What were your favorite philosophy courses at UCLA?

I enjoyed Greek Philosophy, Logic, Existentialism, and Philosophy of Language

Do you have a good story or two about the department?

My first quarter at UCLA, I commuted from the Valley and didn’t yet have parking. I would stuff my bicycle in the back of my sub-compact car, park on the street in Holmbly Hills, and bike the last mile to campus. Street parking was only allowed after 2:00PM so I chose my classes by what was offered in the late-afternoon. Philosophy of Action worked for my schedule and is a big reason why I became a philosophy major.

In my late-20s, I performed stand-up comedy around LA for a few years and I had a few bits in my act about studying philosophy at UCLA. The parking story was not one of them.

Are there any philosophical issues, readings, or topics that have stayed with you since graduation?

Yes. I think about how the advancement of science, particularly neuroscience, is answering some of the “age old” philosophical questions about the nature of the mind.

Have you read any philosophy recently that you would recommend?

Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter

What was your first job or endeavor after UCLA?

Philosophy was a pre-law major for me. After graduating, I received a Paralegal Certificate from the UCLA School of Law and was hired as a Legal Assistant by a prominent law firm to work on complex business litigation matters. My goal was to use this experience to determine if I wanted to move forward with law school and a career as a lawyer. It was my experience working in a major law firm that made me decide that I did NOT want to become a lawyer. I never regretted that decision.

What lessons or skills from philosophy do you use in your career?

Be true to yourself. Be respectful of others. Seek root answers. Don’t be influenced by extraneous fluff.