Happy World Philosophy Day, everyone!
Today, 18th November 2021, World Philosophy Day is observed. This day is observed on the 3rd Thursday of November every year and promotes the contribution of philosophy to approaching humanity's challenges, increases public recognition of the importance of philosophy and celebrates philosophy's place in academics, through philosophical study and research.
And what better way to promote, increase awareness and celebrate philosophy than through an academic journal?
Here at Ethica, our goal is to do just that. We seek to publish creative contributions to our journal that further philosophical thought. We also seek to make philosophy more engaging and accessible to all through our newly-established blog.
In celebration of World Philosophy Day, we have gathered statements from individuals on the Ethica team sharing what philosophy means to them. Here they are:
✽
“Philosophy is essentially about questioning the assumptions we all make every day. From epistemic questions such as, “What is knowledge?” to metaphysical matters like the “mind-body” problem. Developing my own arguments for the views I hold and reflecting on others’ viewpoints makes philosophy such a unique and fascinating domain.”
Lucy
Editor-in-Chief
“Philosophy, for me, is more than a mindset; it really feels as if it is a part of me—another limb I carry around in my conscience. Philosophy is my vehicle to understand others and empathy is my primary language. My desire to understand others and the world around me is found in partnership with my love of academic discussions and ordinary experiences.
Since a child, I have always been inquisitive, my curiosity to learn new ideas and perspectives enraptured me, then and still to this day. My curiosity is heavily driven through understanding connections between people, ideas, and emotions. Furthermore, how these connections are translated into the way in which we communicate consciously through language, or subconsciously through our environment.”
Ellie
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Communications and Welfare Officer & Editor
“Philosophy, for me, seeks to unify empirical enquiries into human nature and the ethics, morals and values which encompass our society. Philosophy is thus special as it creates a bilinear discourse through which various disciplines develop their theories and ideals under the same framework.”
Ilana
Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Advertisement Officer & Editor
“Whilst others may shy away from thinking about concepts that are unknown and unsettling, I find it liberating to consider ideas and arguments contrary to the preconceptions I hold. This is why I study philosophy at university. Although philosophy is an important intellectual pursuit for me, I believe philosophy is more of an attitude we develop towards life which aids us in making wise, perceptive judgements when the consequences matter. This conviction for insightful reflection is a spark that I want to nurture and pursue through practising philosophy. It is this kind of passion that has built the world we see around us today.”
Emma
Social Media Officer, Web Designer & Blog Manager
“Philosophy allows me to express my opinions and learn more about myself and the world around me. I find it an empowering subject to study.”
Abby
Editor
“Life’s routines can dull your appreciation of the sheer bizarreness of existence. For me, the benefit of studying philosophy is in its ability to wake you from that state and infuse everything with wonder and awe. Even the most basic things do not make sense when you scratch the surface, but gaining the capacity to adopt new perspectives and tackle overwhelming uncertainty stops you taking anything for granted.”
Will R
Editor
“Philosophy is not only a method for rational argument, it is reflection on life and how to live. For me, that is about agape, unconditional love, and agape ethics, the way of life according to which we ought to love all individuals without condition, regardless of their nationality, gender, species, or any other factor.”
Zacharie
Co-Founder of Ethica
✽
We have told you what philosophy means to us, so— what does philosophy mean to you?
On our Instagram we encouraged people to share their own thoughts on the importance of philosophy in their lives, and here are a couple of the responses we received:
“A quest of self-understanding and an understanding of reality”
“An inclusive, never-ending discussion”
“Developing our own understanding of the world”
“Philosophy means making explicit, authentic reasons you have for doing what you do”
Feel free to share in the comments below!
Emma
Social Media Officer, Web Designer and Blog Manager for Ethica