The APA weblog is working with Cliff Sosis of What is it Like to Be a Philosopher? in publishing advance excerpts from Cliff’s long-form interviews with philosophers.
The next is an edited excerpt from the new interview with Sam Woolfe.
On this interview, Sam Woolfe talks about rising up in north London, Pokémon, an early need to be an archeologist, the God Delusion, the Tractatus, Korn, teenage consuming, Marilyn Manson, his emo part, Evil Lifeless 2, going to Durham to review philosophy, taking lessons with E.J. Lowe, creating an curiosity in philosophy of psychiatry, going vegan, not pursuing a grad diploma in philosophy, running a blog, backpacking around the globe, freelancing within the ChatGPT period, writing about philosophy for the general public with no PhD, what Sam Harris and Saul Kripke have in widespread, imposter syndrome and overconfidence, character and philosophy, the philosophical and therapeutic significance of mescaline, mysticism, his forthcoming guide, Altered Perspectives: Critical Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness, reducetarian approaches to animal ethics, Martin Buber, the movies of Chantal Akerman and the Dardennes brothers, Philip Goff on Twitter, and his final meal…
What did you wish to be if you grew up?
I keep in mind at school, I can’t keep in mind what age precisely, possibly round 7, we needed to write down what we needed to be after we had been older. I put down ‘archaeologist’. I’m undecided why precisely. I feel I simply preferred the concept of digging within the grime and discovering one thing there.
Similar. Favourite lessons?
My favourite lessons once I obtained to Sixth Form and did A-Levels (within the UK, that’s ages 16-18) had been Philosophy and English Literature, extra so philosophy due to the matters we had been learning. As a result of each had been based mostly round essay writing, I feel that’s once I found I used to be good at one thing for the primary time. I ended up doing higher in English Literature than in Philosophy, but it surely was the latter that stored my curiosity, in order that’s what I selected to review at college.
Extracurriculars?
Outdoors of faculty, I used to be an avid reader. The primary severe guide I made a decision to learn (not as a result of I needed to for college) was Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, and that just about landed me within the staunch atheist and anti-religion camp, but it surely additionally obtained me into studying typically. After that, I learn books on a spread of topics: evolutionary biology, faith, physics, philosophy, spirituality, historical past, and several types of fiction. A few of the first philosophy texts I learn (exterior faculty) had been Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil and Wittgenstein’s Tractatus (the latter of which was most likely a bit too heavy and inscrutable at that age, though I assumed I grasped a few of it).
Teenage shenanigans?
Enjoyable for me as a teen just about concerned getting drunk with mates and going to gigs.
I generally obtained into hassle at college. I keep in mind beginning Secondary School (at round 11), and through class as soon as I jumped out the window (it wasn’t very excessive), then got here again into class and did the identical factor once more. It was an all boys’ faculty and there was numerous habits like that. I additionally obtained suspended as a result of a bunch of us obtained drunk at school; a few of us obtained came upon (together with myself), so a pal and I had to enter faculty, to not attend lessons however to assist out the groundsmen with some duties. To be trustworthy, numerous the difficulty (in addition to enjoyable) I obtained into concerned consuming; nothing severe occurred, but it surely concerned stuff like being in parks late at night time and getting kicked out by police or police raiding a home occasion that obtained out of hand.
How had been you totally different from, or much like, your family and friends?
I used to be quieter than my different mates. My dad is extra on the quiet facet too, whereas my mum is way more extroverted. However I do share each side of them; I feel I’ve my mum’s foolish sense of humor. My youthful brother is much like me in some methods: fairly chill, though a bit on the cheekier facet, and we differ when it comes to our pursuits.
World occasions that knowledgeable your worldview?
I don’t keep in mind if world occasions featured massive in my life rising up. However I do have a definite reminiscence of being in Primary School when the attack on the Twin Towers occurred. I didn’t actually comprehend the magnitude of what had occurred, however I do keep in mind adults being very shocked when the information broke. There was an actual commotion about it.
