Pinner Philosophy Group

(Harrow, London)

Location and times of sessions

Meets weekly at 10am Wednesdays

Venue: On request to Chairman

3 terms per year: spring, summer, autumn

Approximately 50 members

Further Details

Further details can be obtained from:

The Chairman on 020 8863 8202, email: paul_skidmore@yahoo.co.uk

Term structure

Each term usually consists of one or more philosophy strands.

Recent strands have been:

Philosophy of Mind

Theory of Knowledge (epistemology)

Aesthetics

Political Philosophy

Ethics

In addition, terms often include ‘one-off’ topics occupying one or two sessions. Recent examples are:

Play reading of Copenhagen by Michael Frayn together with presentation and discussion of philosophical questions raised by the play.

Presentation and discussion of the philosophy of individual philosophers, e.g. Pythagoras, Descartes, Rousseau, Kant, Nietzsche, Rawls, Nozick.

Presentation and discussion of key philosophical positions, e.g. phenomenology and logical positivism.

Presentation and discussion of wider philosophical topics in science and mathematics, e.g. special and general relativity and Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem.

Presentation and discussion of topics in religion, e.g. the existence of the soul.

Method of Presentation

Sessions are usually presented by a member of the group with interspersed discussion or by discussion at the end of the presentation.

The presenter may already have an interest in or professional knowledge of the topic. Topics selected for presentation are often based on chapters from one or more recommended books but are often researched in more detail. Group discussion occupies about half the session time.

There is a coffee break of about 15 minutes half way through the session.

Guest Speakers

Each term features one or two talks/lectures by professional philosophers or experts in their fields. Recent talks have been on:

Continental Philosophy

The Aesthetic Theory of Kant

The Penal System

Medical Ethics

The Nature of Time

Group Visits

The Group organises visits to events of philosophical interest. Recent visits or events attended have included: a lecture by Jürgen Habermas; visit to The Enlightenment Exhibition at the British Museum; visit to a Hare Krishna temple; theatre visit to see the play Galileo by Bertold Brecht.

Details of Spring 2020 Programme

The current programme is attached. Where appropriate, links will be made to contemporary issues in art, science, sociology, politics and philosophy.

Wednesday 08/01/20	Review of Autumn Term - reminders and further discusssion	Chaired by David & Peter K
PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION STRAND
Wednesday 15/01/20	A Short History & Introduction to the Philosophy of Education	Linda
Wednesday 22/01/20	● Utilitarian and Existentialist Models of Education ● From the cradle to the grave: we all need to feel included	Peter K Jenny
Wednesday 29/01/20	GUEST SPEAKER: Religious Education, a criticaldiscussion about its past, present and future	John Holroyd
Wednesday 05/02/20	School Systems: Some international comparisons. Which is best and how is the overall structure decided	Thomas & Geraldine
Wednesday 12/02/20	The Curriculum: What should we teach and who decides	Stephen & Irene
Wednesday 19/02/20	HALF TERM
MISCELLANY STRAND
Wednesday 26/02/20	The Physics of Logic	Anton
Wednesday 04/03/20	● ﮳﮳﮳The influence of Eton on UK politics ● Forces impacting on Educational delivery and the dominating factors on discourse in contemporary culture, particularly Art & Design ● How modern secondary schools compare with Plato's vision	Maria Paula Carol
Wednesday 11/03/20	GUEST SPEAKER: Religious Tolerance & Intolerance	Selina O’Grady
Wednesday 18/03/20	The Philosophy behind Complementary & Alternative Medicines	Chizzy
Wednesday 25/03/20	The Philosophy of Disability	Janet
Wednesday 01/04/20	Nanny State, the science of nudging, and the limits of paternalism	Ted

Professor Timothy Chappell spoke to Pinner Philosophy Group on Wednesday, 22nd June 2011 on the subject 'Why Ethics is Hard' Download