#PhilosophyMatters

Birmingham
Webinar: Philosophy Everywhere

Organised by the University of Birmingham

Watch the recording of this event!

Wednesday 19 March 2pm – 3.30 pm

This webinar looks at how to promote philosophical reflection and discussion in unusual places: on nature walks, in pubs, in prisons, and literally everywhere!Chaired by Michael Rush and featuring as panellists Bonny Astor, Paul Knights, and Helen Beebee.

Bonny leads Thought Experiments in Pubs, an evolving project and community aimed at creating more opportunities for people to meaningfully connect with one another sharing different ideas and perspectives. Thought experiments are the conversational jumping off points to explore shared issues of interest, and meetings are held in pubs and parks.

Paul leads Philosophy on Foot, a growing programme of ‘walking enquiries’ in the Yorkshire Pennines. Working with arts, heritage and nature conservation organisations, he takes participants on rambles not just into the hills but also among a terrain of philosophical ideas, oriented around the history and ecology of place, and the values we express in our relationship to the landscapes we cherish.

Helen is Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Leeds. She has written on and talked about philosophy for a public audience in numerous venues, including the PhilosophyBites podcast series, In Our Time on Radio 4, and a BBC Reel documentary on free will. Together with Michael Rush, she is the author of Philosophy: Why it matters.

Birmingham
Webinar: Philosophy and Conspiracy Theories

Organised by the University of Birmingham

Watch the recording of this event!

Wednesday 17 March 2pm – 3.30 pm

What is the role of philosophy in tackling the presence of conspiracy theories in society?This webinar showcases the interdisciplinary nature of the philosophical work being done in this area, working alongside scholars in Film Studies, Theology, Psychology and Adaptation Studies.

The webinar is chaired by Professor Lisa Bortolotti and will feature as panellists Alaina Schempp, U-Wen Low, and Kathleen-Murphy-Hollies. They are members of an interdisciplinary project, ‘Film, Storytelling and Conspiracies’, and will talk about how a common focus on ‘storytelling’ is guiding collaborative work on conspiracy theorising.

• Dr Alaina Schempp is Assistant Professor of Film, and will talk about the role of film in influencing what people take to be possible about the world. Advances in CGI and the presentation of conspiracy theories in a compelling visual format may be relevant factors in their uptake.

• Dr U-Wen is Assistant Professor in Public Religion, and will trace a history of conspiracy theories in ancient theological texts. He will also discuss the ongoing prevalence of theological themes in conspiracy theorising today, considering whether these theological themes bring a compelling narrativity.

• Dr Kathleen Murphy-Hollies is a Research Fellow in Philosophy, and will be joined by Nele Van de Mosselaer, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Tilburg University. They will talk about the role of narrative in individuals coming to believe in a conspiracy theory.

Birmingham
Event: Anti-Racism Meet Up

Organised by The Philosophers’ Yard

BRIG Café at The Warehouse 54-57 Allison StreetBirmingham, England, B5 5TH 

Friday 21 March 2025 – 18:30 20:30

Free but places are limited so do register.

Local contact: The Philosophers’ Yard

On the Global UN Day for Anti-Racism, join Birmingham Race Impact Group and The Philosophers’ Yard for an evening of discussion on what an anti-racist Birmingham could look like.

How might the city change for its residents, communities, and organisations and what challenges stand in the way of achieving this vision?

The event will include small group conversations inspired by two expert speakers:

• Ranjit Sondhi – Chair of Birmingham Race Impact Group and former Deputy Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality.

• Joy Warmington – CEO of the equalities and human rights charity, BRAP.

The event will begin with live spoken word from Bilal Akram who will perform the commissioned piece, titled ‘Hope’.

Birmingham
Webinar: Philosophy in the Classroom

Organised by the University of Birmingham

Online – hosted via Zoom (register)

Tuesday 25 March 2pm – 3.30 pm

Local contact: Lisa Bortolotti.

In this webinar, chaired by Dr Kathleen Murphy-Hollies, we will look at some ideas about how to engage young people in philosophical reflection or discussion.

