Teachers College Columbia University: Philosophy for Students – Dialogue to Save the World Recently Updated

Practice the art of philosophical discussion and creation, engaging in dialogue around philosophical topics, such as justice, truth, and beauty. Together, we will create a space where we use philosophy to consider some of the most pressing questions of our time.

The overall goal of this program is to practice the art of philosophical discussion and creation. Enrolled students will spend much of their time engaging in dialogue with one another around philosophical topics, such as justice, truth, and beauty. Together, we will create a space where we use philosophy to consider some of the most pressing questions of our time:

What does justice mean, and how and where can we put it into action?How should we exist given the realities of climate change?How does one’s identity form within a society, and how is society shaped by individuals?What happens when we don’t share a conception of truth?How are we to understand the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and class? What is the purpose of education, and is our society currently fulfilling that purpose?

There is a deep need to discuss these pressing topics—and further yet, a deep need to learn how to dialogue about them—and this program will provide that space.

In addition to dialogue, we will explore the intersection between philosophy and the arts. This will include workshops on philosophy and literature, poetry, film, and improv. Students in the program will also have the opportunity to create a work of philosophy in the form of a zine, a piece of creative writing, or a performance