What is PhiloDay?
It is an event organised by ES Brussels IV where philosophy practitioners and pupils come together to share ideas, ways of reading philosophical texts and approaches to philosophical problems.
This year's theme is CONFLICT AND DIVERSITY.
PhiloDay will take place on February 29th and March 1st, 2024.
In other words, PhiloDay is:
- An opportunity to showcase the abilities of our most promising pupils;
- A meeting place for pupils coming from different schools to get to know each other, as well as experts in Philosophy and other fields;
- A venue for pupils to use what they have already written in a slightly different context or the opportunity to produce new writing that can contribute to considerations of relevant philosophical problems;
- A time for Philosophy teachers to become acquainted with their colleagues from all the European schools (ES), as well as Accredited European Schools (AES).
Who can participate?
Pupils and teachers from all the ES and AES, especially:
- S6 and S7 Philosophy pupils;
- S5 to S7 Ethics pupils (S5 pupils will need approval from their teachers);
- All Philosophy teachers from European Schools of Brussels and other European schools (ES), as well as Accredited European Schools (AES).
Where is this all going to take place?
The event will happen on February 29th and March 1st at the European School of Brussels IV (Laeken) and will be open to other schools (only in situ).
Workshops and parallel sessions will be organized in situ.
What will the event consist of?
GENERAL ASSEMBLIES
The opening ceremony takes place simultaneously in English and French in two different venues. It is either a talk or a more interactive presentation/workshop on the theme of CONFLICT AND DIVERSITY, which requires the active participation of pupils and teachers alike. It is usually given by a guest speaker or by a Philosophy teacher from any of the European Schools (ES and AES). The main goals here are to raise philosophical questions, launch (collective) philosophical ways of thinking, and engage the pupils.
WORKSHOPS
These constitute the core of the event. These smaller gatherings of pupils and teachers in different rooms happens simultaneously. Pupils taking part in the workshops have to write a paper presenting their commentary on a philosophical text of their own choosing, preferably making a link to the theme of CONFLICT AND DIVERSITY. The theme or topic of the paper may be chosen from one of the following:
- Ethics
- Theory of Knowledge
- Politics and Society
- Philosophical Anthropology
- Other domains
The participant’s paper may consist of the following:
- A substantial excerpt from a philosophical text;
- A commentary on this text which should explain the main claim and question it tries to answer;
- A counterpoint or counter-argument to the text’s main claim (this can either be the writer’s own reflections or another viewpoint from another thinker/field of study). A paper can be delivered in either French or English. Each workshop lasts for 1 hour. There should be at least 15 min. for a plenary “question and answer” portion of the session. Each session is managed by a pupil chairperson (with the support of a teacher).
ETHICAL DILEMMA IMPROMPTU
This is a fun, challenging, and competitive activity.
- An ethical dilemma is given to each contestant. The ethical dilemma is read out loud and/or projected onto a screen.
- Each contestant is given two minutes to prepare a response, that is, to propose a well-argued solution to the problem.
- The response has to be delivered under two minutes.
- Each response is assessed by a panel of judges.
PHILOSOPHY COMMISSION
The Philosophy Commission is a deliberating body that consists of pupil-members who engage in discussions and debate, with an eye to composing an inclusive position paper, called the Commission Paper, on a chosen philosophical question. English is the official language of the Commission. There are maximum 15 members. Rules of Procedure 2022-2023
