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Holly Ronayne | 4th Year | Joint Honours
What initially drew you to study philosophy at Trinity?
I was considering a few different arts subjects before I made my decision, but after reading the course description of philosophy, I realised that the philosophical aspect of these other arts subjects was what interested me the most.
From this, I decided I’d head straight for the source of my interest and choose to study philosophy.
How has your experience been so far?
Studying philosophy at Trinity has been an incredible experience. The course covers such a wide range of topics, so it’s easy to get a taste of everything and figure out which areas you like the most. I love that in philosophy seminars, we all get to discuss our ideas on class material together, which is fantastic for hearing different perspectives you might not have come up with on your own.
What areas of philosophy have you found most interesting or engaging, and why?
Philosophy of religion is by far my favourite area of philosophy, as it is of great personal relevance to me, and has deeply enriched the way I view the world. I had a lot of questions and problems about theism, and it has been so fulfilling to find that there is a rich literature on virtually any theistic issue you can think of. I ended up writing my final dissertation on philosophy of religion, and the conclusions I drew from it had a big impact on my personal life and faith.
In your opinion, what is the value and relevance of studying philosophy in today's world?
The analytical skills I’ve developed are inalienable – I no longer think in the same way I did before. You no longer blindly accept things at face value, but pause and analyse them, consider their implications, and question everything. This skill is relevant in just about every single area of life. It’s by far the mightiest benefit of a philosophy degree.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying philosophy at undergraduate level in Trinity?
Don’t worry if you don’t know much about philosophy yet – you aren’t expected to!
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to be open to the possibility that your view on things will change. If you enter the course with a dogmatic set of personal beliefs that you are entirely unwilling to question or change, you’re not likely to get the most out of the course - and you’re probably not going to enjoy it very much either!
Fiona Lueling | 2nd Year | Single Honours
What initially drew you to studying philosophy at Trinity?
The desire to study in English attracted me to study in Ireland. I was also interested in a different university system to the German one. The high proportion of international students at Trinity seemed to be very, as well as living in Ireland. Finally, Trinity has a great network around the world, which I wanted to become a part of. And of course the beautiful campus right in the centre of a lively city.
How has your experience been so far?
I am not lying when I say it was the best decision I ever made. I met great friends who are open-minded and come from all different backgrounds. I have learnt to be determined and durable by managing my life for the first time alone, in a different language and in a new place.
What areas of philosophy have you found most interesting or engaging, and why?
The most interesting area of philosophy was logic, because it introduced me to a different way of thinking. My second favourite was death and the meaning it has towards life- to be aware of it and therefore live every moment to the fullest.
In your opinion, what is the value and relevance of studying philosophy in today's world?
Especially today, when capitalism is at its height and everyone is just trying to make profit, more money, more fame, it seems very important to go back to the roots. To understand where we come from and that not all progress is so innovative. More importantly, to develop the ability to effectively doubt statements, to save oneself from all the misunderstandings and fake news in the world. But most importantly, the feeling of being able to critique many different areas of thought and form an opinion about things.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying philosophy at undergraduate level in Trinity?
If you are interested in exploring topics you have never thought about before, such as time travel or Buddhism, or if you like to think outside the box and delve deep into the reasoning behind a position, then you should study Philosophy at Trinity. The small course structure means that you will find a family among your peers, and that studying will not be a burden but a pleasure as you expand your understanding of the world.
Darragh Senchyna | 4th year | Joint Honours
What initially drew you to study philosophy at Trinity?
When I was in my Leaving Cert year in secondary school I was mostly looking for mathematics-related university courses. I liked maths but I also enjoyed discussing problems and arguing and writing. I attended an open day for mathematics and theoretical physics at Trinity in 6th year and that’s where I learned that I could study mathematics and philosophy. It just stood out to me as exactly the balance of academic approaches that I needed.
How has your experience been so far?
I found it quite difficult in the beginning to understand how exactly I was supposed to write and what exactly the scope of my essays was supposed to be (how grand of a conclusion I was supposed to have). I think I developed this skill a lot throughout first year and I am very grateful to have the ability to now write good academic philosophy essays.
In terms of highlights, I really think about my improved confidence in my ability to argue and understand complex positions. I genuinely feel like a wiser and more capable person due to my philosophy degree.