• Dr Laura D’Olimpio will lead a session entitled “Philosophy for Children as a radical pedagogy” where she introduces the Community of Inquiry pedagogy which is a dialogical approach that cultivates the four C’s: critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinking. This radical approach prioritises listening to children’s voices and taking their philosophical questions seriously.

• Dr Henry Taylor will lead a session entitled “Philosophy Smash! Philosophy interviews in the classroom”. The Philosophy Smash project aims to record interviews with philosophers for use in Key Stage 2 and 3. Henry will introduce the project, and reflect on how it can be most helpfully deployed for teachers.

• Prof Lisa Bortolotti will lead a session entitled: “The Philosophy Garden: videos and games to stimulate reflection in children and young people”. Lisa will introduce the Personal Identity Game and discuss the use of short videos to kickstart a conversation about interesting and sensitive topics.

Birmingham
Webinar: Philosophy and Mental Health

Organised by the University of Birmingham

Online – hosted via Zoom (register)

Wednesday 26 March 2pm – 4 pm

This webinar looks at how the notion of epistemic injustice can help us bring to focus some issues in mental healthcare concerning the role of the patient as a person, an agent, and a collaborator. The panellists will discuss their recent work on the topic from different disciplinary perspectives.

Panelists include:

• Prof Michael Larkin (Aston University): “Feeling and Being Understood in Young People Seeking Help.”

• Prof Rose McCabe (City St George’s, University of London): “Improving Relational and Communicative Practices Amongst Mental Health Professionals.”

• Prof Luigi Grassi (University of Ferrara): “Preserving Dignity and Epistemic Justice in Palliative Care for Patients with Serious Mental Health Problems.”

• Dr Elisabetta Lalumera (University of Bologna): “Ameliorating Epistemic Injustice with Digital Health Technologies.”

• Prof Rabih Chattat (University of Bologna): “Promoting Good Living and Social Health in Dementia.”

• Ms Eleanor Palafox-Harris (University of Birmingham): “Resisting Perceptions of Patient Untrustworthiness.”

Birmingham
Event: Astrology

Organised by The Philosophers’ Yard

Hybrid: BRIG Café at The Warehouse 54-57 Allison StreetBirmingham, England, B5 5TH and online.

Thursday 27 March 2025 – 18:30 21:00

Do register.

Local contact: The Philosophers’ Yard

The debate between astrology’s supporters and critics has spanned over 2,000 years, with this discussion only increasing in recent times. Astrology claims that the positions of planets, stars, and zodiac signs hold significance for both personal and collective life on Earth.

In this event, Dr. Nick Campion, Director of the Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture at the University of Wales Trinity St David, will explore the arguments for and against astrology, as well as differing views within the astrological community. He will discuss astrology’s various definitions—whether as psychology, symbolic language, religion, science, or pseudoscience—and argue that, in all its forms, astrology serves as a tool for solving fundamental life questions like “Who am I?”, “What will happen?”, and “What should I do?”.

The event will begin with an optional Conscious Connected Breath exercise led by trained facilitator Steff Mushore. This exercise offers a chance to relax, connect with yourself, and clear your mind through breathwork

Bristol
Public Lecture: Philosophy Matters

Organised by the University of Glasgow

In person – St. George’s Bristol, Great George Street (off Park Street) Bristol, BS1 5RR

Saturday 5 April 7.30pm

Tickets are £10 – book now.

Celebrate the inaugural National Philosophy Fortnight with an evening showcasing the impact of philosophy on a range of vital social issues, including asylum, medicine and historical racial injustice.

In the first part, our philosopher in residence Julian Baggini will host a panel discussion with University of Bristol philosophers Dr Joanna Burch-Brown, Dr Rebecca Buxton and Prof Havi Carel. After the break you’ll have the opportunity to talk more informally with the philosophers over a drink.

PLEASE NOTE: One of our speakers is immunocompromised and we ask that audience members wear a face covering (which we can supply, if required) and that those who do not wish to do so seat themselves at the rear of the room. The room will also be ventilated by open doors.

