Philosothon

A Philosothon is an annual competition wherein students explore philosophical and ethical issues. Philosothons are held in all Australian states, New Zealand, and the UK.[1][2][3]

At a Philosothon, school-aged students are assessed by university-based professional philosophers and score highly where they demonstrate rigour and clarity of thought. An essential component of a Philosothon is the pedagogical model for teaching Philosophy to young people called Community of inquiry. The event has grown alongside and within the Philosophy for Children movement. Annual Philosothons are held throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The first Australasian Philosothon was held at Cranbrook School, Sydney in 2011[4][5] and the first UK Philosothon was held in 2012 at King's College, Taunton.

2007 Hale School Philosothon Winning school students with trophy

History

In 2007, Hale School in Perth, Western Australia initiated a project to promote higher-order thinking among secondary school students. The Head of Philosophy and Ethics Mr Matthew Wills, created the event to promote student engagement in the study of Philosophy. At the first Philosothon nine local high school teams, each including five students came together for an evening of philosophical investigation. The word 'Philosothon' was invented in the first few years of the event by Matthew Wills and Leanne Rucks.[6][7]

Recent history

Following the first Philosothon it was decided to promote the event more broadly to other schools around the country and later in the UK. Philosothons now take place annually in each Australian capital city and in regional locations around the country. They also take place around the UK and introductory presentations to explain the concept and invite participation are given to teachers at Academy Conferences multiple times each year.[8][9][10] Recently Primary school Philosothons have been conducted in various Art Galleries in some Australian states and in the UK.[11][12] Philosothons are established in regional cities throughout Australia and New Zealand and a similar growth is spearheaded by Academy Conferences in the UK where various regional hubs  are emerging, such as Stowe.[13][14][15]

In 2017 The Templeton Religion Trust awarded $281,656 AUD to the Philosothon project in order to "grow existing Philosothons and support the establishment of new ones, particularly in remote schools and at schools catering for students from low socio-economic backgrounds" in Australasia.[16] Similar funding was awarded to the Ian Ramsey Centre to expand the UK Philosothon initiative in 2019.[17]

As part of the recent expansion of Philosothons in the UK, introductory presentations to teachers have explained the concept at more than 15 Academy Conferences events, as well as ISRSA and NATRE conferences.[18] These presentations have been accompanied by associated outreach work, including the development of a website and more than 500 flash drives so far for distributing introductory and administrative material, generously funded by the Templeton Religion Trust.[19]

A Junior School Philosothon at the Art Gallery of Western Australia

Rationale and process

The rationale for the Philosothon methodology is based on empirical evidence that teaching children reasoning skills early in life greatly improves other cognitive and academic skills and greatly assists learning in general.[20] Students are given the topic questions in advance and some stimulus reading materials.[21]

Examples of topic questions from recent Philosothons are these:

• Is it moral to fake kindness? (Moral Philosophy)
• Do men and woman have different natures? (Metaphysical)
• Do you have free will? (Metaphysical)
• Should you always listen to the opinions of others? (Epistemology)
• How free should speech be? (Political Philosophy)

Students, teachers and parents gather on a particular evening each year for the event. The students participate in a series of Communities of Inquiry which are facilitated by teachers or Phd. philosophy students from the local universities. While participating in this process students are scored by Philosophy lecturers also from local universities. The scores are then collated, ranked and later in the evening awards are given to students at each age level and encouragement awards to the most promising male and female philosopher. Also a trophy is awarded to the winning school.[22]

Criticisms and responses

Some might argue that Philosophy cannot be undertaken in the context of a competition.[23] They believe that by ranking individuals the process of developing a Community of Philosophical Inquiry is fundamentally compromised. However, others have responded that many students forget they are involved in a competition and engage in the exact sort of investigation and collaboration we would hope to see in Philosophy. Others have suggested that the same process is undertaken in any academic institution, tertiary or secondary where students are ranked against criteria. The only difference is that one of the more important criteria in a COI is collaboration.[24]

Winners of the 2011 Australasian Philosothon Christ Church Grammar School

Australasian Philosothon

In July 2011 the Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Associations (FAPSA) agreed to support the first National Philosothon at Cranbrook School. Each Australian state sent three teams (those schools that won in their local Philosothon) and so twelve schools in total arrived in Sydney to participate in the inaugural event.[25][26][27] [28] Each year the Australasian Philosothon is run in a different region in Australasia.[29] In 2019 the eighth Australasian Philosothon was held at Radford College in Canberra. In 2020 the Australasian Philosothon will be hosted online by the Australasian Association of Philosophy (AAP)

United Kingdom

Philosothons have been run in the UK since 2013. Revd. Mark Smith & Julie Arliss from the Philosophy of Religion and Ethics Department at King's College, Taunton, UK, have spearheaded the Philosothon movement in the United Kingdom in collaboration with Dr Michael Lacewing from Heythrop College and Lizzy Lewis from Sapere.[30] Wells Cathedral College won the first event. More recently Philosothons have been developed throughout the UK, promoted at Academy Conferences events and spreading from the UK hub at King’s College, Taunton; with more than 375 attendees in the year 2019-2020 (more events were postponed due to COVID-19).[31][32] Primary School Philosothons have also been hosted by the Philosophy Foundation.[33] Other Philosothons have been held around the UK.[34]

