Often defined as the “fundamental study of truth, knowledge, and reality,” the discipline of philosophy raises questions that many people will ask themselves repeatedly during their lifetimes. These big-picture questions present difficulty to whoever is being asked them. If you have ever asked yourself, “what is the meaning of life,” “what is real,” or “how can I be so sure about what I know,” then West Chester University’s Philosophy Club is the perfect club for you!
Philosophy Club is a student-run organization that will be meeting every week to discuss pressing topics in philosophy. Students, professors, and other faculty members of all disciplines and backgrounds are welcome to attend and bring all forms of insight to the topics they wish to discuss.
With a wide diversity in the group, more perspectives and experiences can be shared throughout the evening. It is a main goal of Philosophy Club to create a safe atmosphere for everyone attending to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
Each week, the club decides on a reading that could range from the ethics of Aristotle and Socrates to the rationalism of Descartes and Leibniz as a starting point, a topic-generator, and a way to build a philosophical common ground between club members. The majority of these texts are available for free from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy online. Participants are encouraged not to stick with whatever readings the club is interested in at a moment, and should feel free to read, interpret, and compare
Additionally, videos that include everything from Philosophy Tube’s Olly Lennard to podcasts from shows like Welcome to Night Vale are shown and discussed. At Philosophy Club, the medium of expression is not always as important as the expression itself.
In years past, the club has taken trips to Longwood Gardens for a relaxation day away from university life. The club also tries to find local conferences in its discipline to attend to share and enjoy the work and research carried out by students, often that of West Chester.
Perhaps you are asking yourself something along the lines of: do I need to be well-versed in the nominalism of universals in order to attend? The answer: absolutely not! Whatever Philosophy Club discusses serves as a starting point, and as it stands, only half of the current executive board is a philosophy major. Here at Philosophy Club, we want to create the most amicable atmosphere possible.
If you have any questions, you can email me, the club’s president, at JH791223@wcupa.edu. Hopefully, I’ll see you in the Fall semester to join us in a philosophical pondering!
Jeffrey Holmes is a fourth-year student double-majoring in English and philosophy. He can be reached at JH791223@wcupa.edu.