Glasgow
Public Lecture: Defining Terrorism: From Emily Davison to Axel Rudakubana

Organised by the University of Glasgow

In person – Sir Charles Wilson Building

Monday 17 March 6 – 7.30opm.

Registration is required.

A public lecture by Professor Quassim Cassam (University of Warwick), an authority on the philosophy of terrorism and counter-terrorism.

Abstract

Recent events in Southport have focused public attention on the definition of terrorism. Some critics see the Southport murders as false negatives for the official definition of terrorism in the UK. On this view, this definition failed to classify as terrorism acts of violence that should have been so classified. The definition also generates potential false positives: acts that it mistakenly classifies as terrorism. However, before amending the definition, account needs to be taken of insights from the philosophy of definition. If, as some philosophers argue, few words have watertight definitions, terrorism is unlikely to be one of them. The appropriate response is to embrace a pragmatic theory of definition. On this account, defining terrorism is not an abstract intellectual exercise but rather an exercise in ‘pragmatic problem solving in the face of a threat’(Lord Carlile). Proposals for amending the definition of terrorism need to be assessed in terms of their practical consequences and resource implications. The philosophical game of generating counterexamples to proposed definitions is of little value in this context, as in many others.

Glasgow
Public Lecture: Chance as a Guide to Life

Organised by the University of Glasgow

Hybrid – Adam Smith Business School room 282 and Zoom.

Tuesday 18 March 3pm – 5 pm

Register for tickets.

A public lecture by Dr Alison Fernandes (Trinity College Dublin), who works on metaphysics and philosophy of science.

Abstract

Chance claims are ubiquitous in science and everyday life. We might speak of the chance of your team winning the match or the chance of a radioactive sample decaying within a time. More worryingly, we might speak of the chance of an epidemic or of catastrophic climate change. It seems like chance claims like these should be taken seriously—they should, at the very least, guide what we think will happen. But there’s a puzzle about how such guidance works. Most philosophers take chances to be objective ‘worldly’ probabilities, perhaps similar in status to scientific laws. Chance claims are the kind of claims we might be right or wrong about and that their rightness or wrongness is due to how the natural world is. But if chance claims aren’t strictly about what we believe, how do they guide our beliefs? In this talk, I’ll consider the most prominent account of how chances guide belief, due to David Lewis. I’ll then propose a neater, more general alternative. This alternative principle gives us direct guidance from chance, even concerning past events and even if the fundamental laws turn out to be ‘deterministic’. If this principle is right, there are many more chances than we typically imagine and multiple ways that chances can guide us.

Glasgow
Public Lecture: Why Demagogues Lie Big

Organised by the University of Glasgow

Hybrid – Clarice Pears Building 102 and Zoom.

Tuesday 25 March 3pm – 5 pm

Register for tickets.

A public lecture by Prof Jesper Kallestrup (University of Aberdeen), who works on epistemology, philosophy of mind, and philosophical methodology.

Abstract

The best strategy for getting away with lying is normally to lie small by only deviating from the truth as much as is necessary to achieve the intended deception. Why then do some demagogues lie big? One answer is to take the demagogue literally: the only difference between small and big lies concerns the size of their contents. The purpose of big lies is to induce false beliefs in their literal contents via conspiracy theories, repetition effects, or because they are too big to be false. Another answer is to take the demagogue seriously but not literally: what matters isn’t so much that supporters believe the lie but that they openly say they do. Big lies may serve the purposes of reinforcing supporters’ deeply held beliefs, sowing doubt, testing the loyalty of the inner circle, or publicly demonstrating the demagogue’s power.

Gloucestershire
Public Lecture: Forms of Nature: Real and Manmade 

Organised by the Gloucestershire Philosophical Society

HC203 Francis Close Hall, University of Gloucestershire, Swindon Road, Cheltenham.

Wednesday 19th March 7-8 pm.

