We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dr Graham Guest. Check out our conversation below.
Graham, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I always wake up around 3:30 or 4:00 AM, turn the coffee on, then meditate for twenty minutes. I meditate immediately after waking up because my mind wants to race off uncontrollably as soon as it emerges from sleep, but meditation puts a stop to that and allows me to be aware of my thoughts and emotions. After meditating, I drink coffee, eat a bagel, and catch up on the news and any emails that may have come overnight. Then, I go to the bathroom and get to work. I am currently working on a philosophy book concerning the nature of concepts. I am contracted with Springer Nature Publishing to finish the book by March 1, 2026. I am not entirely sure that I can get it done, but that’s why I get up so early in the morning: to give myself a chance.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I teach philosophy at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, and, as I’ve already mentioned, I am currently working on a philosophy book about the nature of concepts. I am also a musician. I started on piano as a kid then moved to guitar as a teenager. I have played with the band Moses Guest since 1995. I named the band after my great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Moses Guest. Moses Guest, the band, is based in Houston, Texas. James Edwards plays drums; Jeremy Horton plays bass; Rick Thompson plays keys, and I play guitar and provide the lead vocals. We have been the same four members since 1997. We have put out many albums, and we used to tour a lot. We tour a lot less now, but we’re still together and play live once every six months or so, usually in Texas or Colorado. Moses Guest is a southern jam-rock band. We will play at the River Revival Fest in late September 2025 in New Braunfels, TX, and we plan to put out another album of new material next summer/fall 2026.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My first guitar teacher, Ray, made me feel like I had talent as a guitar player. My first college philosophy professor, Professor Reece, made me feel like I was decent at philosophy, and my first graduate level philosophy professor, Vanessa Rumble, made me feel like I was decent at philosophy too. I was very shy and nervous in class, but these two professors helped me out of my shell. Miranda Mellis helped me to see that I had something to offer as a writer. And finally, Dominic Smith (University of Dundee, Scotland, UK) really made me realize that I have something original to contribute to the field of philosophy. Teachers are so essential to our healthy development, and yet they are so under-appreciated.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I feel like giving up right now – sometimes – because I am getting older and the world seems to be getting darker intellectually, morally, environmentally, politically, etc. But my love for my daughter always saves me from despair. I have also gotten into Buddhism at the Durango Dharma Center in addition to my regular meditation. Obviously, I also try to stay physically healthy, so I run in the mountains in the summer, and I ski in the winter. Here comes death, so I keep running…and skiing.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The mass music industry lies to itself by thinking it’s producing music. It’s producing something, which grew out of music, but it’s not music. Music is made by people playing instruments; music-like stuff is made by people using computers.
Philosophy of mind lies to itself by thinking that all we need to talk about when we talk about, or try to explain, the mind are the physical and computational brain. Physical and computational discourses are essential parts of the explanation of the mind, but in order to fully explain the mind, we must also continue to use and respect the phenomenal discourse of conscious experience.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
IF I have a legacy, I don’t think people will understand how hard I have had to work. I had some natural talent at music, but I was not naturally talented at academics at all. I have put thousands of hours into music and school and especially philosophy. That’s why I get up so early: to give myself a chance.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mosesguest.com –– https://www.fortlewis.edu/academics/schools-departments/faculty-directory/faculty-details/guest
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/graham.e.guest –– www.facebook.com/mosesguest –– www.facebook.com/GrahamGuestSolo
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/MosesGuest –– www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhsonFXpLEQ
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