Why Philosophy? Sabrina Martinez
Philosophy as a Transformative Process
What is philosophy to you?
It comes off a bit cliché but to me, philosophy is at the core of the human condition; to be human is to be able to philosophize on some level. More than our ability to write, farm, or produce art, the capacity to ask “why” from a particular vantage point is what makes our existence currently unique. So, philosophy to me is the complete embrace and exercise of my humanity. It is an act of appreciation and compassion for our collective condition and of taking notice, questioning, and wondering about all the oddities that come along with that.
How were you first introduced to philosophy?
Initially, I had thought about pursuing a history degree and loved learning about medieval culture in all its goofiness and occasional bleakness. I figured to truly understand the Middle Ages, I had to wrap my head around medieval theology. This led me to read St. Augustine’s Confessions, which exposed me to his argument for Presentism. From that point on, I became very interested in metaphysics and enrolled in various intro-level philosophy courses. I realized soon that philosophy was the perfect fit for me, a broad field where almost any subject was being touched upon and I would never grow bored.
How do you practice philosophy today?
Personally, philosophy is less of a practice and something more akin to a transformative process. The texts and conversations that stick with me inevitably change how I see myself, others, and things in the world. But I guess for a more applicable and less esoteric answer, I apply philosophy in my day-to-day life by actively thinking about arguments to see how they can be broken down into premises and whether their conclusions follow (or not!). In our current world, it seems like the truth can be hard to come by. On the Internet, in particular, we are constantly assaulted by so much information and bigotry. Analyzing arguments and claims online through their premises is advice I would give anyone growing up and navigating their way around the web.
Why is philosophy important to you?
It’s difficult to explain but engaging deeply with philosophy led to a sort of “waking up” to the world. I ended up an absurdist so that probably says something about me, right? As I stated earlier, philosophy has actively transformed the way I see and experience the world. Philosophy is like a means of cultivating my humanity and assists with my sense of participation in the world—all of this thanks to the lessons and deliberation it has to offer. This makes it immensely important. It’s also very communal.
What books, podcasts, or other media would you recommend to anyone interested in philosophy?
This is such a difficult question! I don’t really listen to philosophy podcasts and my books are probably more for people already invested in philosophy. That being said, I think there is plenty of media that can serve as vehicles to explore philosophical themes while still being entertaining and enlightening. The horror and action videogame “Bloodborne” (2015) by FromSoftware, for example, features inspirations and themes ranging from the exploitative and dehumanizing history of British anatomical and medical research to a surprisingly feminist commentary on the struggles of womanhood, autonomy, and the demonization of menstrual cycles and birth. Because of the ability to incorporate forms of limited agency, I think video games are a particularly potent means of demonstrating philosophical ideas.
Sabrina Martinez (she/they) is a graduate of the Philosophy Department at Florida International University and has a certification in Artificial Intelligence and Data Ethics. Her interests in philosophy include ethics, epistemology, and aesthetics. Her hobbies are digital art (not to be mistaken for AI art), video games, tabletop games, and music theory.
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