Music?
From about age 11, I began listening to rock and steel music. The primary album I ever purchased was Korn’s second album, Life is Peachy. I distinctly keep in mind being in a music retailer with my mum, choosing out the album, and asking if I may get it. She requested an worker whether or not she thought it could be appropriate for me, and he assured her the ‘Parental Advisory Explicit Content’ label was nothing to fret about. So I feel now, God bless that man. I don’t know if he truly listened to the album, but it surely’s a kind of albums (like Korn’s first album) the place ‘express content material’ is much from an exaggeration. After that, I obtained closely into Marilyn Manson, like obsessed together with his music. I obtained all his albums, his autobiography and biography, T-shirts, posters. So I had a quasi-goth phase (somebody within the 12 months above me at Secondary College referred to as me ‘micro goth’). I wore dishevelled black goth trousers and massive goth boots at one level (however not for lengthy). My goth/grunger phase eventually morphed more into an emo/scene kid part, the place I wore skinny denims, New Era hats, Nike Dunk High Tops, and (embarrassingly) straightened my hair. I used to be listening to the traditional emo bands on the time (My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Hawthorne Heights, Funeral for a Friend, The Used, Alexisonfire, Silverstein, Finch, From First to Last) after which ultimately obtained into heavier music like deathcore (bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Silence, Whitechapel, Carnifex, Despised Icon, All Shall Perish). I positively really feel much more nostalgia (and appreciation) for the emo bands than the deathcore ones. It was positively enjoyable (and likewise cringeworthy, fascinated by the MySpace days) being a part of the emo/scene child subculture in London.
I used to be method too into Manson for too lengthy. Motion pictures?
I used to be into horror movies as a teen. The Evil Dead was my all-time favourite horror movie. I liked the low-budget really feel, over-the-top gore, and the very Sam Raimi stylistic elements. I actually loved Evil Dead 2 as nicely for cranking up the camp, tacky traces, and darkish comedy. The one horror movie that disturbed me was The Exorcist, which I watched once I was too younger I feel (pre-teenager). I watched it once more once I was a bit older and located it was fairly foolish and virtually like a parody of my reminiscence of watching it the primary time. After which I watched it a 3rd time a few years in the past and felt it was an excellent movie, masterfully created and nicely deserving of its title as one of many biggest horrors ever made. As a child, I additionally purchased a group of the Nightmare on Elm Street films and loved different horrors like Halloween, The Omen, and The Blair Witch Project. Space Jam stands out to me as a movie I watched as a child.
Who doesn’t like Evil Lifeless? TV?
Rising up, I liked SpongeBob SquarePants, and possibly felt that encapsulated my humor quite a bit on the time. I additionally spent numerous time watching The Simpsons and Futurama.
Faculty?
I utilized to five totally different universities to review philosophy, which I principally picked purely for educational rankings, typically and for philosophy particularly (slightly than different elements like location, metropolis, and the way enjoyable the coed life was meant to be): Cambridge, Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, and St Andrews. I didn’t get into Cambridge so accepted a suggestion for my second alternative (Durham).
Favourite lessons? Inspirational lecturers?
