In recent years, the Department of Philosophy has interviewed alumni and graduating seniors about their experiences as philosophy majors, how philosophy has prepared them for post-graduation, and what advice they have for current students (you can find some of those interviews here and here.) This year in an effort to recognize our graduating seniors in the midst of the pandemic, we are expanding the number of senior interviews. For this post, Guillermo Ruiz ’21 interviewed Sienna Murphy ’21. Graduating with a major in Philosophy and a minor in Business, Sienna plans to attend the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in the fall.
How did you get interested in philosophy in the first place?
I became interested in philosophy when I took Philosophy 101 with Professor Liao. Not only did this class revolve around fascinating topics such as how African slavery has influenced racism and the ways in which derogatory terms shaped the social hierarchy of Rwanda, this class opened my mind to completely different views about life. I have always enjoyed learning through different points of view, so this class was really interesting and sparked my interest in taking more philosophy classes.
Is there an area of philosophy that interests you the most?
I have always enjoyed learning about epistemological issues. I love pursuing questions like “how do you know?” and “is that the truth?” There is so much that is unknown in the world, and knowledge is one of them. It’s fascinating to read different theories about truth, knowledge, and justification, and then question their truth as well.
What about this area is interesting to you?
This area of philosophy has made me realize that there is room for skepticism for just about anything if we question things like truth and reason! Now I find myself questioning everything around me! I also love how this field can be applied to all sorts of social issues. For instance, many philosophers have questioned how things like power and privilege influence knowledge, or how certain types of injustices can cause instances of epistemic injustice. As crazy as this field may sound, it can actually be quite useful for understanding certain social issues.
Has your study of philosophy informed your day to day life or how you make decisions?
Definitely! I think that studying philosophy has made me better able to think outside the box and see things from different angles. Now when I make decisions, I’m more able to look at the big picture and analyze decisions from various angles. This helps me make rational and informed decisions. Studying philosophy has also made me more empathetic. Because philosophy often involves looking at things from various perspectives, it opens your mind to so many different viewpoints and reasonings. Now when I interact with people, I find myself more able to understand their perspectives and reasonings for their decisions and beliefs.
What was your favorite philosophy class?
I have loved all of the philosophy classes that I’ve taken! However, I think that if I had to choose, I would say that my favorite was the Epistemology class I took with Professor Tiehen. One of the most fascinating topics we discussed was Descartes’ dream theory, which argues that since we cannot distinguish between our dreams from our waking life, it is possible that we could be dreaming all the time, making it impossible to have knowledge of the external world. Descartes puts emphasis on the senses, believing that our senses when we dream are exactly like those we experience when we are awake, so there is no way to tell the difference between dreaming and being awake. I had a good time finding objections to Descartes, like arguing that the sensation of pain is different when we are asleep versus when we are awake because we are in physical pain when we are awake but not while we are dreaming.
How has your minor shaped your philosophical studies and vice versa?
Studying business has helped me understand the importance and use of philosophy. All of the skills I have gained from philosophy have helped me thrive in my business classes. This is because business has a lot to do with seeing through complex issues, putting together convincing arguments for or against proposals, and checking the consistency and soundness of policy papers. These skills of careful analysis, sound argument, and critical examination are fundamental to philosophy! No discipline trains us to think in these ways better than philosophy.
When and why did you ultimately decide to become a philosophy major?
I decided to become a philosophy major after my first semester of sophomore year. By then I had taken three philosophy classes and had fallen in love with the discipline. I hadn’t come to college knowing what I wanted to major in or with any career goals in mind, so I really just based my decision on what subject made me the happiest. I am so thankful about that decision because it made the rest of my college experience so enjoyable!
How did your parents and strangers react when you told them you were a philosophy major?
Although some people don’t understand the use of philosophy, my parents were really happy for me when I told them that I had found a subject that I was passionate about. They have always been very supportive about my decisions, and they believed that my passion for philosophy would lead me to find more opportunities in the future. They were right! It definitely was a factor that led me to apply to law school.
Do you have a particular memory as a philosophy major at Puget Sound that stands out to you?
One of my favorite memories was being able to present a paper at an undergraduate philosophy conference in Louisville. It was such an amazing opportunity to not only share my work outside of my university, but also to meet other young philosophers and learn about their passions in the philosophy field. In a way, I felt like it was the first time my philosophical work actually had an impact on people other than myself and my professors, and that was an extraordinary feeling! Additionally, it was an intellectually stimulating experience that made me realize my own abilities as a young philosopher.
Do you have any advice for current philosophy students?
Don’t procrastinate on papers! Writing a philosophy paper takes time. Not only does it require a lot of careful writing, it requires a LOT of preparation. I would say that I spend way more time thinking about arguments and objections than actually forming sentences on paper. But that’s the beauty of the discipline! We philosophers love to think!
Any final thoughts?
A lot of people are scared to study philosophy because it involves questioning things that don’t have answers. But it’s ok to not know the answers. If you think about it, none of us know the answers. According to Socrates, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” If the greatest philosopher of all time said that, then it must be true!
PUGET SOUND PHILOSOPHY 