Forging New Paths: Philo students engage in natl discussion; present ethics research in ADMU

by Andrea Ross Sedero


Four BS Philosophy Major in Applied Ethics students from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) took part in national discourse through a presentation of their research papers during the Ramon Castillon Reyes Academic Conference: How Can Praxis Inform Theory? How Can Theory Advance Praxis? On Applied Ethics in the Philippines at Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) School of Humanities last September 1-2, 2024.


Out of the 14 papers shortlisted for the two-day conference, four were from MSU-IIT: two individual studies by third-year students Stephanee Dominise and Akrisha Grace Hangka; a group study by fourth-year students Justinne Felizarta, Aura Rose Ito, and Rey Sialana; and another study co-authored by Asst. Prof. Lex Rei Brendon Hilario from MSU-IIT’s Department of Philosophy.


Parallel sessions divided the research presentations into four main themes: Ethics: Rights and Duties; Philosophy and Education; Artificial Intelligence and Philosophy; and Ethics and Care. Fourth-year students Felizarta and Ito presented in the first parallel session on Ethics: Rights and Duties with their joint paper entitled, ‘Voicing Out on Artists’ Rights: An Assessment of AI-Enabled Voice Cloning in the Music Industry through the Lens of Nick Bostrom’s Superintelligence’.

“With AI-enabled Voice Cloning, every musical artist is a potential victim. Their unique voiceprint becomes everyone’s property which blatantly infringes on their rights. Our paper champions the primacy of ethics and intertwines with technology in the process of safeguarding artists’ rights,” Justinne Felizarta underscored in an online interview.


She emphasized their aim to examine the ethical implications of the latest form of generative AI, highlighting how musical artists are often disadvantaged in their industry by selling the rights to their creative work, being exploited by recording labels, and receiving inadequate compensation from streaming services.

Meanwhile, when asked about the experience of presenting, Felizarta’s partner, Aura Rose Ito, shared, “The majority of them [in the conference] are already masters and doctors in the field [of philosophy], and there were just six of us who were still undergrads; that thought alone intimidated me to the core. But on the contrary, after presenting our paper, they were praising the way we presented our paper and the way we put forward the topic of voicing out artists’ rights. It was nice to hear that they were delighted to have undergraduates in the conference.”


During the fourth parallel session on Ethics and Care, third-year Philosophy students Stephanee Dominise and Akrisha Grace Hangka presented their papers titled, “The Culture Industry and Ethical Implications of Social Media's Use of the Five Love Languages to Commodify Emotions” and “The Great Refusal of Tandang Dalaga and Tandang Binata Mentality in the Teaching Constructs of Filipino Familialism,” respectively.


In an online interview, Dominise explained how her paper challenges the prevailing influence of the culture industry and social media on individual behavior and love dynamics, arguing for a more genuine approach to human connection that emphasizes trust, authenticity, and overall well-being. She stated that her study advocates resisting superficial trends to foster meaningful relationships and prevent the commodification of emotions.


Reflecting on her experience at ADMU, she remarked, “As a philosophy student, it felt like a significant milestone and a validation of my academic pursuits. The welcoming atmosphere and intellectual stimulation provided by the Department of Philosophy in ADMU deepened my appreciation for the field of applied ethics and inspired me more to further my studies in this field.”


On the other hand, Hangka expressed similar sentiments, feeling honored to present her study to distinguished figures in the field and to hear their positive comments, likening the experience to having a ‘seat at the philosophers’ table’.


In explaining the essence of her paper, she underscored, “I think my paper kickstarted a conversation on what most of us don’t consider a problem—the necessity that our Filipino society forces upon us to form a family. If you have once asked “when are you getting married?” to a person who [hasn’t] even once shared on wanting to marry, maybe you should join the conversation. My paper isn’t just gated in our discipline, it’s sighted to nudge everyone in the Filipino community, and hopes to be explained by any discipline one can see fit.”

Furthermore, Asst. Prof. Hilario who accompanied the students as their adviser also presented during the second parallel session on Philosophy and Education with his co-authored paper titled, “Empathy and Philosophy of Mission in Education: An Analysis of Edith Stein’s Philosophy in the Post-COVID 19 World.”


The selection process for the RCR ADMU conference began with paper submissions from across the Philippines last May 2024. Because of its Applied Ethics Bachelor of Science program, MSU-IIT’s Department of Philosophy was invited to submit papers for review by ADMU’s Department of Philosophy and the Ateneo Graduate School of Business Ethics Center. From June to August, the department reviewed numerous studies written by the students from their Critical Theory and IT Ethics courses, ultimately selecting 12 papers, from which ADMU shortlisted three from MSU-IIT for the final presentation.