Philosothon
A Philosothon is an annual competition wherein students explore philosophical and ethical issues. Philosothons are held in all Australian states, New Zealand, and the UK.[1][2][3]
At a Philosothon, school-aged students are assessed by university-based professional philosophers and score highly where they demonstrate rigour and clarity of thought. An essential component of a Philosothon is the pedagogical model for teaching Philosophy to young people called Community of inquiry. The event has grown alongside and within the Philosophy for Children movement. Annual Philosothons are held throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The first Australasian Philosothon was held at Cranbrook School, Sydney in 2011[4][5] and the first UK Philosothon was held in 2012 at King's College, Taunton.
History
In 2007, Hale School in Perth, Western Australia initiated a project to promote higher-order thinking among secondary school students. The Head of Philosophy and Ethics Mr Matthew Wills, created the event to promote student engagement in the study of Philosophy. At the first Philosothon nine local high school teams, each including five students came together for an evening of philosophical investigation. The word 'Philosothon' was invented in the first few years of the event by Matthew Wills and Leanne Rucks.[6][7]
Recent history
Following the first Philosothon it was decided to promote the event more broadly to other schools around the country and later in the UK. Philosothons now take place annually in each Australian capital city and in regional locations around the country. They also take place around the UK and introductory presentations to explain the concept and invite participation are given to teachers at Academy Conferences multiple times each year.[8][9][10] Recently Primary school Philosothons have been conducted in various Art Galleries in some Australian states and in the UK.[11][12] Philosothons are established in regional cities throughout Australia and New Zealand and a similar growth is spearheaded by Academy Conferences in the UK where various regional hubs are emerging, such as Stowe.[13][14][15]
In 2017 The Templeton Religion Trust awarded $281,656 AUD to the Philosothon project in order to "grow existing Philosothons and support the establishment of new ones, particularly in remote schools and at schools catering for students from low socio-economic backgrounds" in Australasia.[16] Similar funding was awarded to the Ian Ramsey Centre to expand the UK Philosothon initiative in 2019.[17]
As part of the recent expansion of Philosothons in the UK, introductory presentations to teachers have explained the concept at more than 15 Academy Conferences events, as well as ISRSA and NATRE conferences.[18] These presentations have been accompanied by associated outreach work, including the development of a website and more than 500 flash drives so far for distributing introductory and administrative material, generously funded by the Templeton Religion Trust.[19]
Rationale and process
The rationale for the Philosothon methodology is based on empirical evidence that teaching children reasoning skills early in life greatly improves other cognitive and academic skills and greatly assists learning in general.[20] Students are given the topic questions in advance and some stimulus reading materials.[21]
Examples of topic questions from recent Philosothons are these:
- Is it moral to fake kindness? (Moral Philosophy)
- Do men and woman have different natures? (Metaphysical)
- Do you have free will? (Metaphysical)
- Should you always listen to the opinions of others? (Epistemology)
- How free should speech be? (Political Philosophy)
Students, teachers and parents gather on a particular evening each year for the event. The students participate in a series of Communities of Inquiry which are facilitated by teachers or Phd. philosophy students from the local universities. While participating in this process students are scored by Philosophy lecturers also from local universities. The scores are then collated, ranked and later in the evening awards are given to students at each age level and encouragement awards to the most promising male and female philosopher. Also a trophy is awarded to the winning school.[22]
Criticisms and responses
Some might argue that Philosophy cannot be undertaken in the context of a competition.[23] They believe that by ranking individuals the process of developing a Community of Philosophical Inquiry is fundamentally compromised. However, others have responded that many students forget they are involved in a competition and engage in the exact sort of investigation and collaboration we would hope to see in Philosophy. Others have suggested that the same process is undertaken in any academic institution, tertiary or secondary where students are ranked against criteria. The only difference is that one of the more important criteria in a COI is collaboration.[24]
Australasian Philosothon
In July 2011 the Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations (FAPSA) agreed to support the first National Philosothon at Cranbrook School. Each Australian state sent three teams (those schools that won in their local Philosothon) and so twelve schools in total arrived in Sydney to participate in the inaugural event.[25][26][27] [28] Each year the Australasian Philosothon is run in a different region in Australasia.[29] In 2019 the eighth Australasian Philosothon was held at Radford College in Canberra. In 2020 the Australasian Philosothon will be hosted online by the Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP)
United Kingdom
Philosothons have been run in the UK since 2013. Revd. Mark Smith & Julie Arliss from the Philosophy of Religion and Ethics Department at King's College, Taunton, UK, have spearheaded the Philosothon movement in the United Kingdom in collaboration with Dr Michael Lacewing from Heythrop College and Lizzy Lewis from Sapere.[30] Wells Cathedral College won the first event. More recently Philosothons have been developed throughout the UK, promoted at Academy Conferences events and spreading from the UK hub at King’s College, Taunton; with more than 375 attendees in the year 2019-2020 (more events were postponed due to COVID-19).[31][32] Primary School Philosothons have also been hosted by the Philosophy Foundation.[33] Other Philosothons have been held around the UK.[34]
Primary and Middle School Philosothons
