This undergraduate leads a CBS Circle discussing the intersection of science and philosophy.
Who are you?
Cameron Gray, Neuroscience major, Senior
Where is your hometown?
Rochester, MN
What CBS circle are you leading this year?
Science, Philosophy, and Vonnegut
Why did you want to lead a group about that topic?
I feel like the majority of CBS students don’t get a lot of wiggle room in their schedules to explore other topics that may be of interest to them, and I know that I had really enjoyed my time exploring some philosophy classes here at the U of M (PHIL 1002W, PHIL 3601W). I thought it would be a good idea to combine philosophy with science through Kurt Vonnegut’s books, particularly Cat’s Cradle. Because Vonnegut’s novels open themselves up to both philosophy and science topics, I thought that reading the books as a group and dissecting the themes would be a good way to critically analyze the science he employs while also exploring topics the typical CBS student might not often encounter.
Why did you want to lead a CBS circle?
After taking my philosophy of science class last semester, it kind of clicked for me that this is something I wanted to dedicate more time to, especially with my peers in a more casual setting than an actual class.
What’s been the most interesting aspect of you leading a group?
I have never had this much creative control in a leadership setting, where I am coming up with all of our agendas and taking feedback from the group about what topics we should explore. That is definitely the highlight of this leadership experience.
What are your career aspirations?
I am hoping to go to dental school next year! I think dentistry is a perfect field for people who are geared towards patient care and interaction, yet also prefer a precise and tactile technical element to their professional work. I personally feel like dentistry is kind of the best kept secret among health careers because I feel like there are a lot of misconceptions or people don’t know the entire scope of general dentistry and beyond!
Anything else you’d like to add?
I am also the CBS student senator, so if you would ever like to talk about any ways I can advocate for you in CBS or just at the University of Minnesota in general, don’t hesitate to contact me at grayx308@umn.edu!