Joel Stanley PERSONAL DETAILS Full name: Joel Stanley Age: 29 Current occupation: Computer Scientist Where you live: Portland, Oregon, USA Your program: Pathways (with plans for Associate/Fellowship later) Start date: 2004 1. CHOOSING PATHWAYS How did you find out about us? was it by accident? were you searching for a philosophy course? I discovered Pathways when looking for external programs in philosophy. At the time I had recent graduated with a Master's degree in Computer Science and was employed full-time. I was quite passionate about the philosophy courses I took while in school, and wanted a way for my education to continue. What alternatives were you considering at the time? No serious alternatives were available to me, short of abandoning a nascent career and enrolling in a philosophy program. What considerations were uppermost in your mind when you decided to apply to Pathways? My major concern pertained to the quality of the material and of the credentials of the program. I'd spent quite a bit of time reading "The Glass House Philosopher" and it was primarily content in that blog that convinced me that I didn't need to worry about the quality of the program. How do you feel about that decision now? Still very good — I had been actively involved in the program for only a small number of months when a personal tragedy brought about wide-sweeping and major life changes. I'm only just now getting back to a point of stability wherein I can focus on philosophy again. 2. STUDY MATERIALS Did you take any of the six Pathways written programs? which one(s)? I enrolled for the Metaphysics and the Philosophy of Mind written program, although only made forward progress in the Metaphysics unit. How did you find the Pathways study materials? were they too easy, too difficult or just about right? Just about right. How do the Pathways materials rate in comparison with text books that you have seen or studied? On par; if anything, less obtuse. Do you feel that you made the right choice of program, or given the chance would you like to try a different Pathway? why? I believe my choice vis-a-vis metaphysics was the right choice. After I finish that unit, I highly doubt that I will be pursuing the Philosophy of Mind course and move onto other topics. This stems from a (quite possibly false) belief that the Philosophy of Mind, as a discipline, is analytical to a fault and relies heavily upon an insufficiently advanced neuroscience to make its claims. I would somewhat welcome the chance to find out otherwise, however. 3. PATHWAYS WEB SITE How useful have you found the information provided on the Pathways web pages? Very useful. How might the content or layout of the Pathways pages be improved? Hire a professional web designer to use high-quality renderings and Cascading Style Sheets. The Ask a Philosopher pages should be replaced with a bulletin-board/message forum system that stores all content to a server; this would enable further discussion of the points besides the simple question/answer forum that exists today. In your view, does the Pathways web site convey an accurate impression of what it is like to study with Pathways? Yes. 4. INTERACTION WITH YOUR MENTOR Who is/ was your Pathways mentor? Geoffrey Klempner. Are you generally happy with the interaction and feedback that you have have received from your mentor? Generally very happy. How well, in your view, does the current system of providing mentor interaction work? how would you like to see it improved? I think the mechanism is suitable. How does the tuition you received compare with other philosophy courses you have taken, whether online or face-to-face? Very affordable. 5. INTERACTION WITH OTHER STUDENTS Have you ever participated in the Pathways online conferences? I have not. If you did participate, how would you rate the quality of the philosophical discussion? If you did not participate, what kind of conference provision would tempt you to join the conference? I'm not sure — I'd have to read more about the available conferences. Would you like to see further opportunities provided for Pathways students to engage in dialogue? do you have any ideas? Bandwidth is cheap nowadays; hosting a voice conference via Voice Over IP technology would be a wonderful way to personalize interaction. Perhaps every 3 months or so, notable Pathways students could be invited to give a seminar-style "talk" in one of these voice chat sessions, with questions and answers, or feedback, given afterwards. 6. IMPACT OF STUDYING WITH PATHWAYS What effect, if any, has studying Philosophy with Pathways had on your life? Unfortunately I've not yet had a chance to delve deep enough into Pathways for it to affect my life...much. That said, it's very reassuring to me that I have this kind of outlet for philosophical inquiry without having to abandon financial burdens to re-enroll in the university. Have you been motivated to continue studying Philosophy after you complete your course? Yes, I will be studying philosophy for most of my life, I believe. Have you taken another Philosophy course? or do you plan to? I do plan to, I just don't know when. I took a number of philosophy courses while I was in the university. What other benefits or consequences have you noticed from studying Philosophy with Pathways? 7. FUTURE PROJECTS Do you have any thoughts about future projects which we might undertake? Some students have expressed an interest in a conference where Pathways students could meet face-to-face. How do you feel about that idea? I think this would be a fantastic idea. Would you be prepared to travel to Sheffield to attend a Pathways conference? Yes, provided the announcement was made in enough time for me to make the appropriate schedule arrangements to do so. Currently, there are two free Pathways e-journals, Philosophy Pathways and Philosophy for Business. What are your thoughts about a third journal dedicated to publishing the best examples of course work by Pathways students? I think this is a great idea. I also think that subject-oriented journals would be a great bet; say, a topic is announced and students are asked to submit papers, with the best being selected and wrapped up in journal format. 8. CONTRIBUTING TO PATHWAYS Do you have any thoughts about possible articles for Philosophy Pathways or Philosophy for Business? Or have you already written a piece that you could send us? I'd like to contribute to Philosophy Pathways, but not just yet. Have you have successfully completed the ISFP Associate or Fellowship Awards, or the first year of the University of London Diploma or BA in Philosophy? If so, would you like to join the panel of Ask a Philosopher? If you have successfully completed a BA degree in Philosophy, would you like to become a Pathways mentor? 9. GENERAL ASSESSMENT In the most general terms, how would you rate your experience with Pathways: Strongly positive? More positive than negative? About equal? More negative than positive? Strongly negative? Strongly positive How would you summarize the reasons for your assessment? Pathways is an organization with a clearly-stated purpose that is both practical and meaningful. As far as I can see, it delivers on its promises. 10. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE YOUR COMMENTS Are you prepared to allow us to reproduce any of your comments above, under your name, on the Pathways web site? Yes. Or, is there something in particular you would be prepared to say for publication? **END OF QUESTIONNAIRE** Email info@philosophypathways.com if you would like to comment on this page.