Local contact: Gloucestershire Philosophical Society

The Gloucestershire Philosophical Society welcomes you to a public lecture by Dr Maria Balaska, a research fellow at Åbo Akademi University, Finland. She works on Wittgenstein, Heidegger, and the philosophy of psychoanalysis and is the author of  Anxiety and Wonder: on Being Human..

Leeds
Seminar: The Screens Between Us: Why Dating Apps Are Broken and What We Can Do Next

Organised by the University of Leeds

In person – IDEA Centre, 17 Blenheim Terrace, room 2.
Thursday 20 March 3pm – 5 pm

Local contact: Erik Zhang.

Dating apps have transformed how we pursue intimacy. Millions of people use them, and they have become the single most popular venue to interact with others. Dating apps make it easier to date, to date as ourselves, and to date on our own terms. But enthusiasm for the apps is under strain, and Match Group has seen a decline in younger users.

At the heart of this layered frustration is the sense that dating apps work for corporations, and not so much for us; that we are missing out on an opportunity for this revolutionary technology to actually support, even extend, our intimate agency.

Dr Luke Brunning (University of Leeds) will explore some of the ethical issues arising from use of dating apps, consider some ways we might solve them, and ask whether there could be an ethical dating app. He’s working on ethical dating online and is a Co-Director of the Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships.

Leeds
Seminar: Geoengineering, Moral Hazard, and Disrespect

Organised by the University of Leeds

In person – IDEA Centre, 17 Blenheim Terrace, room 2.
Thursday 27 March 3pm – 5 pm

Local contact: Erik Zhang.

Dr Maxime Lepoutre (University of Reading) will talk about geoengineering: large-scale interference in the climate system aimed at combatting anthropogenic climate change.

Attention to these technologies is rapidly growing, as efforts to mitigate climate change by reducing carbon emissions continue to fall substantially short of global targets. Yet geoengineering has proven hugely contentious for several reasons. One of the most influential objections—the “moral hazard” objection—holds that pursuing geoengineering risks undercutting ongoing mitigation efforts.

He’ll suggest that closer attention to the possible mechanisms underpinning the moral hazard objection reveals a dilemma: either the proposed solution to the moral hazard effect (i.e., not pursuing geoengineering) is unnecessary, or it expresses a morally troubling form of disrespect.

Articulating this dilemma serves two purposes. It shows, first, that the moral hazard objection is substantially more difficult to vindicate than it initially appears; and, more positively, it clarifies what would need to be shown, empirically, to overcome this ethical hurdle

London
Public Lecture: The Ethics of Collective Defence Agreements

Organised by Kings College London

Hybrid – Stamford Street Lecture Theatre, 127 Stamford St, London SE1 9NQ and Zoom (registration required)

Wednesday 17th March 6 – 8pm

Local contact: Stephen Harrop

Prof Helen Frowe (Stockholm University) is Professor of Practical Philosophy and Knut and Alice Wallenberg Scholar at Stockholm University and the Director of the distinguished Stockholm Centre for the Ethics of War and Peace. Her work on the ethics of war and self-defence is internationally-recognised and she also works on heritage ethics, the ethics of rescue and assistance, and related topics.

Abstract

Collective defence agreements, of the sort that exist between, for example, NATO members, EU members, and African Union members, are prominent deterrence mechanisms. These agreements commit their members to treating an attack on any one of them as an attack on all. Such agreements clearly have significant deterrent benefits for their members. They offer a degree of assistance that will make it very difficult for an adversary to win an aggressive war against any member. On the face of it, then, such agreements seem obviously morally permissible and, indeed, morally desirable. In this talk, I suggest that the moral picture is in fact more mixed, and that forming and acting on these agreements stands in need of justification.

Milton Keynes
Conference: Contemporary Developments in Space Ethics

Organised by The Open University.

Thursday 20th March 9am – 17.30 and Friday 21st March 9am – 13:30.

Free. Please register a place by emailing FASS-SSGS-Philosophy@open.ac.uk with the words ‘Space Ethics’ in the subject line.

