BY İREM NAZ DUYMUŞ (AMER/III)
Tufan Kıymaz is an assistant professor of teaching and Assistant Chair at the Department of Philosophy. Dr. Kıymaz received his PhD in Philosophy, with a minor in History and Philosophy of Science, from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 2017. The same year he joined the philosophy department in Bilkent, from where he had received his Bachelor’s degree. His main area of research is philosophy of mind, more specifically our first-personal knowledge of subjective qualities like what it is like to see red or what it is like to be in pain, and the possibility of a fully materialistic and scientific explanation of this type of knowledge. He is also interested in philosophy of religion, philosophy of well-being, Modern Stoicism, Philosophy for Children (P4C), and philosophical pedagogy. He is involved in various public philosophy projects to promote critical thinking and philosophical examination outside of the academia. He is also a member of Bilkent Teaching and Learning Support Center, where he organizes pedagogy and well-being related seminars, trainings and workshops for students and for faculty members.
Why did you choose an academic career?
I studied business administration before philosophy, but I realized that it wasn’t for me. I love doing philosophy and forming my own ideas and arguments about the deep questions of life. I also love sharing my philosophical thoughts and discussing deep issues with others. Academia was the most natural option for me, even though I realized this rather late. I was 27 years old when I started the philosophy undergraduate program at Bilkent, and I graduated from the Indiana University PhD Program when I was 37.
What do you like the most about being at Bilkent?
The students. Especially the enthusiasm of the students that I have the opportunity to work with on projects such as PhilFest (Bilkent Philosophy Festival), Prokopton (Bilkent University Undergraduate Philosophy Journal), the annual Bilkent International Undergraduate Philosophy Conference, Bilkent Online Philosophy Dictionary and some translation projects.
What projects are you working on currently?
I am working on two edited books, one on P4C (Philosophy for Children) and one on effective altruism, as well as on a book on the philosophy of well-being. These will be in Turkish. I am also involved in an empirical research project on loneliness. Besides these, I am involved in various public philosophy projects.
What’s your best work?
I don’t know, I haven’t done it yet (I hope).
What has been the most exciting moment of your career so far? Could you share a turning point or defining moment in your career?
A defining point was the first YouTube video I had published on the Bilkent Philosophy YouTube channel. It was during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. I was feeling powerless when people were suffering, and I was thinking about how I could contribute. Then, I thought that some content on Stoic Philosophy might be useful for people. So, I recorded three videos, using a PowerPoint presentation with very low-quality equipment. People paid more attention to it than I expected and it got good reviews. This was the first time I got really interested in public philosophy, that is, philosophy for non-philosophers. My other projects that are related to Philosophy for Children and effective altruism, as well as events like Bilkent PhilFest, are also reflections of my interest in public philosophy.
When and where do you do your best thinking?
I have an undiagnosed condition: I have had a buzzing in my ears for years now. I have been to many specialists but after many tests and scans, no one knows what it is. Because of this, when I am not listening to music, I usually work at crowded and noisy coffee shops. The noise helps me concentrate.
What distracts you?
Türkiye. I am concerned about the state that our country is in and where we are going.
What are you most curious about?
The paradigmatic philosophical questions about the meaning of life, morality and the concept of a good life.
What do you like to do when you are not working?
“Working” is a very nebulous term for an academic. You can be working anytime and anywhere. When you are doing something else, you can catch yourself working; maybe thinking about a paper that you are writing or about a topic that you will be teaching. I am working the least when I watch sitcoms or silly YouTube videos that don’t require using higher cognitive skills. The kind of content that you can just switch off your brain and watch.
Which books have influenced you the most, and why?
Probably “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius, but I don’t think I have a list of the books that have influenced me the most. Instead, I think I have been influenced by some parts of many not-so-influential books.
Which films have influenced you the most, and why?
Probably films that depict real life atrocities like “Schindler’s List” or “Hotel Rwanda.”
If you weren’t an academic, what career would you choose?
Whatever I’d do, it would be academia adjacent, and definitely about philosophy. I think I would want to be some kind of content creator.
What is the secret of leading a happy life?
I am working on a book on this very question. We’ll see.
If you could go back to your undergraduate/graduate student years, what advice would you give to your younger self?
“Start learning how to play a musical instrument of your choosing.”
If you had unlimited funds, what would you like to research?
Some topic at the intersection of philosophy of well-being and Seligman-style positive psychology.
