Sixth Form Students Take Part in Virtual Philosophical Society

Sixth Form students have been taking part in online Philosophical Society Club meets during the Spring Term lockdown with sessions led by teachers and students.

Topics debated and explored have included Existentialism, Freud’s dream analysis (applying his psychoanalysis on Little Red Riding Hood!), and a discussion comparing the Western and Eastern methods of dealing with depression. 

The sessions always begin with a presentation and students and teachers then write up one question each, which we vote on.

Questions posed are just starting points, our debate can, and usually does, go in any number of directions. 

Mr Ostersen, Head of Religion & Philosophy, said: “The aim of these debates is not to increase our ‘cleverness’, but to get wiser. For example, we are inspired by Socrates who stated ‘All I know, is that I know nothing’. So, in that sense there is no per se right or wrong answer, but there are answers which seem more plausible than others. In that respect our forum is a place where we can test out our views, get instant feedback, and make our arguments stronger.”