At college, my favourite lessons had been utilized ethics and philosophy of psychiatry. I used to be truly fortunate sufficient to have logic lessons with E.J. Lowe, and had dinner with him at my school, Castle College, which he belonged to. Sadly, I used to be horrible at logic and it didn’t enchantment to me that a lot. However for the philosophy of psychiatry lessons, which I did take an curiosity in, I had Matthew Ratcliffe as a lecturer, who has made some essential and engaging contributions to the phenomenology of psychological misery (reminiscent of melancholy). One in every of my favourite papers I obtained to write down, as a part of that module, was evaluating non secular experiences with psychotic episodes, and searching on the similarities and variations. We additionally explored the phenomenology of melancholy, which I discovered very useful, having skilled melancholy myself. It was most likely the primary time I had learn so many well-described, first-hand accounts of the expertise. The animal ethics side of utilized ethics was personally very influential for me. We learn Peter Singer’s essay ‘All Animals Are Equal’, and I used to be solely satisfied of the reasoning and ethical arguments for abandoning meat. So I did. I went vegetarian for a couple of months, after which—upon watching footage of dairy and egg factory farms, and realizing Singer’s arguments utilized equally to those industries—I went vegan. I’ve been vegan for 14 years now, and underlying the approach to life is the form of reasoning and moral motives I realized about at uni (I might not be a strict utilitarian like Singer however I nonetheless recognize his consequentialist arguments).
Hurdles?
Obstacles had been positively psychological health-related. I struggled with melancholy throughout the preliminary months of my first 12 months. The expertise of being in a brand new metropolis, away from family and friends, felt fairly isolating when going via these difficulties. Additionally, Durham was a really small metropolis in comparison with London, and I discovered the tradition or cliques on the college fairly exhausting to narrate to: there was a laddy culture—however the posh model of that, possibly fairly homogenous within the sense that I struggled to fulfill individuals with related pursuits, attitudes, and style in music. I did make mates although and had a constant social group. If I may return, I’d most likely drink much less, smoke weed much less usually, and attend extra of my lectures and seminars (slightly than simply depend on on-line supplies and textbooks). It’s form of loopy to assume that I accrued all that scholar debt, which went to lessons I used to be usually absent from.
Excessive factors?
Highlights had been most likely the events, a number of the gigs and nights out (together with in Newcastle, which was much better for music), the independence, and creating my writing extra with the essay writing I needed to do.
How did your understanding of philosophy change?
My understanding of philosophy developed based mostly on the vary of topics lined, being launched to subdisciplines like medical ethics, philosophy of psychiatry, and philosophy of science. New texts launched me to issues in philosophy I hadn’t thought-about: I keep in mind studying, for example, elements of Derek Parfit’s traditional Reasons and Persons, and being launched to discussions surrounding personal identity. The essay writing, and suggestions from professors, additionally helped me to see flaws in reasoning and argumentation, and so turn out to be higher at each, in addition to structuring essays.
Did you contemplate doing anything?
I did an elective module in anthropology in my first 12 months, which I feel I discovered equally as fascinating as philosophy, and did pretty nicely with the essays and exams. I may think about learning that topic once more. It also intersects with philosophy in many ways. I’d most likely lean extra in direction of social and cultural anthropology than the organic facet, however I’m additionally all in favour of evolutionary views on human expertise and habits, so I can think about getting actually into that side too. At the moment, I’m fascinated by discussions surrounding animism, shamanism, perspectivism, and the ontological turn.
What did your dad and mom make of your resolution to review philosophy?
I don’t know if my dad and mom stated a lot about my resolution to review philosophy, to be trustworthy. Thankfully, they weren’t the form of Jewish dad and mom who had a powerful want for me to review medication, regulation, or another topic related to excessive standing or excessive earnings (thanks mum and pa!). So it did really feel like I used to be just about free to make up my very own thoughts with that form of stuff—what I studied, and what sort of work I needed to pursue.
Philosophical virtues and vices?
My strengths, academically, had been writing expertise—the professors would usually say the essays had been written nicely. The weaknesses can be stuff like not adequately backing up an argument (leaving it vulnerable to criticism). I turned higher at philosophy by attempting to contemplate extra counterarguments, steel man counterarguments, take into consideration fallacies, assume extra critically, depend on proof, and mood my conclusions slightly than make sturdy conclusions based mostly on my private biases (whereas additionally being snug expressing my very own views). I additionally benefited from higher understanding the real-life implications of philosophy (in utilized ethics, e.g. biomedical ethics, environmental ethics, animal rights) and having alternatives to problem my assumptions (about consciousness, the self, science, and elementary actuality).
