The ‘Philosophy in Public Spaces’ Program
Did you know? The name ‘Philosophy’ is derived from two Greek words meaning ‘love of wisdom’.
On August 30th, a collection of 20 of our students put their love of wisdom and ability to think critically to the test during the ‘Philosophy in Public Spaces’(PiPS) program at Melbourne University. This workshop was organised by the Victorian Association of Philosophy in Schools and included about 60 participants in total, but Mac.Rob had more students involved than any other school!
The program was focused on a specific branch of philosophy known as Community of Inquiry(COI), where students were presented with a stimulus, some material to get them thinking, then gathered in groups to discuss any big ideas that emerged. As a participant myself, I was involved in several thoughtful and in-depth discussions concerned with equality, feminism, AI, personhood, morality and identity, and heard my peers both from Mac.Rob and other schools make really insightful comments. I was even able to discuss with experts to broaden the experience, including philosophy graduates, professors, the creator of COI, and our very own teachers Ms. Cordingley and Mr. Regalo. It was an unmatched opportunity for intellectual growth and connection between like minded students and professionals.
Ellie G (Year 10)
“I loved the environment, it was a great place for me to grow and think critically with peers. I was exposed to different perspectives which enabled me to develop deeper ideas. It was a great opportunity.” - Erica S
“PiPs, to put it simply, was life changing. My peers and I had the opportunity to interact with discussions put forward by a variety of schools and stimuli. I was able to delve under the shallow surface of the way we are taught to think and have a taste of what philosophy really is.” - Jenisha F
“I really enjoyed the choice of stimuli for our discussions at PiPs. The concepts were challenging and relevant to us which made the discussions very engaging. Everyone involved in the evening seemed really open minded and willing to explore new perspectives other than their own, which encouraged me to challenge my own ideas and learn in the process!” - Maili S