Primary and Middle School Philosothons

In 2012 an inaugural Primary School Philosothon was held at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).[35][36] [37] In 2013 the first WA Primary school Philosothon was hosted by John XXIII College at the Art Gallery of WA. Since then Annual Primary School Philosothons have been conducted in Victoria, WA and the UK.[38]

List of Philosothons

Australia

National events

Australasian Philosothons	First	Second	Third	Host
2011	Christ Church Grammar School[39] (WA)	McKinnon Secondary College (VIC)	Perth College (WA)	Cranbrook School (NSW)
2012	Hale School (WA)	Guildford Grammar School (WA)	Bishop Druitt College (NSW)	AB Paterson College (QLD)
2013	Raffles Girls' School (Singapore)	Wesley College (WA)	Ballarat Grammar School (VIC)	Ballarat Grammar School (VIC)
2014	North Sydney Girls High School (NSW)	Hale School (WA)	Ballarat Grammar School (VIC)	Hale School (WA)
2015	North Sydney Girls High School (NSW)	Scotch College (WA)	Hale School (WA)	North Sydney Girls HS (NSW)[40]
2016	Scotch College (WA)	Hale School (WA)	Anglican Church Grammar School (QLD)	Anglican Church Grammar School (QLD)
2017	North Sydney Girls High School (NSW)	McKinnon Secondary College (VIC)	Hale School (WA)	St Andrews Cathedral School (NSW)
2018	North Sydney Girls High School (NSW)	Seymour College (SA)	Scotch College (WA)	St Peter's College (SA)
2019	North Sydney Girls High School (NSW)	St Andrew's Cathedral School (NSW)	Narrabunda College and Telopea High School (ACT)	Radford College (ACT)

Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territtory Philosothon	First	First Div A	First Div B	Host
2019	Narrabunda College & Telopea Park High School	Canberra Girls Grammar	Merici College	Radford College

Queensland

Queensland Philosothons	First	Second	Third	Host
2010	Anglican Church Grammar School	A.B.Paterson College	St Laurence's College	A.B.Paterson College
2011	Anglican Church Grammar School	Bishop Druitt College	Palm Beach Currumbin High School	A.B.Paterson College
2013 Div A (10-12)	Anglican Church Grammar School	Brisbane State High School & Kelvin Grove State H.S.		St Laurence's College
2013 Div B (7-9)	Cavendish Rd State High School	Brisbane State High School		St Laurence's College
2014 Div A (10-12)	Anglican Church Grammar School	Brisbane State High School	St Laurence's College	University of Queensland
2014 Div B (7-9)	Anglican Church Grammar School	Cavendish Rd SHS	St Laurence's College	University of Queensland
2015 Div A (10-12)	Brisbane State High School	Palm Beach Currumbin State High School	Anglican Church Grammar School and Kelvin Grove State College	University of Queensland
2015 Div B (7-9)	Brisbane State High School	Kenmore State High School	St Laurence's College	University of Queensland
2016 Div A (10-12)	Palm Beach Currumbin	Brisbane Boy's College	Marist College Ashgrove	University of Queensland
2016 Div B (7-9)	Churchie	Kenmore SHS	Marist College Ashgrove	University of Queensland
2017 Div A (10-12)	Palm Beach Currumbin	Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie)	Kenmore SHS	University of Queensland
2017 Div B (7-9)	Hillbrook Anglican School	Centenary SHS	Marist College Ashgrove	University of Queensland
2018 Div A (10-12)	Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie)	Kelvin Grove State High School	Palm Beach Currumbin	University of Queensland
2018 Div B (7-9)	Cavendish Road State High School	Pacific Lutheran College	Stretton State College	University of Queensland
2019 Div A (10-12)	Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie)	Hillbrook Anglican School	Palm Beach Currumbin	University of Queensland
2019 Div B (7-9)	Marist College Ashgrove	Cavendish Rd SHS	Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie)	University of Queensland

New South Wales

NSW Philosothons	First	Second	Third	Host
2009	Ascham School	Cranbrook School		Ascham
2010	Sydney Grammar School	Ascham		Ascham
2011	Sydney Grammar School	St Andrew's Cathedral School		Ascham
2012	Loreto Kiribilli	Sydney Grammar School	St Andrew's Cathedral School & Ascham	Ascham
2013	North Sydney Girls High School	Sydney Grammar School	St Andrew's Cathedral School & Sydney Boys High School	Ascham
2014	North Sydney Girls High School	St Andrew's Cathedral School	Monte San't Angelo Mercy College	Cranbrook School
2015	S.C.E.G.G.S Darlinghurst	Sydney Boys High School	Sydney Girls High School	Cranbrook School
2016	North Sydney Girls High School	Sydney Boys High School	St Andrews Cathedral School	St Andrews Cathedral School
2017	Sydney Girls High School	SCEGGS Darlinghurst	Meriden	St Andrews Cathedral School
2018	North Sydney Girls High School	Meriden	St Patricks Strathfield & St Andrews Cathedral School	St Andrews Cathedral School
2019	North Sydney Girls High School	North Sydney Boys High School	St Andrews Cathedral School	North Sydney Boys High School