Local contact: Derek Matravers

Prof Derek Matravers (Open University) is hosting a two day conference on space ethics with the OU’s Space Ethics Research Group.

Seventeen speakers over two days, including philosophers, lawyers, and representatives of industry, there are talks on topics from the ethics of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, regulation of space activities, the future of humans in space, trans-planetary stewardship,

Check out their full programme.

Northumberland
Public event: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mary Midgley with Beer and Biscuits

Organised by the

In person – The Ship Inn, Low Newton, Northumberland, NE66 3EL.

Tuesday 25 March 7.30pm

£5.00 per person with all monies to The Brilliant Club Charity

Local contact: Rachael Wiseman

Join philosophers Dr Clare Mac Cumhaill (University of Durham) and Dr Rachael Wiseman (University of Liverpool) ​at The Ship Inn for beer and biscuits as they introduce to you Mary Midgley (1919-2018) – a distinguished British moral philosopher of the last century, based in the North-East.

Midgley was a pioneering and prolific voice in philosophy of science, feminism and environmental philosophy, writing hundreds of articles and eighteen books, the last of which appeared when she was 99. Known for her earthy and sardonic style, her prescient work urges the need for a complete imaginative reappraisal of our relations with the natural world and with ourselves.

Clare and Rachel lead the project Women in Parenthesis, which explores neglected women philosophers of the last century, and are the authors of Metaphysical Animals, a celebrated book about Midgley and her friends and fellow-philosophers, Iris Murdoch, Philippa Foot, and GEM Anscombe.

Sheffield
Public lecture: Panpsychism

Organised by the University of Sheffield Philosophy Society.

In person – The Diamond, Lecture Theatre 2, University of Sheffield.

Wednesday 19 March 4 – 5pm.

Local contact: Sheffield Phil Soc.

Sheffield
Seminar: Reparations for Historical Injustice: The Role of Apology

Organised by the University of Sheffield School of History, Philosophy, and Digital Humanities

In person – Broad Lane, Lecture Theatre 4, Sheffield

Friday 21 March 2.30 – 4.30.

Local contacts: Jerry Viera or Ed Matthews.

Prof Christopher Bennett (University of Sheffield) is centrally interested in the question of whether retributive emotions have a place in the good human life. He was Chief Editor of the Journal of Applied Philosophy from 2013-2018 and is currently Treasurer of the Society of Applied Philosophy.

Sheffield
Public lecture: Towards a History of Philosophy? Early Modern Women Philosophers and the Canon

Organised by the University of Sheffield School of History, Philosophy, and Digital Humanities

In person – The Diamond, Lecture Theatre 2, University of Sheffield.

Friday 28 March 2.30 – 4.30.

Local contact: Rosanna Keefe.

Women make up only a minority of philosophers, and an even smaller minority in the history of the profession. One can easily get the impression that women’s contributions to philosophy are only a recent phenomenon. But this is not true. The Sheffield Philosophy Department sponsors an annual lecture to increase awareness of the work of women in the history of philosophy.

This lecture is the 15th in the series and will be delivered by Dr Julia Borcherding (University of Cambridge). She works on early modern philosophy and has interests in contemporary ethics, epistemology, feminism, early analytic and medieval philosophy.

Stirling
Philosophy Cafe: Minds Without Frontiers: Technological Enhancement and our Cognitive Futures

Organised by the University of Stirling Department of Philosophy and PhilSoc.

Local contact: Sonia Roca Royes

Professor Michael Wheeler (Stirling) works in philosophy of science and philosophy of mind with a strong interdisciplinary style, drawing on cognitive science, psychology, artificial intelligence, and biology. He’s worked at Stirling since 2004 and collaborates around the world, has a busy public engagement programme and does philosophy in primary schools and prisons.

In this lecture, Mike will discuss technological enhancement, the mind, and what it might mean for our future.

Sussex
Public event: Not At Home

Organised by the Sussex Philosophy Society

In person – Quaker Meeting House, Brighton, BN1 1AF

Friday 28th March 5.30 – 7pm

Free – registration required.

