What is Young Philosophers Club?
Young Philosophers Club is where we think and talk about some of the most interesting and puzzling things in life. Through games, stories and thought experiments you will discover how deep these ideas go.
At Young Philosophers Club there's no such thing as a silly question or answer.
The clubs are led by TPF trained philosophy specialists and if you join you will:
- Learn to unpick challenging, abstract ideas.
- Think critically and independently
- Develop confidence in speaking
- Become better listeners
- Collaborate and manage conflict effectively
- Get a certificate at the end of the course.
- Have fun with philosophy!
We ran the first Young Philosophers Clubs in Autumn 2022, here's what some of the young philosophers who took part had to say about them:
"My daughter was blown away by the sessions as they triggered her imagination and pushed her to develop her own thoughts about different subjects. She can’t wait to do it again."
"She seems to be way more confident than before and she seems to be more interested in things in general and she is not afraid to speak up."
"This is such a unique activity and I would wholeheartedly recommend this to parents with inquisitive students who are looking for something to challenge them."
What and when?
Young Philosophers Clubs will be back in the Summer Term with 2 new clubs:
For 7-11 year olds - Freedom to Think
While philosophers have contested the notion of free will for millennia, the advent of online communication - and its potential for mass manipulation - may make us wonder if our freedom of thought is even more illusory.
In these sessions, using stimuli from ancient myth to modern day, we will explore the notions of freedom and free will. We will also examine the relationship between the stories we tell ourselves and ‘truth’, and consider how narratives and words may shape our perceptions and potentially our thoughts and decisions, before considering these themes in the wider context of online communication and also AI.
Through discussion and inquiry, we will also explore ethical questions around online influence and spend time thinking about thinking, assessing tools that may help us to think more critically so we can navigate through potential misinformation and bias.
This club is for 7-11 year olds and will run for 8 weeks at 5.30 - 6.15pm (UK time) on these dates: 01/05, 08/05, 15/05, 22/05, (no club on 29/05) 05/06, 12/06, 19/06, 26/06.
For 12-16 year olds - Politics Club: Power and Justice
Are you curious about the big questions that define our society? Politics Club is a place where we’ll explore questions like:
????️ Who gets to make the rules, and are they fair?
⚖️ What does justice really mean in today’s world?
???? How should we balance protecting the planet with economic growth?
Through lively discussions, real-world examples, and interactive activities, we’ll challenge ideas, explore different perspectives, and build the skills to think critically about the world around us. If you're keen to debate or simply curious about how society works, come join us!
The club will run for 8 weeks, 5.30 - 6.15pm (UK time) on the following dates: 29/04, 06/05, 13/05, 20/05 (no club on 27/05 for half term), 03/06, 10/06, 17/06, 24/06.
Book your places on the What's On page now!
