Member-only story
I Used a Pen Name to Write Philosophy
Why I did It and What I Learned From It
Introduction
Using a pen name to write philosophy was a controversial idea right from the start, but I did it anyway because it gave me the freedom I needed to write without fear.
According to James Hayton, PhD, scientists are almost never trained to write, yet they are still expected to write flawlessly when publishing their articles. How could that possibly work? Of course, it doesn’t.
As a consequence, many researchers painfully face harsh criticism and judgment early in their careers. This is partly why I decided to write under a pseudonym — to ease the burden of criticism. It worked.
But there are some things to consider before choosing a pseudonym. Let’s take a look.
The Main Reason Why I Decided to Use a Pen Name
Pen names are very common in fiction literature and are often encouraged for various reasons in the literary field. They can help you, editors, and other professionals avoid biases and prejudices, allowing you to write freely without facing unfair consequences.
However, most philosophers think they are so unbiased that they don’t need such a safeguard. But are they really?
