Philosophy

News

FIRST GRADUATE IN PHILOSOPHY OPTION OF THE
ARTS & CONTEMPORARY STUDIES PROGRAM

Erin Hotson began her academic career in the Business Management program at Ryerson University in the fall of 2004.  Shortly thereafter she began to feel dissatisfied with her focus of study and developed a growing interest in philosophy.  After taking several philosophy courses, she transferred into the Arts and Contemporary Studies (ACS) program to pursue the philosophy option in the fall of 2007.  Finally Erin felt that she was in the right program.

From ACS she was able to organize and run a number of student initiatives, including the Arteries Undergraduate Research Conference, the Philosophy Club, the History Society and an interdisciplinary lecture series, called Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Science and Technology, exploring the scientifically-related views of historians, philosophers, and scientists.  She was also honoured to give a lecture to the LIFE Institute’s Philosophy Café and will be giving a lecture at the Granite Club at the end of June.  In addition to these activities, Erin has won four academic awards of merit for her achievement in the following philosophy classes: Contemporary Moral Issues II, Philosophy of Art I, Philosophy of Human Nature, and Philosophy and Mass Culture.

Studying philosophy has given Erin a greater understanding of the world and has enhanced her way of being within it.  She has grown tremendously as a person, both intellectually and emotionally, and has developed the confidence to succeed in life.  The students and professors she met in various philosophy classes, and in ACS more generally, have been some of the most wonderful people she has ever known.  Through this she has built the foundations of some meaningful, life-long relationships.

Erin’s time at Ryerson has been a life changing experience for her and she believes she would be in a vastly different place had she not enrolled in the ACS/philosophy program.  Currently, Erin works full time at Ernst & Young LLP, but at some point within the next two years, she hopes to pursue a Master’s degree.