Philosothon
Promoting critical thinking, creative thinking and collaboration skills
2023 Philosothon
Congratulations to:
Overall Schools
1st Merici College (ACT)
2nd Guildford Grammar School (WA)
3rd Meriden School (NSW)
Overall Students – Year 8
1st Isabel WISE Loreto College Ballarat (VIC)
2nd Leah SHOEBRIDGE Merici College (ACT)
3rd Daniel HAINSWORTH Guildford Grammar School (WA)
Overall Students – Year 9
1st Zoe CRACK Loreto College Ballarat (VIC)
2nd Agelina TRAN St Peters Girls School (SA)
3rd Madeleine MCCONNELL-GRIFFITHS Merici College (ACT)
Overall Students – Year 10
1st Ione VILLARIAS Willetton Senior High School (WA)
2nd Zoe VANDERSEE Toowoomba Christian College (QLD)
3rd Calvin NEWLING St Andrews Cathedral School (NSW)
Overall Students – Year 11
1st Gabrielle SHOEBRIDGE Merici College (ACT)
2nd Georgia HALSTEAD Loreto College Ballarat (VIC)
3rd Lois ARTHURSON St Andrews Cathedral School (NSW)
Overall Students – Year 12
1st Anjali KAILASANATHAN Meriden School (NSW)
2nd Ann CHALAKKAL Loreto College Ballarat (VIC)
3rd Finlay MCLEAN Guildford Grammar School (WA)
MOST PROMISING PHILOSOPHER Awards
FEMALE Qi Qi LIU (Year 11) Willetton
MALE Benny TANG (Year 11) Guildford
2023 Australasian Philosothon was held in a hybrid format on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th September 2023.
The face-to-face event was hosted by the team at the Critical Thinking Project, University of Queensland, and the online event by a team of philosophy academics and postgraduates at the University of Western Australia. The two events ran concurrently, with hybrid ‘meet-ups’ at the start and end of each day and during the ‘conversations with a philosopher’. Together this event was a wonderful experience for students, affording them an opportunity to engage with other outstanding students from throughout Australasia.
The purpose of a hybrid event is to afford accessibility, diversity, and increase in capacity of participation in the Australasian Philosothon. Schools can choose to return to pre-Covid19 in person interactions or remain online via Zoom. A lecture hall at UQ formed the hub of the event, creating a hybrid space for interaction and conversation, and allowing for the promotion of philosophical excellence in even more schools.
As per previous years, PiCC has expanded the number of ways that a school can qualify for the Australasian Philosothon. You will be receiving this invitation if your school qualified at a local event in 2022, or if the inclusion of your school increases the Australasian Philosothon’s overall diversity – be it socio-economic, public rather than private, or by location, be it regional or beyond Australian borders.
Each breakout room had 8 students with a teacher from each of the participating schools facilitating the discussion. Philosophy academics and pedagogues judged the inquiries. There were 1st – 3rd places for the overall school winners and each of the year levels. The AAP also awarded two Most Promising Philosophers. Each participating school sent a team consisting of a student from each of the year levels: 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12.
Special thanks for the support and sponsorship of the AAP and the members of PiCC. Email philosothon@aap.org.au if you have any questions.
Dr. Kaz Bland
Lecturer, UWA
Project Manager, AAPP
2022 AAP Australasian Philosothon
19 – 20 August 2022
Daily Schedule: Start: Perth 8:00 am / Adelaide 9:30 am / AEST 10:00 am / NZST 12:00 pm
Finish: Perth 12:00 pm / Adelaide 1:30 pm / AEST 2:00 pm / NZST 4:00 pm
The Australasian Association of Philosophy’s (AAP) Philosophy in Community Committee (PiCC) cordially invites you to the Australasian Philosothon to be held online on the 19th and 20th August 2022. As the organiser for the Australasian Philosothon this year, I am working closely with PiCC, convened by Professor Rob Wilson of the University of Western Australia, and project officer Monty Campbell. Together we can make this event a wonderful experience for your students, affording them an opportunity to engage with other outstanding students from throughout Australasia.
After our successful shift to the online format in 2020 and due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the 2022 Australasian Philosothon will once again be held via Zoom. The move online has enabled greater access and an increase in capacity, which in turn allows for the promotion of philosophical excellence in even more schools. As there were less local Philosothons in 2021, again due to COVID-19, PiCC has expanded the number of ways that a school can qualify for the Australasian Philosothon. You will be receiving this invitation if your school qualified at a local event in 2021, or if the inclusion of your school increases the Australasian Philosothon’s overall diversity – be it socio-economic, public rather than private, or by location, be it regional or beyond Australian borders.
Each breakout room will have 8 students with a teacher from each of the participating schools facilitating the discussion. Philosophy academics and pedagogues will judge the inquiries. There will be 1st – 3rd places for the overall school winners and each of the junior (years 8-9) and senior levels (years 10-12). Each participating school will send a team consisting of two junior students and three senior students. One reserve can also be chosen. Junior students can compete up, however senior students cannot compete down.
Dr. Kaz Bland
Associate Lecturer, UWA
Project Manager, AAPP
Tracy Bowell: Getting started in philosophy
Professor Tracy Bowell in conversation with Professor Rob Wilson
Andrew Rogers in conversation with Professor Rob Wilson
What is philosophy good for and living a philosophical life.
Professor Deb Brown in conversation with Rob Wilson as part of the 2021 AAP Philosothon.