Philosothon 2026

On Thursday 23 July, four Year 9 students represented Epping Boys High School at the Sydney Philosothon, a prestigious philosophy competition hosted by Newington College. This year, 10 schools participated in the event, with Epping Boys returning for its second year.

Representing Epping Boys were Lucas H, Chris L, Hakeem T and Jayden W, who demonstrated enthusiasm, confidence and a willingness to engage with challenging philosophical ideas throughout the day.

Philosophy in Action

Unlike a traditional debate, a Philosothon focuses on collaborative philosophical discussion through a Community of Inquiry (COI). Students were placed into groups of approximately eight to nine participants from different schools and invited to explore a philosophical question together.

Rather than attempting to simply "win" an argument, students were encouraged to listen carefully, question assumptions, build upon the ideas of others and respectfully challenge different perspectives. Through this process, students developed their critical thinking, communication and reasoning skills, while broadening their understanding of complex issues and alternative viewpoints.

Students participated in three COIs, each lasting approximately 40–45 minutes. The questions explored were:

• Happiness is not the most important thing, or is it?
• What does it mean for a society to progress?

• Is our relationship with nature too transactional?

   

During each round, adjudicators observed the discussions and awarded points based on students' ability to engage thoughtfully with the philosophical questions, provide reasoned arguments, respond to the ideas of others and contribute meaningfully to the inquiry.

Student Perspective

Lucas H and Chris L reflects on the experience:

"This was my second time participating in the Philosothon, and I have to say it is still an incredibly enjoyable experience. The event was structured in such a way that everyone was given opportunities to speak and share their opinions, and it did not have an overly competitive atmosphere.

The main point of the Philosothon, and philosophy-related activities more broadly, is to examine fundamental questions and deepen our understanding of the world, which was represented clearly throughout the event.

The three Communities of Inquiry were the main focus of the day. The best way I can describe them is that they are similar to debating, but rather than having two teams and a strict speaking structure, there are eight or nine individuals participating in a more relaxed and collaborative discussion.

The highlight for me was discussing our opinions about each topic and hearing perspectives that I had not initially considered. It reminded me how fortunate I am to have opportunities like this at Epping Boys. I would like to thank the Philosophy staff, including Mrs Findlay and Ms Burke, for taking the time to organise the event and support us throughout the day."

The Sydney Philosothon provided our students with an excellent opportunity to take philosophy beyond the classroom and engage with students from other schools in thoughtful and challenging discussions. Epping Boys is proud of Lucas, Chris, Hakeem and Jayden for representing the school and embracing the opportunity to question, reason, listen and think deeply about some of the important issues facing individuals and society today.

Misty Findlay 

Relieving Head Teacher EALD