Our undergraduates are a large part of what makes the Department of Philosophy great! In this interview, we chat with Michelle Barrios, a Philosophy minor and the incoming president of The Philosophers' Guild.
Please introduce yourself!
My name is Michelle Barrios and I am currently in my third year of pursuing a bachelor's in political science with a minor in philosophy. My main philosophical interests lie in feminist philosophy such as care ethics, as well as political philosophy pertaining to issues such as mass incarceration and youth overcriminalization.
What has been your most memorable experience in the Philosophy Department at GSU?
My most memorable experience within the Philosophy Department at GSU has been attending the recent conference on moral progress with members from the guild and listening to speakers with different philosophical and academic backgrounds discuss their conceptualizations of morality and the progress associated with it. It was really eye-opening to see how moral progress is a multifaceted subject that relates to not only the recognition of the importance of how climate change affects communities but also how our political history informs our present.
What lectures, readings, experiences, etc. have you enjoyed the most?
I have thoroughly enjoyed my ethics lectures in which we read and discussed works such as Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis and Virginia Held's The Ethics of Care. One of my favorite readings that we have done that I still find myself going back to is Judith Butler's work titled "Can one lead a good life in a bad life?", my favorite passage from it is: "Whoever I am will be transformed by my connections with others, since my dependency on another, and my dependability, are necessary in order to live and to live well". I wholeheartedly believe that I am nothing more than the sum of the people around me, in that I have grown and changed in so many positive ways that I can only attribute to the relationships I have made while being at GSU.
What is something useful you’ll take away from your time in Philosophy?
Something useful that I'll take away from my time in philosophy has been the perspective it has enabled. From reading contemporary to classical philosophy, learning what has shaped various philosophers and why they write, how their ideas have influenced our social understanding of each other, and our social institutions have certainly impacted how I perceive the world around me. Furthermore, I also think it has reshaped my perception of philosophy as a whole. As philosophy has this stereotypical image of old, white men discussing ideas that seemingly have no real-world relevance, however, my time in philosophy has expanded my perception by not only reading works that have deeply resonated with me as a woman and as a Hispanic person but also by learning how different people in the past and in the present experience being human. I think in that regard philosophy is intimate in a way because it relies on reading and learning how others experience life and their development of a framework to understand and improve it.
What are your future plans?
I plan on attending law school after graduation and eventually working as an attorney. My ultimate goal would be to work at a nonprofit organization that enables access to legal aid for those that have been impacted by the effects of the school-to-prison pipeline. In an era of heightened youth overcriminalization, I hope that one day I will be able to help advocate for those in need.
Any advice for prospective students considering a major/minor in Philosophy?
The advice that I would give to prospective students considering a major/minor in philosophy is to go ahead and pursue it. My philosophy minor has definitely enhanced my understanding of political science, which is what my main area of study is. I also feel as though it gave me a better sense of direction for what I would like to pursue after graduation. Fundamentally, my philosophy minor has not only opened up different avenues of interest academically but also has aided in making me feel more connected to those around me.
What are some of your interests and hobbies outside of schoolwork?
One of my biggest interests is leading the Philosophers' Guild which has been really fun and exciting for me through helping choose topics and meeting new people. We really aim to make philosophical discussion casual and accessible so that anyone - whether they are studying philosophy, or they’re studying something else entirely different but still have an interest in philosophy- can feel comfortable and motivated to contribute to the discussion in the space that we've created. And watching people get passionate about our topics and engage in spirited conversation has been really rewarding. In my free time, I like to paint and tend to my garden as well as bike around the city. I am also an avid hiker, I recently spent my spring break backpacking through the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, which was an amazing experience. There is such joy to be found in the simplicity of wandering amongst nature and getting to experience the beauty of our national parks.