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13145444 No.13145444 [Reply] [Original]

I'm the new president of my school's philosophy club as of about a month ago. I'm trying to figure out how to get people engaged. Anyone have any recommendations for thought experiments I could use as a catalyst for good discussion? A lot of people who come can appreciate when I make up dumb little trolley scenarios or things of the like. Last time I tried Theseus' ship and while I managed to get a few people interested we didn't manage to cut that deep. It sorta fell into lecture territory at moments. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!

>> No.13145457

Symposium style orgy

>> No.13145494

>>13145444
Do you want it to be a book club (discussion/critique) or more about covering "new ground" and trying to create new work.

>> No.13145524

could always try putting on some jungle beats and croaking like a frog on the floor for a bit, hear that works wonders in some philosophy circles

>> No.13145537

>>13145494
I wish it could be a legitimate forum for discussion and close reading (I would love to try to work through something short and sweet like Philosophical Investigations) but at the same time it's so incredibly disorganized and so few guys (quick note: I'm at an all-boys school rn) are legitimately invested enough to work even through say 2-3 pages a week. I might try to find some readings and just throw them on the projector or something, but again the problem all comes back to trying to get guys involved.
Really, I want this to be a way to show everyone attending how philosophy can be pertinent to their own lives, but it's just incredibly difficult to figure out how to do that for a bunch of burnouts who're mostly just there because they have to go to a club period.

>> No.13145574

>>13145537
How much freedom do you have in terms of setting the agenda? Its probably a good idea to start with less philosophy and more things these guys would be interested in and guide the club in that direction over time. Grow the club into what you want it to be, but start with just getting people excited and engaged in whatever way you can. If you have seen it, think the debate over whether Hillary swank is hot or attractive from the office

>> No.13145601

>>13145574
I have complete control. There's a (religion) teacher (Catholic school) who moderates but all he does is occasionally chip in.
I'd like to keep the club a bit more grounded in philosophy than random shit like who's hottest, but thanks for that suggestion.
Maybe I'll try something like "was thanos justified" or something dumb like that to see if I can bring up utilitarianism or deontology and just try to see what we value the most. I wish more guys read watchmen cause that's just a better way of expressing the same ideas (though a bunch of the remedial English guys did read it for one of my teacher's classes so maybe I can bring that up if any of them are into it).

>> No.13145703

>>13145601
Good luck, it's noble work.

>> No.13145743

>>13145457
based gay orgy poster

>> No.13146456

>>13145444
a man looks at a hill and sees a sheep. upon moving closer, he discovers that it was actually a rock on the hill. from behind the rock emerges a sheep. did he know that there was a sheep on the hill?

i must say though, "getting people engaged" is a worthless endeavor. the only people who should be there are those who seek the truth themselves, without prompting, i.e. those who would get themselves engaged. getting half-wits worked up into a frenzy over some agonizingly simple thought experiment does nothing to advance the truth or further the discovery of the nature of the universe.

>> No.13146730
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13146730

I start with a question that relates to some sort of broader topic after briefly describing said topic. If people can relate the plot of a movie or tv show to the discussion then it usually goes smoothly.
Broad metaphysical questions are great discussion filler but get boring if overdone.
>t. somewhat incompetent president of a philosophy club

>> No.13146737

>>13145444
why would you ever wanna take part in something as asinine as a school philosophy 'club', you stupid fucking midwit

>> No.13147029

>>13146737
ignore this asshole

Good luck op. Maybe promote a watered down idea of someone that is more appealing to teenagers. Nietzsche, Sartre, Foucault, Marx?
I imagine writing 'GOD IS DEAD' on a poster to promote your club in a catholic school would turn a few heads at least.