Looking ahead to my first philosophical symposium

2025-02-02

This week I will attend my first philosophical symposium. This is a symposium in the original sense of the word: joint drinking. The event will be held at a local tavern. All the usual food and drinks will be on offer.

The owner of the tavern sees this as both a business opportunity to draw customers on a weekday and as a way to promote culture. From my side, I appreciate the chance to be close to people and to do philosophy face-to-face with them. This is how I like it because I strongly believe that philosophy is not limited to academics or elitist circles: it belongs to the people and thus the tavern is among the best places to talk in public.

I will provide a brief introduction and then give the stage to an open discussion. We do not yet know how this will develop, though the idea is for people to raise their points and/or ask questions. The rest will follow from there. I am confident everything will be fine. If people do not have anything to say, I will happily elaborate further on my topic.

My talk will be done alla prima, as usual (My ‘alla prima’ method of creativity), and shall be in Greek. I expect to record my opening speech, though I do not know if it will be possible, given that I wish to respect the privacy of the attendants (plus my phone is not good in low light environments). At any rate, this will be an introduction to what philosophy is at the basic level and why the symposium—in its original sense—is an excellent way to put to practice the notion that nobody is special.

So what is philosophy? In short, it is to be a friend of wisdom: to seek it and to cherish it. This is done through deliberate deeds and attempts at clarifying one’s thoughts. It is about leading a life that is thoughtful and consistent. The person who wants to be a friend of wisdom has the courage to think on their own; the courage to proceed through trial and error; the courage to admit to their mistakes and to learn from others. This is why the community is essential: other people help us understand the world and our thoughts, as well as to identify flaws in our judgement.

The symposium helps people learn from each other. I strongly believe that courage is contagious as is any virtue that a person embodies through conduct. People follow the truth of the deed. At the symposium we all sit next to each other, have access to the same food and drinks, and enjoy an equal sitting at the table. We can learn from each other and together muster the strength to push on with our lives, striving for excellence in every field of endeavour.

At the tavern we get to hear about the life experiences of our peers. Everybody faces specific challenges and they must all apply practical reason to achieve their goals. Just as the person who runs the tavern tries to serve the best possible meal, so must each of us push their art to its completion, to the best of one’s abilities. By holding such meetings, we offer ourselves the chance to talk about the general themes that are common to the multitude of our otherwise diverse affairs. Though we not only draw inspiration and try to improve on what we have, but we also come closer as people. There is a stronger sense of camaraderie between us, which engenders respect, and cultivates humility.

If I manage to record the event or at least the opening part of it, I will post the video here. Otherwise, I will give the same talk in English (well, “the same” is figurative given alla prima).