Northern NSW Philosothon	First	First Div A	First Div B	Host
2012	Bishop Druitt College	Alstonville High School		Bishop Druitt College
2013	Bishop Druitt College	John Paul College	Lindisfarne Anglican School	Bishop Druitt College
2014	Bishop Druitt College	Bellingen High School	The Armidale School	Bishop Druitt College
2018	MacKillop College, Port Macquarie	Bishop Druitt College	Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School	Bishop Druitt College
2019	MacKillop College, Port Macquarie	Bishop Druitt College	Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School	Bishop Druitt College

Armidale	First	Second	Host
2019	Presbyterian Ladies’ College	The Armidale School	The Armidale School

South Australia

South Australian Philosothon	First	First Div A	First Div B	Host
2017	Seymour College	St Peters Girls School	St Peter's College	Prince Alfred College
2018	St Peters Girls School	Seymour College	Prince Alfred College	Prince Alfred College
2019	St Ignatius College	St Peters Girls School	Seymour College	Prince Alfred College

Victoria

Victorian Philosothons	First	Second	Third	Host
2010	St Leonards College	King David School	McKinnon Secondary College	Ballarat Grammar
2011	McKinnon Secondary College	King David School	Ballarat Grammar School	Ballarat Grammar
2012	Ballarat Grammar School	McKinnon Secondary College	Distance Education Centre of Victoria	Ballarat Grammar
2013	Ballarat Grammar School	Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne	Mill Park Secondary College	Ballarat Grammar
2014	Ballarat Grammar School	McKinnon Secondary College	Star of the Sea College Brighton	Ballarat Grammar
2015	Ballarat Grammar School	King David School	McKinnon Secondary College	Ballarat Grammar
2016	McKinnon Secondary College	Presbyterian Ladies' College	Scotch College, Melbourne	Ballarat Grammar
2017	Sandringham College	Ballarat Grammar School	Upwey High School	Ballarat Grammar
2018	Ballarat Grammar School	King David School	MacRobertson High School	Ballarat Grammar
2019	Wesley College	Mentone Grammar, Melbourne	Loreto College	Wesley College

Western Australia

WA Philosothons	First	Second	Third	Host
2007	Hale School	St Mary's Anglican Girls' School		Hale School
2008	Christ Church Grammar School	Hale School	Perth College	Hale School
2009	Wesley College	Carmel School	Perth Modern School	Hale School
2010	Hale School	Perth College	Christ Church Grammar School	Hale School
2011	Hale School	Guildford Grammar School	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School	Hale School
2012	Carmel School	Guildford Grammar School	Wesley College	Hale School
2013	Iona Presentation College	Perth Modern School	Methodist Ladies' College	Hale School
2014	Scotch College	St Hilda's AGS	Hale School	Hale School
2015	Christ Church Grammar School & Scotch College		Hale School, MLC & PLC	Perth College
2016	Christ Church Grammar School	Willeton Senior High School	Hale School	Perth College
2017	Scotch College	Willeton Senior High School	Christchurch Grammar	Trinity College
2018	Scotch College	Perth College	Wesley College	Trinity College
2019	Scotch College	Christ Church Grammar School	St Mark's Anglican Community School	Trinity College

South West Western Australia

Southern WA Philosothons	First	Second	Third	Host
2014	Georgiana Molloy Anglican School[41]	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School	Bunbury Catholic College	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School
2015	Margaret River Senior High School	Margaret River Senior High School	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School
2016	Margaret River Senior High School	Margaret River Senior High School	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School
2017	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School Gold	Geogiana Molloy Anglican School	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School Blue	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School
2018	Bunbury Catholic College Mercy Campus	Geogiana Molloy Anglican School Diamonds	Geogiana Molloy Anglican School Gold	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School
2019[42]	Bunbury Catholic College Mercy Campus	Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School	Geogiana Molloy Anglican School	Georgiana Molloy Anglican School

New Zealand

New Zealand	First	Second	Host
2018	Hamilton Boys' High School	Waikato Diocesan School	Waikato Diocesan School
2019	Hamilton Boys' High School	Waikato Diocesan School	Waikato Diocesan School

United Kingdom

United Kingdom Philosothons	First	Second	Third	Host
2014	Wells Cathedral School	Bristol Grammar School	Monkton Combe School	King's College, Taunton
2015	Wells Cathedral School	Wellington School	Exeter School	King's College, Taunton[43]
2016	Wellington School	King's College, Taunton	Bristol Grammar School	King's College, Taunton
2017	Bristol Grammar School	Wellington School	Exeter School	King's College, Taunton[44]
2018	Bristol Grammar School	Torquay Girls' Grammar School	Taunton School	King's College, Taunton
2019	Exeter College	Bristol Grammar School	Torquay Girl's Grammar School	King's College, Taunton
2019	Winchester College	Latymer Upper School	Bristol Grammar School	Stowe School

References

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External links

• http://www.philosothon.org
• http://fapsa.org.au
• http://www.philosothon.co.uk/