The greater fields of the arts and humanities offer us a wide variety of ways to philosophically explore ourselves and our world, as well as wide variety of ways to express and demonstrate the truth of our human condition. And yet philosophy has traditionally limited its mode of expression to debate and argumentative research papers, missing out on the vast horizon of realities from which to learn within those greater fields. While we here at The Lawn Chair Philosophy Foundation certainly champion the fine arts of debate and writing argumentative research papers, we do so in conjunction with a celebration of the many arts and sciences available to us on the whole. For it is through a familiarity with diverse minds and methods that we can begin to establish and cultivate our human understanding in the first place. On this Featured Voices page, you will find philosophers who are engaged in alternative ways of doing rigorous academic philosophy. From essays to podcasts, and visual arts to music, these researchers present numerous channels through which to communicate their philosophical insight – unlocking numerous channels of knowing in the minds of those they reach. We thank them for their work and originality, and for the courage it takes to authentically stand firm in their perspective and voice it with heart. Enjoy!
Shannon Frost Greenstein
Shannon Frost Greenstein (she/her) resides in Philadelphia with her children and soulmate. She is the author of “These Are a Few of My Least Favorite Things”, a full-length book of poetry available from Really Serious Literature, and “An Oral History of One Day in Guyana,” a fiction chapbook forthcoming with Bullsh*t Lit. Shannon is a former Ph.D. candidate in Continental Philosophy and a multi-time Pushcart Prize nominee. Her work has appeared in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Pithead Chapel, Bending Genres, and elsewhere. Follow Shannon at shannonfrostgreenstein.com or on Twitter at @ShannonFrostGre.
ABCrane: Socioeconomic Visionary, Aspiring Entrepreneur, Writer, Artist, Homo Economicus
“I have come to a point in my life whereby I have become one with my projects. They have come not only to represent who I am, my purpose, my raison d’être, but too, my sense of the integration of all matter, all life, all experience, and all moments in time. My projects, ideas, writings and art have become a reflection of the integrity of the universe itself. When I write about the integration of economic systems, or the interrelatedness between the epidemics facing humankind in the 21st century, I draw inspiration from the way the clouds interface with the sun, the balance between two species of plants, growing side by side, sharing one soil but requiring different minerals for their respective sustenance. When I look into the mirror of the macrocosm, I am able to examine with greater precision just how the parts fit together, or how they can be better oriented to create greater strength and balance within any given framework. My art, then, is not about creating pretty things to look at so much as it is a tool of environmental assessment, a probe into the very nature of integration, and a scale that weighs pros and cons, darkness and light. My writing, beyond entertainment, attempts to engage the mind of the reader in its own assessment and critique of their experiencing of integration of self, world and universe. It is the function of my art to further enhance the art of function. The function of art, its ‘artfulness,’ comes from the inherent beauty of solving problems, engaging the mind in such a way that enhances the life experience, keeping evolution on its path to that place where genius harmonizes with wisdom. Beyond solving mysteries and implementing solutions, engagement in art reminds me to forever embrace the mystery, and once solved, to seek more, and to relish in the eternal mystique of existence that forever spins the wheels of the mind and stirs the passions of the heart. I have come to the point that is not an end, but a continuation of my quest to perpetuate the cosmic integration of all things considered.”
For more on ABCrane’s work, please visit: https://www.projectintegrity.biz/home
Giorgi Vachnadze
Hailing from Georgia, Tbilisi, Giorgi’s study interests include Wittgenstein; Foucault Philosophy of Mathematics; History of Combat Sports; Epistemology; History of Science; Political Philosophy; Philosophy of Boxing and Martial Arts; American Pragmatism. Besides working and publishing in the traditional field of academic philosophy, Giorgi also maintains a blog and researches potential therapeutic methods of philosophy for treating addiction. You will find his CV here.
For more on Giorgi’s work, please visit https://giorgivachnadze.medium.com/
Donovan Irven
Donovan is a philosopher, essayist, and fiction writer who explores phenomenology and existential philosophy across several genres. His writing blends genre elements from philosophy, modernist literature, autobiography, historiography, and political economy to explore themes of identity, generational trauma, and the metaphysics of freedom. His work has appeared in The Philosopher, Erraticus, White Hot Magazine of Contemporary Art, Queen Mob’s Tea House, Emerge, College Literature, Review of Communication, Phenomenological Review, and elsewhere.
For more on Donovan’s work, please visit https://donovanirven.com/ and https://donovanirven.substack.com/
Jeffrey Wasch
Jeffrey received his MA in philosophy from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in December of 2021; writing a thesis on Merleau-Ponty and Wilfrid Sellars. His main interest is at the intersection of phenomenology with analytic epistemology and philosophy of mind. He is also interested in existentialism and hermeneutics, and is competent in the areas of ancient philosophy, early modern philosophy, and political philosophy. He also is interested in writing poetry with phenomenological and existential themes.
For more on Jeffrey’s work, please visit https://wcupa.academia.edu/jeffwasch