We interviewed Alessio Gerola, a PhD student in Philosophy, about the popular Philosophy Evenings co-led by him and Jeanette. Keep reading for interesting insights on famous women philosophers and the relevance of philosophy in modern life.
Alessio Gerola is a PhD candidate from Italy, studying Ethics of Technology at the Philosophy Group. He is exploring various aspects of biomimetic technologies from a philosophical perspective.
Alessio is also leading Spectrum's Philosophy group together with chaplain Jeannette den Ouden and as the main host. The group meets monthly in the Loft, Spectrum's home base, a cozy space in the Clock-house. Everyone is welcome and the group's size varies from 6 to 10, to sometimes even more than 20 students. Some evenings the work and life of specific philosophers like Hannah Arendt, Simone Weil, and Iris Murdoch were presented and discussed; at other times to- pics are introduced and explored like Ubuntu and Eastern Philosophy.
How was it for you to (co-) lead these evenings?
What stood out for me was the students' interest in philosophy. Within the university there is only the possibility to do a philosophy minor but clearly there is an interest among students to actively participate in philosophical discussions. The students were also quick to get into a philosophical mindset... pondering the questions without immediately going for an answer. It was nice to see that even when discussing among themselves they concluded "yes, it's complicated".
Alessio and Jeannette also held a well- attended series called 'Women and Philosophy' discussing philosophers such as Simone Weil and Iris Murdoch.
Alessio, could you tell us more about the work of these philosophers, and touch upon some of the themes discussed in the evenings?
The themes we touched upon in the philosophy group ranged from more classical philosophical discussion, for example about Simone Weil's life and work, and more contemporary ones such as social media.
Simone Weil was a French philosopher and mystic born in 1909, who lived a short but intense life. She was a sensitive political activist who was very touched by the experiences and struggles of people op- pressed by harsh political and working conditions. When writing on alienation she joined a factory for three months to experience the reality of everyday work and toil. We also discussed her beautiful metaphor about how we can experience God through everyday reality.
Imagine you are being held in a cell. You might be feeling lonely and lost. Suddenly, you hear some light taps from the wall. You suddenly realize that there must be someone else behind the wall... You are not alone! You quickly reply back with some taps yourself and enjoy each other's company. And so, the wall, the very thing dividing you and your companion, is also the very means through which you can communicate. The wall for Weil is every- day reality. Sometimes, if we pay attention to the manifestation of beauty, we can glimpse the traces of God in the reality around us.
We also talked about the influence of social media on our attention. We shared our impressions about what kinds of dis- traction social media causes. It was commonly agreed that social media contributes not only to make us more distracted on a moment-to-moment basis, but also about our desires and life goals.
We often get false impressions about the life of others who post only the peak moments, for example holidays and life achievements, making us feel as if we are the only ones not enjoying life to the fullest. How are social media shaping our experience of our life and everyday existence?
Philosophy is not only an ancient tradition that can offer only outdated insights, it is still a fundamental activity to make sense of our technological experience as human beings of the XXI century.
What are your thoughts on the topic of grounding yourself - staying grounded?
It is interesting to relate 'finding your ground' - or 'staying grounded' to philosophy. Spectrum organizes a lot of different events that can help to stay grounded: lectio divina, journaling, prayer, meditation... Spectrum's philosophy group allowed me to explore the therapeutic potential of philosophy as a path towards self-growth. I felt that the lively discussions opened both hearts and minds, a great opportunity to rediscover philosophy as a life practice - not just an intellectual exercise.
Thanks a lot, Alessio! We look forward to a new series of evenings of the Spectrum's philosophy group in the new academic year!