Why Philosophy? Gabriel Olano
Putting the math and guts back into philosophy
What is philosophy to you?
In calculus, a derivative is the rate of change of a given function. Velocity is the derivative of position; acceleration of velocity. Derivatives are like the inner mechanisms of a function, each unveiling a deeper layer of the original function, and I view all aspects of life and the universe as having their own derivatives that outline their means and methods, and those means and methods have their own layers to carve out. Philosophy is the practice of pursuing questions that uncover the world’s derivatives, which calculation and empirical observation fail to reach.
Along a different vein, I have a conviction that emotions are the purest form of knowledge. Too often, though, we’re not really sure what we feel (as in, a combination of opinion, belief, & visceral sensation). Either we have difficulties identifying the feeling itself, or we struggle with articulating it, or both! Typical academic philosophy is an excellent remedy for the second obstacle, as it provides such wide-ranging concepts to paint a detailed picture of the world within which we can situate ourselves. Still, the first issue I outlined is just as important to overcome. To this end, I believe that mindfulness practice, in its ability to familiarize us with our “gut selves” and elucidate our intuitions, is also a kind of philosophy.
How were you first introduced to philosophy?
My mom and sister are super big on feminism, so growing up they would always point out to me little instances of sexism to embed in me the idea that it’s everywhere, from double standards in sexual relationships to oversexualization in Doritos commercials. Naturally, I began to question why that was such; why was there inequality in society, and why couldn’t things be different? From then on, I developed an inclination towards doubting and evaluating mainstream ideas before accepting them – or rejecting them and pondering on alternatives.
It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school, though, that I realized my lines of questioning constituted philosophizing. I read The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut and was intrigued by his existential explorations of the meaning of life and free will. Upon discovering that these were philosophical concepts, I decided to learn more about philosophy on YouTube where I quickly found the oliSUNvia YouTube channel. I was immediately hooked as I watched the creator discuss feminist issues I was so interested in through pop culture lenses and with continuous reference to philosophy books, papers, and topics that mapped out a science for answering the questions that always fascinated me. I was excited by the prospect of intricately understanding the workings of the world’s dynamics (a purposefully broad field) and thus set out to study philosophy.
How do you practice philosophy today?
Presently, I try to use my societal questioning to inspire an inquisitive attitude in those around me. In these times of so much polarized debate, it’s easy to forget that your conversational opponent is not an enemy but rather a human with their own sets of values and worries. By being open to critically questioning your own talking points and those they seem to oppose, humility and empathy form the base for collaboration, and solutions are infinitely more likely to arise.
On another note, I’m particularly interested in using philosophy to combat oppression of marginalized groups. I like to copy Socrates’ model of questioning in reducing prejudice in my peers by getting them to examine the components of their beliefs with things like transphobia or gender roles, though less pesteringly and with more scaffolding.
Finally, I like doing yoga and meditating as forms of the mindfulness philosophy I mentioned earlier.
What is a philosophical issue that is important to you?
As I’ve explained, I’m highly compelled to feminist philosophy on the dynamics of oppression between the oppressed and the oppressor, within the minds of each, between institutions, etc.
More recently, I’ve been captivated by the way that our core values and foundational experiences in the world dictate how we perceive and experience life. I’m fascinated wondering about how people with totally different upbringings from my own feel things differently and possess radically distinct mental frameworks. I’m interested in studying this from a phenomenological perspective, and through research on the way that mindfulness practice can alter one’s mental and perceptual patterns.
What books, podcasts, or other media have stood out to you as a philosopher?
I think there’s lots of noteworthy philosophy content on YouTube that should bring praise to the public philosophy world that it’s a part of. Aside from oliSUNvia that I referenced previously, two other great channels that I frequently tune in to are Philosophy Tube and Alice Cappelle.
As for authors, bell hooks is easily one of my favorites in feminist philosophy, and I think everyone should read her book All About Love.
Though philosophy adjacent, I also highly recommend the work of Yukio Mishima, especially The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea and Confessions of a Mask. His books are packed with profound musings ranging from beauty to death and he has a striking life story to go with them.
Gabriel Olano is an incoming freshman at Columbia University who will be majoring in Philosophy with a minor in Gender Studies. His primary interests are in feminist philosophy, phenomenology, and comparative philosophy.
Great post, Gabriel! Grateful for your insights and all you’ve done for the Substack!
Omg congrats king!!!