A Conversation With...
Dr. Andy Piker

Q: What brought you to TAMUCC?

A: I was teaching at a small college on a one-year contract when a job with TAMU-CC became available. I liked it here right away when I came down for my interview. The decision to come here was a no-brainer.

Q: What did you do to become who you are today?

A: Everything I’ve done is part of the answer to that question. That would be an awfully long answer though. As far as who I am professionally goes, I was always philosophical, even as a kid, but never got introduced to the academic field of philosophy until my senior year of college. Once I got introduced it didn’t take me long to figure out that the kind of thinking people do in philosophy classes suits me, so I just kept taking them until I had enough degrees to teach them.

Q: What course(s) are your favorite(s) to teach?

A: Any ethics course. Ethics is relevant to almost everything we do, and students really seem to like thinking about it. We don’t get that many opportunities to think critically about it together and discuss it carefully and in depth, outside of ethics courses.

Q: What makes you passionate about your field and teaching students?

A: I like getting students actively involved in philosophy. Active involvement in philosophy courses helps students get interested in thinking philosophically, helps them realize what they’re capable of, and develops their skills. When I was a student, it took me a long time to find out that you can actually become a better thinker by doing philosophy. I want my students to find that out – and much more quickly than I did.

Q: What co-curricular activities are you involved in, and how can students become involved with you and your activities?

A: I’m involved in the ethics bowl competitions. They’re open to all of our students,
regardless of major. Our “bowlers” form teams and attend competitions in which they defend the position of their choice on a variety of applied ethics cases. It’s a lot of fun for our students. It also involves a lot of hard work. The way we (the philosophy professors, who coach the ethics bowl teams) get students involved is very informal. We just recognize when we’re teaching our classes that certain students would be good “bowlers,” and we recruit them.

I’m also involved in the Philosophy Club here on campus. Don Berkich is the sponsor this year. So far for this Fall 2003 semester, we’ve only met twice. Once to elect new officers, and a second time to socialize at B & J’s Pizza. I’ll be making a presentation to the club next week. Sometimes we go to ½ Price Bookstore. We’ve also gone to the student philosophy conference at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos.

Q: Outside of TAMUCC, what extracurricular activities are you involved in; what do you do for fun? (Smile, you're on candid camera!)

A: I like to eat and sleep (smile). I watch sports, all kinds. I used to play soccer but don’t do that anymore – too old and slow. I like to exercise, and I do Yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation.

Q: Who inspired you and/or had the greatest impact on your life?

A: I’ll divide this one up into personal and academic impact. On a personal level, I’d
say (not surprisingly) my parents, who are retired now in Florida; and an older brother, who lives in Washington D. C. Academically, I’d say my dissertation advisor in graduate school. He’s a great guy who will do anything for his students. He kept me working on my dissertation when I got discouraged, until I finally finished it.

Q: What is your greatest achievement?

A: Great is a strong word – I can mention some things I’m very glad I’ve done though: personal relationships, sticking with the academics until I got my degrees, learning how to stand up in front of a class and teach after being almost entirely silent as a student . . . . .

Q: Wouldn’t be caught dead wearing?

A: A “dunce” cap.