PHD Philosophy, Mexican-American

My first choice for graduate study towards the Ph.D. degree is at XXXX University for a variety of reasons. I am especially interested in studying 20th century continental philosophy especially, and several professors in your program are experts in this area. I would also love to study philosophy abroad which is also something that your program has to offer.

I particularly look forward to studying phenomenology because, after reading numerous works in this area, this paradigm has served to open my eyes and inspire me to ever more creative reflection on how humans interact with their social environments; and I am particularly keen to do research concerning critiques of phenomenology and reactions to those critiques. I have also read many works in post-structuralism and the way in which this perspective serves to critique phenomenology; thus, I am especially intrigued by the relationship between phenomenology and post-structuralism and how those views might be synthesized or seen as complementary to each other. I profoundly appreciate the way in which your program offers the opportunity to integrate the study of the history of philosophy with contemporary philosophical methods. I am very much attracted to your programs interdisciplinary approach to the framing and treatment of philosophical problems and the relationship between philosophy and other academic disciplines.

Still only 20, I seek to take advantage of the energy and passion of my youth and apply it to a rigorous exploration of many of the critical issues of philosophy as they are relevant to our times. As a Latino, born in Mexico and raised in the United States, I am also fully engaged with questions of identity, why I am labeled as a Mexican in the United States and an American in Mexico. Thus, my own crisis of identity has led me into a philosophical exploration of notions of individual identity and the mechanisms by which they are determined. My interest in philosophy is very much a personal quest for clarity that I hope will prepare me for a lifetime of scholarly pursuits, inspiring me to constantly reach further in my intellectual development. I see your program as a foundation for the constant perfection of wisdom, the personal satisfaction of learning how to see and understand in increasingly complex ways, especially the relationship between philosophical paradigms and social issues and the way in which the struggle to know oneself is always played out in a given historical context. I want to struggle with philosophy as a means of to liberation, avoiding slavery, and earning the kind of intellectual freedom that only results from a great deal of diligence in the exploration of ideas. I see the study of philosophy on a graduate level as a way to take control of my life and prepare myself to be as productive as possible in terms of human development and meeting the responsibilities of citizenship.

My journey began with the study of existentialism and then on to phenomenology, and these areas together go a long way towards explaining my passion for existence. In addition to being fluent in Spanish, I have also studied both French and German, especially the former, and I feel this is most important, the multi-lingual discourse of ideas. I live to learn and find my greatest joy in intellectual complexity, ever struggling to make philosophy relevant, for myself and others, harnessing its power for human liberation. I want to thank you for consideration of my application to your program.