philosophically fascinating. Maybe one may say that each one philosophy is vital pondering, however not all vital pondering is philosophy. By “open-ended” I imply that philosophy isn’t about some explicit subject material; philosophical questions could be raised about just about something. Consequently, fascinating philosophical questions could be present in all fields.
What makes philosophy as pursued by philosophers distinctive is that philosophers stay on essentially the most summary degree of argumentation. For example, pondering methods to perceive a query (as above), or pondering what counts as legitimate solutions to our questions, or why one try at resolving some dilemma doesn’t work, and so forth.
What I discover thrilling is exactly this open-endedness and deal with the summary degree of argumentation. I don’t assume because of this philosophy is devoid of sensible outcomes. Somewhat, the purpose of philosophy as pursued by philosophers in a philosophical context is especially to develop our philosophical pondering and arguments, which leaves open that philosophy could be employed for different goals as nicely.
Inside philosophy itself the subject that almost all excites me is the historical past of philosophy. It is because the historical past of philosophy is (for me) not primarily in regards to the historical past, however the philosophy. Executed accurately, it’s philosophy at its best.
One cause I discover it so fascinating is that working within the historical past of philosophy requires contemplating what philosophy itself is and what questions depend as philosophical or worthy of philosophical scrutiny. Advances inside the historical past of philosophy have been made when philosophers have regarded past mainstream modern pursuits, and when philosophers have realized that not all philosophers all through historical past are European males. This doesn’t merely enhance our understanding of our historical past, but additionally of what philosophy is and the way it may be executed (and by whom).
What actually excites me in regards to the historical past of philosophy is that it forces us to confront our personal philosophical assumptions. If some historic reply strikes us as loopy or weird then there’s (normally) an fascinating cause why it strikes us as bizarre. On this manner finding out the philosophy of historic figures teaches us one thing about our personal modern philosophical pondering and the assumptions we would take without any consideration.
I firmly imagine there’s extra to philosophy than what we at present assume it accommodates. Historical past of philosophy is a technique of broadening our horizons of what philosophy has been and what it may be. Thus, finding out historical past of philosophy is a manner of conserving philosophy itself open.
What matter do you assume is below explored in philosophy?
One space the place I believe philosophers must do extra work is in public engagement. Particularly, we have to spotlight the philosophical assumptions which might be employed in fields reminiscent of economics, politics, psychology, sociology, and so forth. These are fields that inform coverage makers and form public discourse. However typically totally different theories or hypotheses inside these fields function with totally different assumptions about e.g. human nature, worth, or freedom. On this manner, totally different philosophical assumptions form totally different, competing political beliefs.
I imagine that addressing these sorts of philosophical assumptions is significant for democracy, particularly given the growing polarization of public discourse. I wish to see extra philosophers aiding journalists in analyzing and dissecting e.g. the claims of politicians or different figures who weigh in on issues affecting the societies we dwell in.
What are you engaged on proper now?
I’m engaged on Aristotle’s views on goodness and the desiderative energy of the soul, supported by a grant from the Alfred Kordelin Foundation. In accordance with Aristotle an influence or capability have to be made energetic by a causal agent, one thing that (someway) “has” the related capacity to make its co-relative capability energetic. I’m to see to what extent this causal mannequin applies to the desiderative capability. Aristotle holds that an object of want is a few type of good. Nevertheless it isn’t clear that goodness features in a similar vogue to different causal properties. So, with a purpose to perceive how the desiderative capability features I’m attempting to know what sort of a property goodness is, and the way do animals (together with people) cognize or discern it?
What do you love to do outdoors work?
I like all issues associated to meals: cooking for mates specifically. I additionally love artwork and tradition in all its types and spending time outside in nature. I was an avid gamer, however don’t have a lot time for this anymore, though me and my mates do attempt to discover the time to play board video games collectively.
What would your childhood self say if somebody advised you that you’d develop as much as be a thinker?
I most likely wouldn’t have been too shocked. My mom, Lilli Alanen, labored on (early trendy) historical past of philosophy, and my stepfather, Fredrick Stoutland, was primarily recognized for his work in philosophy of motion. I believe I’d have been extra shocked if I have been advised that my philosophical curiosity would mix these of my mother and father.
Even when philosophy wasn’t my childhood curiosity—archaeology and historical past have been—I did know that I needed to do one thing like my mother and father have been doing. What attracted me to academia was that every time my mother and father organized workshops, they’d invite audio system dwelling to dinner. I’ve completely happy reminiscences of great meals at dwelling with their mates, listening to their weird conversations. So, whereas the conversations (of which I understood nothing) didn’t significantly stir me on the time, the sense of getting shut mates who’re additionally your colleagues with whom you’ll be able to share a meal did stick.
What’s your favourite quote?
One favourite is the next: “I’m working moderately exhausting and need I have been a greater man and had a greater thoughts. These two issues are actually one and the identical—God assist me!” (Wittgenstein’s letter to Engelmann, March 1917).
This part of the APA Weblog is designed to get to know our fellow philosophers just a little higher. We’re together with profiles of APA members that highlight what captures their curiosity not solely contained in the workplace, but additionally outdoors of it. We’d love so that you can be part of it, so please contact us through the interview nomination form here to appoint your self or a pal.
