Philosophy
Preshil's 3rd Annual Philosophy Conference
The Art of Happiness in the Age of Consumption brings together students, teachers, academics and interested members of the public to examine the nature of the good life within the context of contemporary consumer society.
This one day conference is a wonderful opportunity to hear from internationally recognised thinkers and to engage in debate and discussion regarding issues that are not only relevant to the VCE Philosophy curriculum but to anyone seeking to understand what it means to live a good life in today's world.
When & Where: Sunday 31 July from 9am to 4.30pm at Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library of Victoria
Speakers: Dr Samuel Alexander, Dr Caroline West, Michael Leunig, Professor Kate Soper, Antonia Case and The Philosophy Club.
Tickets: Students $40, adults $40 (discounts apply to groups of 10 or more) can be booked through Trybooking here.
Click on the Conference blog The Art of Happiness in the Age of Consumption for full details of the speakers.
What Does It Mean To Live A Good Life?
by Dr Lenny Robinson-McCarthy
Like many teachers of the Humanities and Arts I often find myself defending my subject in the wider world against accusations of triviality. Such accusations are usually the result of a misunderstanding bred from the subject’s liability for caricature (Is the chair
really there?) or the perception that in Philosophy there are ‘no wrong answers’ and thus every answer is of equal value. After I sigh audibly and roll my eyes I usually offer this response: Philosophy is important because it teaches people how to think.
After considering the nature of reality, the self, personal identity, God and knowledge, students in Years 11 and 12 will now develop and refine their thinking skills in the field of value. We will be inquiring into the problems of morality (Are there moral facts and, if so, how can we know them?) and the nature of happiness (What is happiness? Should happiness automatically be considered of sovereign value?) in a quest to understand what it means to live a good life. This is, of course, a perennial question and one that concerns everyone throughout their lives. It is a question that invites us to think deeply, to delve into our most cherished beliefs and the beliefs of our wider context and to ask ourselves just how compelling these beliefs are. It is, without a doubt, my favourite area of inquiry.
I am looking forward to some wonderful, thought-provoking conversations and, as always, am excited by the challenge of not only working with my students to help them become better thinkers – wiser, more critical, more creative – but to be prompted by them to be better myself. After all, what could be more important?
Make the World a Better Place
by Chris Dite
In Term 2, students in our Years 7-10 Electives Program were given the opportunity to take my Philosophy class, 'How to Make Trouble and Influence People'.
Discussions veered wildly and enthusiastically through some of the toughest topics on the planet. Students looked at the housing crisis, metaphysics, the Black Panthers and the Black Lives Matter movement, life-or-death philosophical thought experiments, the Aboriginal tent embassy, Einstein, robotic rights, Nietzsche, animal liberation and time travel.
Whether it has been teenagers leading rent strikes in early 1900s New York, young LGBTIQ people struggling for basic rights in the 1970s or homeless people fighting for public housing in Melbourne today, our students have seen how important philosophy and ideas are to anyone who wants to change the world!
It is my pleasure to offer this Elective again in Term 3.
Alumni: Peter Singer
Over the years Preshil has helped and encouraged young people to become what they want to become. While many students lead fulfilling lives away from the spotlight, some have gone on to become prominent in our community and indeed the world.
One such student is the renowned Peter Singer AC, moral philosopher specialising in applied ethics, who attended Arlington from nursery to the 11s in the early 1950s.
At Preshil ... I had a great time and I am really glad I went there. We had enough freedom to encourage us to be responsible for ourselves. I wasn't indoctrinated in deference to authority, and I think that served me well in later life.
- Peter Singer