VAPS PIPS Evening Reflection

For many years, VAPS has hosted a philosophy evening event (previously called a philosothon). Most recently, we ran this wonderful event at Wesley College in 2019 where eminent philosopher AC Grayling was in attendance.  Unfortunately with two COVID affected years we have missed out on such events. 

In August, VAPS renewed our coveted PIPS Evening Event, hosted for the first time at the University of Melbourne with thanks to the School of Historical & Philosophical Studies (SHAPS). Over 100 students engaged in community of inquiry dialogues with mixed-school and mixed-aged groupings throughout the evening. 

Our evening we opened with Professor Margaret Cameron, Head of School at SHAPS (and the first female professor of philosophy at the University of Melbourne), presenting her Letter to a Young Philosopher to invite students into the wonderful world of philosophical thinking.

We had four rounds of philosophical stimuli:

(1) focussed on the issue of bodily autonomy using the recent overturning of Roe V Wade as a stimulus

(2) focussed on the issue of the good life through a video explaining some classical views on the good life through the film Mean Girls

(3) focussed on trolley problems through engineering and programming autonomous vehicles through an intereactive presentation from Dr Klaus Jahn

(4) focussed on how philosophy is to be practised, on balancing mind and emotion, through an interpretation of an artwork.

Throughout each round, all students and facilitators provided a nomination for one students who was exemplifying what it means to be a good philosopher. Our night concluded with five promising young philosophers being recognised by their peers on the night.

We congratulate: Fenris, Kylie, Adam, Alex, and Sasha for being recognised by their peers and the facilitators for their contributions to philosohical dialogue throughout the night.