ξένία (Greek: Xenia)

hospitality

generosity

guest-friendship

gift to a stranger/foreigner/guest

Stranger, female

I write about Philosophy, Psychology, Biology and all that’s in between. (Mostly about what’s inbetween ;-)

I’ve been writing in German and plan to write more in English here. I’m a student at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz where I am currently enrolled in two seperate degree programs. Philosophy is my major in the ‘old program’ of which Magister is the associated degree. This used to be the common degree pursued by humanities students before the Bologna Process. The degree aquired hereby is equivalent to a Master’s degree. My two minors in this course of study are Psychology and Zoology. I added Molecular Biology in form of a full-fledged bachelor program after my third semester. So in addition to philosophy as an advanced student (called Hauptstudium in German, which is equivalent to graduate studies)  I have to do the baby steps of undergraduate learning in a different field all over again :-)

My first German Blog was called “Die Fremde“, meaning the stranger. This being one of possible translations of my name best represents me, I guess :-). Also, I was curious and strange to this new format of communication. Another reason I found the name of my blog condign to my perspective on things is how I view philosophical inquiry. I always liked the notion of thinking about philosophy as the child’s way of engaging with the world. Everything is new and strange and wonderful. And one question leads to the next…