What was the plan after school?
I didn’t have any life targets, to be trustworthy, none that I can keep in mind on the time. I used to be just about simply centered on socializing and studying. I additionally had no plan after my diploma whereas I used to be learning. I didn’t know what path to take, so I thought-about persevering with in academia, simply because it felt like one thing productive or worthwhile I may do. My reminiscence of the timeline is a bit hazy (of what got here first), however I did apply to review Global Ethics & Human Values MA at King’s College London after graduating. I obtained accepted however determined to not go forward (I suppose I didn’t really feel a large draw to it; it appeared like I might be getting myself into extra debt for no purpose since I didn’t see a path I needed to take, or may think about taking, after finishing the MA). I ended up doing odd jobs quickly after graduating. I keep in mind making use of for an MA once more (the identical or the same one at King’s), obtained accepted, however in the end determined once more it wasn’t for me. I did proceed writing, although. I created a weblog in 2012 the place I wrote about philosophy, ethics, faith, psychedelics, and politics (the blog is still active to this day, although it’s certainly evolved beyond the basic Blogspot version I used to have). I additionally contributed articles voluntarily to a political web site (it was libertarian-leaning, which I felt drawn to on the time, though I lined a spread of topics, not at all times with a libertarian bent). At the moment, I used to be fairly energetic with writing, particularly for my weblog, and felt motivated to maintain doing it. I ultimately began to achieve site visitors, readers, feedback, shares, Google search outcomes—all of which stored up my drive.
First gig after school?
My first paid job was at a name middle—taking advantage of my philosophy diploma!—however the expertise left a bitter style in my mouth. I used to be an ‘appointment booker’, chilly calling individuals about their life insurance coverage, attempting to get them to talk to an insurance coverage dealer. I did admin for a couple of firms, and an internship as a runner for the BBC’s science program Dara O Briain’s Science Club. That was fairly enjoyable: I obtained to assist with the working of the present, together with doing analysis that was used on this system, and seeing what went into making it. I additionally obtained to fulfill Michio Kaku and Max Tegmark (nicely, I principally simply advised Kaku I used to be a fan of his books and requested for a photograph, and I requested Tegmark if I may get him something to drink). I additionally did some journeys overseas by myself after college. The primary was a bunch tour of Vietnam and Cambodia (this journey actually gave me the journey bug, though I wasn’t the most important fan of the organized side of it; I actually needed to go off by myself, and was usually the one one who did after we had free days). After that, I traveled round southern Mexico by myself for a month. I stayed in personal lodging (I felt too averse to the concept of hostels on the time), so it felt lonelier than the Southeast Asia journey. However I nonetheless made some connections with locals and fellow travellers, and liked all the pieces concerning the nation, particularly the archaeological websites. It stays my favourite nation to today. After that, I obtained my first ‘correct’ job, working full-time as a information researcher. This principally concerned serving to to plan the information calendar utilized by journalists, monitoring all of the essential occasions, stories, authorities conferences, and many others. that might be occurring within the 12 months forward.
Backpacking life classes?
There have been numerous classes realized from backpacking in my 20s. I realized some great benefits of being extra open and receptive to strangers, and have become passionate about assembly individuals from all types of cultural backgrounds and methods of life. I introduced that angle again with me. I do discover myself changing into extra closed off as soon as again in London and the UK, I feel for causes of familiarity, tradition, and metropolis life, however I’ve nonetheless sought to fulfill new individuals via Meetup events. When solo backpacking, the one choices are to provoke conversations with strangers (or being open to them) or spend the entire time alone. So, it does form of pressure a brand new social confidence. It’s like publicity remedy for social anxiousness in some ways.
