top of page

Philosophy Check

Image by Tingey Injury Law Firm

Open Door Sign

Construction Materials

Image by Sam Szuchan

Image by Hiroshi Tsubono

Earth View at Night

Explore the World of Philosophy

Delve into Thought-Provoking Topics

Brain Sketch

Latest Posts

Why Consequences Matter More Than Rules (Most of the Time)

Why Consequences Matter More Than Rules (Most of the Time)

Why Consequences Matter More Than Rules (Most of the Time)

Consequentialism is one of those philosophy words that sounds like it belongs in a dusty old textbook but the idea behind it is...

Do you know what Life is?

Do you know what Life is?

Do you know what Life is?

Everyone thinks they know what life is; it seems obvious and intuitive. We usually think about it in the biological sense: beings with a pulse or oxygen in the blood with dividing cells. However, there are strange middle ground forms of life that biology has trouble defining: for example, a hospital machine that keeps a heartbeat or a fire that can consume, grow, and spread fit different definitions. However, we seem certain that these things are not alive, so the biological

Environmental Ethics

Environmental Ethics

Environmental Ethics

Most people believe that philosophy only exists in books or lecture halls, but truly it is everywhere. When I first started learning...

About Me

My name is Grayson Pitcock. I founded Philosophy Check, a philosophy blog and student discussion club.

I am a Bergen Catholic High School student and have spent most of my life living in Tenafly, which occupies five square miles in the northern end of New Jersey. With a 41.7% minority population, my hometown is diverse. Neighbors on my street speak Korean, Hebrew, Spanish, Hindi, and Russian.

My family is multicultural. One side of my family, from the Midwest, has deep American roots dating back to the Revolutionary War, and the other side, from the East Coast, is a second-generation immigrant family of Korean ancestry. Although many aspects of my family upbringing may sound familiar, my multicultural background has enabled me to experience contrasting ideas, beliefs, and perspectives representing the diverse opinions of this vast country. Building relationships across differences happens nearly daily, both within and outside my family.

I am interested in understanding how people can disagree profoundly yet still share space, community, and even friendship. Living in this environment has made me deeply curious about how people arrive at their beliefs, how truth is constructed and contested, and what it means to live ethically in a pluralistic society. I found myself drawn to philosophy because I was fascinated by the frameworks we use to ask questions about justice, morality, freedom, and self.

In my free time, my background also leads me to look for ways to bring people together in community advocacy, to support youth mental health and environmental justice. This means showing up fully, learning as I go, and getting others with me. Whether between different groups at school or in conversations where people don’t agree, I enjoy challenging myself and those around me to question their assumptions and see all sides of our choices while bridging gaps across divides.

I am a part of a Youth Advisory Board for NJ4S, a state-led initiative that advocates for youth mental wellness in New Jersey. The Youth Advisory Board is a group of health care professionals, community organizers, and students who meet in person or virtually every month. Of the many communities that I am involved in, this one is significant to me in that I can see in others sharing the same belief I hold in community advocacy, of gathering experiences and building networks between communities and policymakers that can address the health needs of local communities in northern New Jersey.

bottom of page