Local contact: Sussex Philosophy Society

What is ‘home’? Should your country feel like home?  Do you have the right to feel at home in ‘your’ country?

Join us for an evening of discussion with Dr Sarah Fine, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. She’s an expert on philosophical issues related to migration, borders, and citizenship.

Warwick
Lecture: The Cultural Evolution of Speech Act Norms

Organised by the University of Warwick Department of Philosophy

In person – A0.23, Social Sciences Building, Central Campus, University of Warwick

Friday 14 March 9am – 4 – 6pm.

Local contact: Giulia Palazozolo.

The Warwick Mind and Action Research Centre warmly invites you to a lecture by Professor Mitch Green (University of Connecticut) works on philosophy of language, aesthetics, and philosophy of mind and he’ll be lecturing on  ‘The Cultural Evolution of Speech Act Norms’. 

Abstract

After characterizing the notions of information, signal, and verbal signal, I note that since its inception in the mid-twentieth century, speech act theory has been carried on with little attention to how speech acts might have come about in the evolution of communication. I then explain some of the central ideas of cultural evolutionary theory. In that light I sketch a cultural-evolutionary account of the modern practice of assertion according to which that practice emerges from a series of increasingly adaptive “proto”-assertoric speech acts. I then offer a similar though more compact reconstruction for the evolution of imperatives. If these reconstructions are plausible, they suggest that assertoric and directive practices are adaptive in the communities in which they occur. They are therefore not arbitrary, contrary to one commitment incurred by conventionalist approaches to speech acts.

Warwick
Student conference: Year-12 Philosophy Conference

Organised by the University of Warwick Department of Philosophy

In person – MS.01 (Ground Floor, Zeeman Building, a.k.a. Mathematics Department)

Friday 21 March 9am – 3.15.

Free but registration is required.

A limited number of bursaries are available to help cover the costs for schools that meet Widening Participation criteria.

Local contact: David Bather Woods.

Warwick Philosophy’s excellent lecturers will be giving talks on a range of philosophical topics – from Chinese Philosophy to metaethics to hypocrisy!

You will have the opportunity to meet with students in Warwick’s Department of Philosophy and from other schools and colleges to talk about all things philosophical. There will also be an interactive Q&A about studying Philosophy at university.

Check out their full program of talks and events.

Winchester
Online Lecture: Women and the Story of 20th Century Philosophy

Organised by the University of Winchester Philosophy, Religion, and Ethics

Online – on Zoom (register here)

Monday 10th March – 6 – 7pm.

• Local contact: Beth Mackintosh.

Dr Peter West (Northeastern University London) and Dr Elizabeth Macintosh (University of Winchester) will be talking about women philosophers and their currently-unappreciated role in the history of 20th century philosophy.

Peter believes in expanding the canon of philosophy’s history, and recovering the work of marginalised figures. He works on both early modern philosophy and early analytic philosophy, especially women philosophers, such as Susan Stebbing, Dorothy Emmet, and Margaret Macdonald. He’s also active in public philosophy – check out his videos.

Elizabeth currently teaches bioethics and has also taught eco-philosophy. She’s the Head of Philosophy and Theology at Winchester College and has twenty years experience teaching and promoting philosophy.

In this lecture, Peter will discuss the contributions made by various now-forgotten women to the history of 20th century philosophy, the reasons for their eclipse, and the importance of bringing them back into view. Dr Mackintosh will then link these ideas – and the richer vision they suggest – to work in the A-Level Philosophy curriculum!

Winchester
Public debates and seminars

Organised by the University of Winchester Philosophy, Religion, and Ethics

Details tbc

• Local contact: Beth Mackintosh.

Winchester will be hosting a series of public debates and talks – details to follow! – which will include:

• a debate on free will with Prof Gregg Caruso (Fairfield University) on (13th March). 1- 1.30 pm. Online – on Teams.

• a talk by Dr Marika Rose (University of Winchester) on ‘Angels of the Apocalypse’ (24th March). In person. 5 – 6.30pm. SAB002.