One essential lesson was how culturally particular the UK was: seeing each the positives and negatives—what I preferred and disliked—in a method that was newly stark and obvious. I got here to understand British humor an entire lot extra, and town of London much more as nicely, feeling grateful for a way international it’s, and the way it is without doubt one of the few actually international cities on this planet. In fact, I appreciated tons about different cities and international locations I visited, however backpacking did additionally assist to focus on what London and the UK has to supply. Going away is a method of seeing what makes house ‘house’. Cultural negatives concerning the UK I observed, nevertheless, had been the fixed, heavy consuming, and the reliance on alcohol for socializing. Others would come with British cynicism (as a normal angle, not as a type of humor, which I do like and bask in), and likewise issues like fixed small speak/moaning concerning the climate, the ‘crabs in a bucket’ mentality, and sometimes an absence of emotional openness and directness.
If I had been to supply a extra philosophical angle on backpacking, I can relate to numerous what the Stoic philosophers needed to say about journey, viewing the urge to ‘get away’ as usually escapist. Touring is definitely not a solution to repair private issues or obtain lasting peace of thoughts. I feel later in my 20s, the urge to go backpacking had extra of that escapist tendency; I’d benefit from the journeys much less as a result of I’d be carrying psychological baggage with me, or even when I didn’t, once I returned, I’d lose the carefree, assured self I gained once I was overseas. I initially noticed solo backpacking as nice for self-development, which it was in some ways, however I feel it was naïve to see it as an answer to damaging emotions. So, as Seneca and Epictetus advise, I attempt to query my motivation to journey: whether or not it’s coming from a want to escape myself (which is doomed to fail) or a more healthy motive like the necessity to relaxation, novelty in search of, information in search of, or to have awe-inspiring experiences in nature. What I feel the Stoics missed was how some individuals have increased novelty-seeking wants than others, and many psychologists are starting to see novelty as a basic psychological need. So I’m not satisfied by the concept main a virtuous life at house and by no means touring can be as fulfilling—for many individuals—as punctuating that very same life with a lot of journey.
The toughest lesson of backpacking might be that the constructive emotions I felt on one journey can’t be replicated, irrespective of how a lot I’d like that to be in any other case. I used to be a distinct individual in my mid-20s. I used to be open to, and passionate about, staying in hostels and hanging round different backpackers on a regular basis. I had extra vitality, I felt extra carefree, and I didn’t thoughts the dearth of privateness in dorms or being sleep-deprived. Perhaps I’m a bit extra jaded now, however I’m much less all in favour of assembly different backpackers (and having those self same conversations), and over time, I discovered staying in dorms extra irritating than pleasant.
I’ve realized to really feel grateful for the solo touring I did, particularly a round-the-world journey, which gave me numerous nice reminiscences, in addition to a newfound appreciation for nature and totally different cultures. I’ve additionally come to see how fortunate having these alternatives had been; it’s a privilege most individuals on this planet don’t have.
Should you may return in time, and provides your self recommendation, what wouldn’t it be?
If I may return in time, I’d most likely give myself extra self-compassion once I was struggling, and advise myself to succeed in out for assist once I wanted it probably the most, slightly than isolate myself.
The total interview can be out there at What Is It Like to Be A Philosopher? You can get early access to interviews and support the project here.
Clifford Sosis
Cliff Sosis is a thinker at Coastal Carolina College. He created, and in his spare time he runs What Is It Like to Be a Philosopher? in-depth autobiographical interviews with philosophers. In Sosis’s phrases, “Interviews you may’t discover wherever else. Within the interviews, you get a way of what makes residing, respiratory philosophers tick. How one turns into a thinker. The interviews present how our theories form our lives and the way our experiences affect our theories. They reveal what philosophers have in widespread, if something, and what our targets are. Total, the interviews provide you with a fuller image of how the individuals who do philosophy work, and a greater concept of how philosophy works. These things is not mentioned as usually appropriately, I feel, and these tales are extraordinarily attention-grabbing and shifting!” He has a Patreon web page here and tweets @CliffordSosis.
