Philosophy Club

The purpose of Philosophy Club is to encourage and foster critical thinking, reflection, and dialogue between students by engaging with philosophical topics, texts and a diversity of viewpoints. The Philosophy Club promotes an inclusive environment and encourages discussion and exploration of central themes and ideas in a wide range of philosophical topics, including the sub-fields of metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, feminist theory, law, politics, and phenomenology. The Club is also active in the organization of conferences, academic travel (e.g. conference attendance or educational trips), and an on-campus reading group. These are all part of a larger goal of integrating Philosophy Club into the wider university and Southwest Florida communities.

Past Events have included:

"Third Annual Humanities Symposium" (Spring 2018)

"Socrates Cafe: What are Alternative Facts? " (Spring 2018)

"Second Annual Humanities Symposium" (Spring 2017)

"Communication and Philosophy: Undergraduate Student Scholars" (Spring 2016)

"Socrates Cafe: Kapernicking: When is it right to sit when taking a stand?" (Fall 2016)

"Philosophy Talk: Success, Purpose, and Meaning" (Fall 2015)

"1st Annual Humanities Symposium" (Fall 2015)

“Philosophy without Borders: A Symposium in Honor of Ofelia Schutte” (Spring 2012)

“Phenomenology and Medicine Symposium (Fall 2012)

“Why Buddhism needs the West” (Spring 2011)

“The God Debate” (Fall 2010)

Past Speakers have included:

David Loy (Naropa University)

Charles Guignon (University of South Florida)

April Flakne (New College of Florida)

Marianna Ortega (John Carroll College)

Doug Jesseph (University of South Florida)

Fredrik Sveneaus (Södertörn University, Stockholm, Sweden)

Elizabeth Milan (Depaul University)

Jorge Gracia (University of Buffalo)

Ofelia Schutte (University of South Florida)

The Philosophy Club’s activities for previous academic years has included hosting the Undergraduate Humanities Symposium, organizing a trip to the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta, and hosting a student-run Philosophical Literature Group that explores central texts and figures. Previous authors read have included Fyodor Dostoevsky, Albert Camus, David Foster Wallace, and Michel Foucault.