Hearing the word “philoso- phy” one may think of old, soli- tary men with complicated ideas, but some of those skeptics here at Pace would be surprised to find their fellow peers engaging in the subject matter that has puzzled and inspired human minds throughout history.
Philosophy, for those who might not know, comes from the Greek term ‘philos’, meaning love, and ‘sophia’, meaning wis- dom.
“It is important because it makes you a more conscious and aware thinker,” junior accounting major and president of the Phi- losophy Club Katie Szilagyi said. “It makes you aware of the way
you think, of why you think that way, and also of the gaps in your thoughts.”
Philosophy is not exclusively about lofty, existential issues. The Philosophy Club meetings are centered on a topic or a theme. For example, last week’s meeting was focused on environmental ethics and how they apply to everyday lives.
The Philosophy Club has hosted thought-provoking events, such as a discussion panel on stem cell research, a subject that affects many. Last year, they also hosted a movie screening of Gattaca, which was followed up by a panel discussion on eugenics, a pseudo- science that played a role in twen- tieth century Nazism.
“Eugenics was partly be- hind the idea of mapping human DNA,” Szilagyi said. “Scientists said it would allow them to de-
termine diseases, possibly age of death.”
But then the issue becomes surrounded by the values of an in- dividual.
“With issues like this, philoso- phy helps you see the missing things,” Szilagyi said. “It can be unpleasant at first.”
Szilagyi aims to broaden stu- dent minds and help others under- stand that philosophy is not a sub- ject that is only limited to liberal art majors.
“People often think philoso- phy is too abstract for business,” Szilagyi said, “Yet there have been many CEO’s and even politicians who studied philosophy as under- grads. In the business world, phi- losophy helps students do better in exams, understand concrete con- cepts, think outside the box, and anticipate a lot more.”
Even day-to-day life gains
something from philosophy.
“It can help you with any con- flict,” Szilagyi said, “It asks you to be an unbiased thinker, and this way you become aware of all sides of a situation. It’s very universal.” Students can join the Philoso- phy Club to get perspectives they never considered before. The club offers an opportunity to meet new people and make acquaintances that will show one how they view
the world.
The Philosophy Club meets
every Tuesday at 9pm in Miller 28. In November, they will be hosting a screening of the film Fight Club.
As British writer G.K. Ches- terton once said, “Philosophy is merely thought that has been thought out,” so take time to attend a meeting and get the thoughts flowing.