Alumni News | Smaw Says Philosopher ‘Must Have Keen Eye for the Suspicious Premise’

Associate Professor of Philosophy Eric Smaw (Photo by Scott Cook, Rollins College)

Eric Smaw, who received his M.A. from Ohio University in 1998, went on to complete his Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Kentucky and is now Associate Professor of Philosophy at Rollins College.

His research interests are in the philosophy of law, political philosophy, ethics, and human rights.

“I have fond memories of being a graduate student at Ohio University. In particular, I have fond memories of my courses … and of writing my master’s thesis, which, at the time, I described as painful,” Smaw said.

“Of course, the classwork and thesis writing provided me with the educational foundation necessary for pursuing a Ph.D. in philosophy, but the experiences of reading, thinking, writing, re-reading, reconsidering, and rewriting were most important for my development as a philosopher,” he continued.

“After all, a philosopher must have a keen eye for the suspicious premise, the questionable inference, and the fallacious conclusion. I now realize that the pain of re-reading, reconsidering, and rewriting was a part of the process of developing into a philosopher.”