  If interested to attend, email Beth Mackintosh.

• a talk on Derrida and metaphysics by the novelist and biographer Peter Salmon whose recent biography of Derrida, An Event, Perhaps, is praised as ‘a compulsively readable intellectual biography’ (27th March). 6pm – 8pm. St Alphege 004 (campus map). If interested to attend, email Beth Mackintosh.

• visits to several schools and colleges by Dr Beth Mackintosh to talk about Mary Midgley’s public philosophy.

SAPERE
Webinar: Embedding P4C in the Curriculum

Organised by SAPERE: Philosophy for Children and Communities

Online – hosted via Zoom (register)Thursday 27 February 6pm (UK time)

For details, contact SAPERE.

SAPERE are running a fantastic series of P4C.com (Philosophy 4 Children) Masterclasses on Zoom to help you get the most out of P4C.com. This session is about embedding P4C into the Curriculum through finding the juicy questions within your topics.

Learn how planning less and letting the questions do the work fosters greater independence and faster progress. During the webinar, learn how easy it is to embed P4C, and immediately give it a go yourself!

The host for this session is Jason Buckley of The Philosophy Man, working in cooperation with SAPERE.

SAPERE
Webinar: Ideas That Matter 

Organised by SAPERE: Philosophy for Children and Communities

Online – hosted via Zoom (register)Wednesday 26 March 6pm -7 pm (UK time)

For details, contact SAPERE.

SAPERE’s free webinar will familiarise you with resources released as part of British Philosophy Fortnight that use ideas that matter and connect to young people such as toys, pets, clothes and video games as a route into philosophical thinking. Your host for this session will be Emma Leeson, SAPERE’s Training and Resources Lead and a SAPERE Trainer.

Both webinars will be useful to both new P4Cers and to old hands, especially those who have newbie colleagues to support.

These webinars will refer to resources on P4C.com. There will be plenty of general P4C tips and advice for classroom practice too – so excellent CPD!

SAPERE

Webinar: Free Think Webinar with Dr Stephen Law

Organised by SAPERE: Philosophy for Children and Communities

Online – hosted via Zoom (register)Monday 24th March 3 – 3.4pm

For details, contact SAPERE.

THINK: Philosophy for Everyone is a publication of the Royal Institute of Philosophy aimed especially at young people and the general public. It contains accessible and engaging articles by and interviews with leading philosophers and is published 3 times yearly. A school subscription to THINK gets you and your pupils access to a huge back catalogue of material on almost any philosophical topic.

Its editor, Dr Stephen Law (University of Oxford), will be talking about THINK and how to use it!

You can find some excellent free to access articles on the journal’s open access site, including Law’s Philosophy and Raising Good Citizens and there are subscriptions for schools for only £29 per annum so you can read all the articles in the journal.

SAPERE

In-person one-day course: Thinking With Nature

Organised by SAPERE: Philosophy for Children and Communities

Brockhole Nature Reserve, Preston (just off junction 31 of the M6) (map)

Wednesday 2 July

The course free is £100 and registration is required.

For details, contact SAPERE.

What is unnatural? What does it mean to love a place? Is nature a resource? Can we ‘save’ the planet? What do we owe the future? Explore the natural world and the philosophical questions it raises using the powerful pedagogy of P4C. This practical one-day course is provided by SAPERE and facilitated by specialists in philosophy and outdoor education.

SAPERE’s Thinking With Nature is a 1-day introduction to Philosophy for Children and Communities (P4C) in an outdoor setting. It’s led by SAPERE Trainers Jane Yates and Gina Parker (Mullarkey).

You can expect to be welcomed and meet other course delegates in the morning, exploring “Communities, Concepts and Connection” as we introduce the SAPERE model for philosophical exercises. After a short break you’ll then participate in an outdoor enquiry, and reflect on how this practice went.

After lunch you will be introduced to more P4C content through a “Catching Concepts” activity, and learn more about facilitating and questioning in “Community Caretakers”, before finally looking back on the day and thinking about your “next steps” with P4C.