After four weeks of topic preparation at Socrates Cafe, seven students competed in the 2021 Victorian Philosothon (organised and run by Wesley College Melbourne in conjunction with the Australasian Association of Philosophy AAP). The evening spanned two hours of discussions on Zoom around four philosophical questions. Professor Margaret Cameron from the University of Melbourne addressed the young philosophers and talked inspiringly about her journey into and through the history of philosophy and wrote a “Letter to a Young Philosopher”, a copy of which will be given to all participants.
Competing were Monty Ryan (Year 8), Mathilda Carli and Veronica Wright (Year 9) and Sophie Jones, Maggie Browning, Ann Chalakkal and Bridie Carey (Year 10). The topics included: Who can own the rights to property on the moon? What are the implications around digital immortality (uploading your mind)? Should vaccines be mandated for school students? What are the problems with “truthiness”?
Each of our girls did an incredible job at contributing their creative, critical and collaborative thinking to these four Communities of Inquiry. Loreto came third overall from six schools. Bridie Carey is to be congratulated for winning the Creative Thinking category for the competition and will receive a philosophy book prize.
Well done to all involved, with the biggest winner of the event being thinking itself!
Term 4 Week 7 articles