We caught up with Lecturer in Philosophy, Dr Suki Finn, who teaches in the areas of metaphysics, logic and feminist philosophy, and Riona, who graduated with a BA in Philosophy and has now also graduated with a MA Marketing.
Why are you passionate about philosophy?
Riona: I love learning about philosophy because it sparks such interesting and diverse discussions. It offers anyone the chance to engage in critical thinking and to broaden your mindset! Suki: I love teaching philosophy because I get to introduce people to different ways of thinking, about all different sorts of things. Philosophy is so broad and all-encompassing, that anyone who thinks can be a philosopher, and one can philosophise about anything!
What is the department like?
Suki: We have a very wide-ranging department here, spanning continental and analytic traditions, specialising in historical as well as contemporary issues. Being embedded in a larger department, we also have a focus on political and applied philosophy.
Riona: I've found the department to be very supportive and helpful, particularly when I needed advice on assignments! Everyone is very approachable, so I never hesitated to ask questions, as philosophical ideas can be tricky to grapple with sometimes!
What are you currently working on?
Suki: I’m working on my second book, which Riona is the research assistant for. It’s called What’s in a Doughnut Hole? And other philosophical food for thought. I chose to involve Riona in my work as it is mutually beneficial. It helps the students as well as helping the staff – the student gets work experience and insight into academic life, as well as some extra cash (!), and the staff gets assistance in areas that they need support in.
Riona: Aside from being the research assistant on Suki’s upcoming book, I've been working towards a career in the creative industry. I've found that working on Suki’s book has really expanded my creative thinking skills just as much as my critical thinking skills.
What does it mean to you to be a research assistant for the book?
Riona: It's been such a privilege to be involved in the creation of this book and I've loved working through the process, chapter by chapter! It's been such a rewarding and fulfilling experience. I feel very grateful to be working with Suki as she’s just amazing!
