: Interview with Underwood International College Professor Nikolaj Jang Lee Linding Pedersen Can you introduce yourself briefly? I studied in Denmark and Scotland. After finishing my Ph.D. at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, I was a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA for a number of years. My research was funded by a grant from the Carlsberg Foundation. After UCLA I moved back to Denmark, where I co-founded a research group in social epistemology at the University of Copenhagen. How did you find about UIC, and why did you decide to come here? What are your expectations? Being back in Denmark was great in many respects, but after six months or so, my family and I came to the conclusion that we liked living abroad better. Thus, I started looking for jobs abroad and came across an ad for a job at UIC. My wife and I had already talked about moving to Korea (she is Korean). The job at UIC — an international college at one of the top universities in the country — seemed like a great opportunity to make that happen. At UIC, I expect to be part of a team of students and faculty, who work together to create an inspiring, friendly, and dynamic learning environment. Why did you choose to study philosophy? As a philosophy professor, what does philosophy mean to you? During my senior year of high school, philosophy was the subject that captivated me the most, and for that reason I chose it as my major when I applied to enter university. (In Denmark you declare your major before entering university). To me, philosophy is a kind of conceptual engineering. Philosophers tinker with concepts and apply pressure to them. Through a systematic, rigorous investigation, they try to figure out how best to characterize or think about the concepts under consideration. We are very surprised by your football skills. Could you tell us more about your passion for football? Which teams do you cheer for, and what other sports do you like to play? I love football. Playing football is definitely one of my great passions. I played for one of the local clubs as a kid, played every semester in the university rec league at St. Andrews, and 3-4 times a week during my time in LA. I cheer for two teams: Esbjerg Forenede Boldklubber (EFB), and Denmark. EFB is the club of my hometown and the one I played for when I was growing up. As a Dane, it’s my national duty to cheer for Denmark. If I didn’t do so, I’m sure that I would be denied entry when I go home for Christmas. In light of this, I cheer for Denmark very passionately and extremely loudly. I recall our surprising win at the Euro in 1992 with great fondness, and was incredibly excited to follow the Euro 2012. Unfortunately, despite a great (but, admittedly, somewhat lucky) win over Holland in our opening match, we didn’t make it past the group stage. As a result, I cried for a week. In addition to football, I like playing basketball and tennis. Tell us about the lectures that you are now giving (or planning to give) to students. Can you give students any tips beforehand? So far I’ve been teaching Critical Reasoning. This is what you might call a “tools course,” and is aimed to develop the capacity for critical, analytical thought — something that will benefit students in the classroom, as well as in a wide range of other situations in life. In the fall semester I’ll be teaching a freshman seminar for the first time. It will be on a 1981 article by Hilary Putnam (emeritus at Harvard) that anticipates the kind of scenario popularized in the Matrix trilogy, i.e., grand-scale, systematic misrepresentation of the world. The aim of the seminar will be to discuss a number of philosophical issues that arise in connection with this kind of scenario. Both classes invite students to think systematically, critically, carefully, and independently. This can be a rather daunting task. However, my advice to everyone is not to hesitate to get in there. It is like jumping in the pool: the prospects of making contact with the cold water may seem rather unpleasant, but once you are in there, you will feel good. Similarly for class participation: speaking up, asking questions, and reacting to what others say may take you out of your comfort zone at first. Yet, once you have gotten in the habit of doing so, you will reap the benefits. Class will be more fun, and you will have a much easier time learning the material. As the advisor of the Student Club Union in UIC, what are your visions or personal concerns for UIC club activities? I’m very glad that there are a considerable number of student clubs at UIC. The high level of club activity reflects well on our college. It suggests that UIC students are not afraid to get involved, and possess lots of energy and a good drive. I hope that the same high level of activity will continue in the future. It’d also be great if the student clubs could play a role in connecting our two campuses in Sinchon and Songdo, and in giving students from our different divisions — i.e. UD, TAD, and ASD — a chance to interact in significant ways. This, of course, is easier said than done. However, it is my hope that the student clubs will be up for the task. I will certainly do everything I can to help, and will encourage my colleagues to do the same. Some UIC students are curious about your personal background. Can you tell us more? Is there anything related to Korea? I was born in Korea, but was adopted by Danish parents at a young age. I grew up in Esbjerg, a town on the west coast of Denmark and moved to Copenhagen when I was 19 to study for my BA, and finished when I was 22. With the exception of 2009-2011, I have lived abroad since then. My full name is “Nikolaj Jang Lee Linding Pedersen.” “Jang” and “Lee” both derive from “Jang-Ok Lee,” the Korean name I was given at birth. Most other things about me are Danish: the other parts of my name, my first language, upbringing, education (elementary school through undergraduate), and my cultural heritage.