About
Origins
Philosophers are not born, they are made; at least that was true in my case. I am a “Third Culture Kid” (TCK)- born in the US to immigrant parents and raised in various places overseas. Simultaneously, I am part of three cultures - American, that of my parents, and the international community - and yet I belong to none of them. In retrospect, it seems obvious that this was the source of my lifelong quest for knowledge and self discovery, but I only came to this realization recently.
It seemed to be a simple problem in the beginning - I couldn’t decide on a college major. I was interested in many subjects, but more than that, I wanted to know how it all fit together. However, I also knew that the working world had little use for such generalists. Mostly for the sake of my parents, I settled on a “practical” major and prepared to get a corporate job.
But in my heart I wanted to be a part of something “more” - and heart overruled head. I spent the next 5 years working for a string of non-profits and government entities, often for little or no pay. Each experience was fulfilling in certain respects, but none of them could slack that seemingly unquenchable thirst. The only thing that remained constant during these years was my increasing interest in science and science fiction.
Then I was given a copy of Will Durant’s The Story of Philosophy, and all became clear. Hearing the stories of great philosophers masterfully and lovingly told filled me with the sense of peace and belonging that I had been seeking. I was home.
Birth of Philoscifi
I wanted to create an online community for people with similar experiences and interests. This site would be unique. It would be more than a blog of daily musings and not just a philosophy or SF fan page. As much as I like to discuss Nietszche or the Matrix, for me it all related to a particular purpose: finding our place. If this resonates with you, welcome home.
Contributors
 | Justarius
I chose the handle “Justarius” for a number of reasons. First, I needed to assign authorship to my articles because I hope someday to have multiple collaborators writing articles for this site. Second, the name sounds like “justice,” something I’ve been searching for throughout my life. I have adopted something similar to Plato’s definition: “justice is the having and doing what is one’s own.” Third, for me, “starius” evokes the image of a sky filled with brilliant stars - something that I find incredible spiritual and that is somewhat related to scifi. Finally, the name is reminiscent of Justinian, the Byzantine emperor. I’ve always been fascinated by Greek/Roman history. |
 | Phil O. Safari
I’m an average joe hoping you can help him with super problem. On my 18th birthday, I found out that (1) the Greek gods do in fact exist, (2) I was the worthless son of Zeus, and (3) he likes nothing better than to fry me, but Athena persuaded him to give me one chance to prove myself. If I succeed, I will be granted a super power. So now I’m charged with the Herculean task of changing the lives of 1000 people. You can help me by reading about my safaris into the wilderness of the real world and passing them on to your friends. More readers means more chances to change lives. Super Phil or Phil-a-ment? My fate is in your hands! |
 | Proud Wolf
Why Proud Wolf? The name is inspired by a line from the ending song* of Xenogears, an exquisite blend of philosophy and science fiction that holds a dear place in my heart. Perhaps you have heard of Xenogears? It was a role-playing game published by Squaresoft for the Sony Playstation back in 1997. A story of love and war that can teach you so much about how to live your life, to gather the shattered fragments of yourself and face the future while taking strength from your past. Not to flee the demons of the past, not to hide in blame and self-pity, but to transform into the whole person you were meant to be. Stand tall and shake the heavens. You owe it to yourself to experience this work of art. It is a crowning achievement and an inspiration as to what philoscifi should be. “Proud wolf alone in the dark” also expresses my character: I am no stranger to the passion, the cold, pride, loneliness, and loss; and I am acquainted with the night. The name also recalls Lykos (Greek for wolf) and its link with the Lyceum of Aristotle, that classical center of science and philosophy which was named after Apollo Lykeios (wolf-god Apollo). * “Small Two of Pieces,” composed by Yasunori Mitsuda; lyrics by Masato Kato. Here are the first few lines: Run through the cold of the night Broken mirror, a million shades of light |