In 2012 an inaugural Primary School Philosothon was held at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).[35][36] [37] In 2013 the first WA Primary school Philosothon was hosted by John XXIII College at the Art Gallery of WA. Since then Annual Primary School Philosothons have been conducted in Victoria, WA and the UK.[38]
List of Philosothons
Australia
National events
Australian Capital Territory
| Australian Capital Territtory Philosothon | First | First Div A | First Div B | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Narrabunda College & Telopea Park High School | Canberra Girls Grammar | Merici College | Radford College |
Queensland
New South Wales
| Armidale | First | Second | Host |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Presbyterian Ladies’ College | The Armidale School | The Armidale School |
South Australia
| South Australian Philosothon | First | First Div A | First Div B | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Seymour College | St Peters Girls School | St Peter's College | Prince Alfred College |
| 2018 | St Peters Girls School | Seymour College | Prince Alfred College | Prince Alfred College |
| 2019 | St Ignatius College | St Peters Girls School | Seymour College | Prince Alfred College |
Victoria
Western Australia
South West Western Australia
New Zealand
| New Zealand | First | Second | Host |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Hamilton Boys' High School | Waikato Diocesan School | Waikato Diocesan School |
| 2019 | Hamilton Boys' High School | Waikato Diocesan School | Waikato Diocesan School |
United Kingdom
References
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- ^ "UK Philosothon website". Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ Pritchett, Mark. "The Wellington News". Wellington Weekly. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- ^ Saunders, Alan. "The Philosophers Zone". ABC. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ Rocca, Michelle. "The Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools". VAPS. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ "Philosothon Website". History. Philosothon. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
- ^ "Philosothon Website". History. Philosothon. Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ "UK Philosothon". Taunton School UK. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ "University of Queensland Philosothon". History. University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ "Philosothon UK - Academy Conferences invite you to participate". Philosothon UK. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ Worley, Peter. "Philosophy Foundation". Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ Etherton, Rosemary. "The National Gallery of Victoria". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ "Macquarie Port News". Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ Philosophical Inquiry with Children:The Development of an Inquiring Society ...edited by Gilbert Burgh, Simone Thornton. University of Queensland. 7 December 2018. ISBN 9780429777134. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
- ^ "Philosothon UK - Academy Conferences invite you to participate". Philosothon UK. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ W., Justin. "Daily Nous". Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Philosothon Expansion in the UK". www.ianramseycentre.info. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Conference 2019". isrsa. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Philosothon Expansion in the UK". www.ianramseycentre.info. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ Prof Stephan Millett, Dr Alan Tapper & (2011). "Educational Philosophy and Theory 'Benefits of Collaborative Philosophical Inquiry in Schools'" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
- ^ "Philosothon Website". Resources. Philosothon. Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ Flood, Gary & (2014). "A Marathon for the Mind". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
- ^ TALIAFERRO, CHARLES (2010). "Ask a Philosopher". Ask a Philosopher?. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ Wills, Matthew (2012). "Philosothon" (PDF). American Philosophical Association. 12 (1). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 January 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- ^ "Australian Association of Philosophy". Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ Dr Poulton, Janette. "-Victorian Association for Philosophy in Schools". Victorian Philosothon. VAPS. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ "FAPSA". Federal Association for Philosophy in Schools. FAPSA. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ "Philosophy Now UK Journal". National Philosothon. Philosophy Now. Archived from the original on 23 November 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
- ^ "FAPSA". ABC Drive Radio. ABC. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Smith, Mark. "Philosophy Now". Wellington Weekly. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- ^ "Philosothon UK - Academy Conferences invite you to participate". Philosothon UK. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Independent Education Today". Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ^ Davies, Sian. "The Southern Daily Echo". Wellington Weekly. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- ^ Worley, Peter. "Philosophy Foundation". Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ Etherton, Rosemary. "The National Gallery of Victoria". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- ^ Dr D'Olympio, Laura. "The Conversation". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ "Philosophy Foundation Website". Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ^ "ChristChurch Grammar Website". Winner of National Philosothon cited. Christ Church Grammar. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ "Scotch College Website". Australasian Philosothon cited. Scotch College. Archived from the original on 1 March 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ^ "The West Australian". Australasian Philosothon cited. The West Australian Regional. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ Wills, Matthew (November 2019). "Philosothon Newsletter No. 10". Philosothon. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Independent Education Today". Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ^ "Independent Education Today". Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.