About Curious Soul Philosophy
Curious Soul Philosophy was created in 2015 as a place to explore "philosophy as a way of life" for all those wishing to direct their own lives with critical reflection, intentional choice, and creative experimentation. Curious Soul approaches philosophy not as a narrowly defined academic discipline, accessible only to an exclusive university crowd, but as a daily practice of reflection, critical examination, conversation, and good-humored trial and error. Through philosophical workshops, retreats, and individual counseling, we pursue the practical value of philosophy for everyday struggles, perplexities, and quests.
Curious Soul Philosophy makes philosophy available to adults wanting to pursue their inquiry into life's big questions beyond their traditional schooling years. Philosophy tends to be a subject reserved for university courses, but we believe it's not just for 18-21 year-old college students. At Curious Soul we appreciate and honor the wisdom of life experience, and we try to draw it out as much as possible in our discussions.
Finally, Curious Soul aspires to support educators who have moved beyond academia and to offer an independent place in which they can work and build an audience. There are too few opportunities for philosophers within academic spaces, and those opportunities are often times untenable for a variety of reasons. Philosophy is too important (personally and politically) to be dependent for its survival on academic institutions. Curious Soul aims to be a part of a coalition that supports philosophy's life, and the life of philosophers, beyond the walls and constraints of the academy.
Curious Soul Philosophy makes philosophy available to adults wanting to pursue their inquiry into life's big questions beyond their traditional schooling years. Philosophy tends to be a subject reserved for university courses, but we believe it's not just for 18-21 year-old college students. At Curious Soul we appreciate and honor the wisdom of life experience, and we try to draw it out as much as possible in our discussions.
Finally, Curious Soul aspires to support educators who have moved beyond academia and to offer an independent place in which they can work and build an audience. There are too few opportunities for philosophers within academic spaces, and those opportunities are often times untenable for a variety of reasons. Philosophy is too important (personally and politically) to be dependent for its survival on academic institutions. Curious Soul aims to be a part of a coalition that supports philosophy's life, and the life of philosophers, beyond the walls and constraints of the academy.
About the Founder
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Monica Vilhauer, Ph.D. is a Portland-born philosopher and writer. After earning her B.A. in philosophy at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR and her Ph.D. at the New School for Social Research in New York, she went on to teach philosophy at Roanoke College in Virginia. She earned tenure in 2012 and the college's prestigious Exemplary Professional Achievement Award in 2013. Monica is also certified in philosophical counseling through the American Philosophical Practitioners Association. She now leads philosophy workshops and retreats, and offers one-on-one philosophical counseling for adults.
Monica's philosophical interests range from ethics and social-political philosophy, to the philosophy of dialogue and communication, ancient Greek philosophy, feminist philosophy, existentialism, and the philosophy of nature. She is author of a number of academic articles and a book on the ethical dimensions of dialogue, entitled Gadamer's Ethics of Play: Hermeneutics and the Other (Lexington Books, 2010). After teaching college courses for over a decade, Monica set out to expand the discipline of philosophy beyond the classroom, connect it to lived experience, and make it accessible to a broad audience. She created Curious Soul Philosophy in 2015 in order to develop philosophy as a way of life and focus on philosophy's practical value. Monica sees herself as a lifelong student of philosophy and an enthusiastic asker of questions. She sees philosophy not as a series of pre-packaged answers, but as a process of inquiry, examination, and experimentation. As a workshop leader, Monica is an experienced guide that can help participants navigate what might seem like impenetrable texts, so that insights may be unlocked, assessed, and applied to life. As a philosophical counselor, Monica can help clients work through questions surrounding meaning and purpose, values and ethics, identity and self-development, empowerment and justice. In one-on-one consultation, Monica is a partner in critical and creative thinking, and a fellow traveler on the journey to build a more deliberate and authentic life. |
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