What areas of philosophy have you found most interesting or engaging, and why?
I find myself really interested in analytic philosophy. I guess it’s probably because I really like maths. Mathematics and philosophy can really have a lot of overlap if you want them to and I think the Trinity philosophy department in particular really gives students the opportunity to engage with that part of philosophy.
In your opinion, what is the value and relevance of studying philosophy in today's world?
I think having the confidence and ability to write meaningfully about what you believe and think in a careful and considerate way is a useful skill everywhere in the world. Most of your philosophy degree is writing essays, you are being asked to defend a position solely through reasoning and often without any data to fall back on. Appealing to another philosopher as an authority on an issue is generally not condoned. You need to come up with a genuine position and opinion and you need to defend it.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying philosophy at undergraduate level in Trinity?
Go in with an open mind, and definitely try your best to engage meaningfully with the material you read. It is often very difficult, but you will definitely learn over time how to read philosophical texts and how to critically engage with them. Overall I think philosophy will really help you develop intellectually as a person, and if that’s something you want, then study it at Trinity.
Molly Hirst | 3rd Year | Single Honours
What initially drew you to study philosophy at Trinity?
I always knew I wanted to study in Trinity after I did my TY play in the Players Theatre. I loved the campus, and I felt most at home there in comparison to other universities in Dublin.
It also was the best school for philosophy in Ireland, most other colleges just had visiting lectures and I wanted to have some consistent lecturers that I could gain a rapport with.
How has your experience been so far?
It has definitely been challenging. As much as I love Trinity, I think it’s easy to feel a little bit like an outsider at the start. Erasmus was definitely a game-changer, and I have high hopes that the final year will be enjoyable. Joining societies and getting involved in college life through the student union was definitely a highlight.
What areas of philosophy have you found most interesting or engaging, and why?
I love moral philosophy and contemporary political philosophy. I find analysing these texts and arguments to be thought-provoking, and the lecturers that I had for these modules were some of my favourites. They taught in a way that was engaging, and I think that this impacted my interest in it.
In your opinion, what is the value and relevance of studying philosophy in today's world?
Studying philosophy gives you a wide range of transferable skills, especially for areas such as politics, human resources, activism work, and human rights work. It trains you to be observational as well as analytical, key skills in today's world. It also teaches you to be impersonal when discussing something, which is very useful. It is definitely valuable for many career paths.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying philosophy at undergraduate level in Trinity?
Don’t be worried if it gets a bit overwhelming in first year! The texts will get easier to read, and you will eventually figure out what areas of philosophy really interest you. The course is interesting, and the debates will be both fun and intriguing at times, especially when you get into political and moral philosophy.
Kevin Barry | 2nd Year | Single Honours
What initially drew you to study philosophy at Trinity?
I had studied for my primary degree in Law here, as did my older son. I liked the idea of smaller class sizes and that it was an analytic-orientated school.
How has your experience been so far?
I’m having a ball. The subject of philosophy is fabulous and more than I ever dreamt it would be. The academic staff are excellent, very responsive and hard working.
What areas of philosophy have you found most interesting or engaging, and why?
I enjoy the history of philosophy, as my purpose was to get a grounding in the subject. An academic philosopher from Italy that I know expressed great envy of the grounding we get in Trinity.
I also enjoy anything I can track to evolution – which includes consciousness, metaethics, etc. As a retired lawyer I’m a little impatient with intuitions and moral or political philosophy. Idealism and consciousness keep me awake at night. Asian philosophy (Buddhism) is also important and deserves more airtime.
In your opinion, what is the value and relevance of studying philosophy in today's world?
Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow turned me on to thinking and was the reason I decided to do philosophy. I love it. Every lawyer should do it! How can anyone construct an argument better than a philosopher? Everyone else should do it for the same reason.
What advice would you give to someone considering studying philosophy at the undergraduate level at Trinity?
Oh!! Enjoy!! Read from the very start, and don’t stop. Pester your lecturers! Address and clarify whenever you are unclear, because whatever follows will never be clear until you do, and you’ll be building on sand.
Don’t for a second think that philosophy is academic or impractical or onanist. It is the very opposite of all these things in its method and its goals.