Earlham College sophomore to present at World Congress of Philosophy in Rome

Earlham College sophomore Jimmy Freiberger has been selected to present a research paper at the 25^th World Congress of Philosophy in Rome, Italy, in August.  The conference brings together some of the world’s leading philosophers to “foster scholarly and public reflections on the future of our societies.” The conference features invited speakers, round tables, student sessions and more.

Freiberger’s paper is entitled Exposition of World and Comportment Toward World in Heidegger and was originally written for an assignment in Earlham Professor of Philosophy Ferit Güven’s class. Inspired by his own experience in advocacy, Freiberger wanted to explore the very concept of “world.” Martin Heidegger was a German philosopher who is often cited as one of the most influential philosophers of the 20^th Century.

“As someone who is interested in helping create a better world, I want to understand what the world is first,” he said. “I feel like, too often, in advocacy we might jump headfirst into something in the pursuit of changing the world, without first questioning if we have the ability to change the world or if the world is something that would allow itself to be changed.”

Freiberger worked with Güven to prepare the paper for submission and the duo learned of its acceptance at the end of February. This will be Freiberger’s first presentation at an outside conference.

“This will include philosophers from all over the world and I’ll be reading in front of a large crowd, but even if I receive harsh criticism, that’s good, right?” He said. “There are very few other opportunities to receive that degree of feedback.”

In the coming months, he hopes to keep the concept of “world” on his mind as he develops additional thoughts and prepares for the questions he knows will be posed following his presentation.

“As someone who is interested in helping create a better world, I want to understand what the world is first. I feel like, too often, in advocacy we might jump headfirst into something in the pursuit of changing the world, without first questioning if we have the ability to change the world or if the world is something that would allow itself to be changed.”

Jimmy Freiberger

Freiberger has also recently been awarded the Endeavor Fellowship, which fully funds participation in the 2024 Athens Democracy Forum from October 1-4. The theme of the forum this year is “A Moment of Truth,” and participants will be urged to question topics like climate technology, journalism and the very state of democracy.

One of Freiberger’s favorite aspects of the field of philosophy is learning through conversation and the necessity of self-reflection.

“Through philosophy, we can call into question our participation in the structures and institutions of daily life, and recognize their absurdities,” he says of Earlham’s classroom experience. “We’re developing and forming our ideas through dialogue with our professors and peers. I think that’s very valuable.”

Through these courses, Freiberger learned he could understand any field deeper by applying philosophical ideas and thinking. These two upcoming opportunities will serve to grow his skill and his knowledge, which he hopes to eventually apply to politics, law and advocacy.

After graduation, Freiberger hopes to participate in a duo program for a Ph.D. in philosophy and a J.D. in law. With this double licensure, he hopes to become a civil rights attorney and one day become the president of the United States of America.

Story written by Kelsey Mackey.

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.