Eirik is 29 years old and grew up in Sauda, a small industrial town along the western coast of Norway. He has worked several years as a freelance journalist in different publications.
Eirik’s academic background is quite broad. He holds a B.A. in philosophy with a minor in sociology, and has completed a B.A. in International relations, with a major in political science. Now he is pursuing a M.A. in philosophy, where he is writing his thesis on the implications of the ecological crisis for democratic theory and practice. He has also finished a one-year degree in history, and plans to complete a B.A. in history next spring. And he has taken some courses here and there in law, economics, a few different languages, and gender studies.
What are your (philosophical) interests?
– My philosophical interests lie primarily in the realm of practical philosophy. I'm particularly drawn to practical philosophy (ethics, political philosophy, and environmental philosophy) and Frankfurt school critical theory. But I try to be a generalist, and am eager to study other branches of philosophy, too, as well as intellectual history, literature, anthropology, etc. I tend to sign up for too many courses.
Why are you interested in attention?
– After being introduced to attention as a philosophical topic a few years ago, I got the feeling that attention was relevant to almost everything. If our attention is directed towards ads instead of the ecological crisis, that could clearly distort democratic deliberation and problem-solving. It's fairly obvious that a few companies and individuals have a lot of power over our attention, shaping the public discourse and democratic agenda. And it seems equally obvious that these actors do not always direct our attention to the issues that matter most. This clearly links to political philosophy and democratic theory, but it also connects to ethics and epistemology.
What are you up to when not studying?
– I go bouldering several times a week. Sometimes pondering why so many philosophy students seem to go climbing these days.
We are looking forward to have Eirik on board!