London Philosophy Collective

Connecting people into Philosophy. All welcome. No previous philosophical experience needed.

What it is

Philosophy in the Park is a fun and friendly space for people to come together and have discussions that get deep. It’s a safe space where active creative thinking is encouraged and enjoyed, and where everyone can explore abstract concepts in a way that combines both sincerity and playfulness. Where the most important question is always - what do you think?

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy is about analysing concepts. It's thinking about thinking. It's not about empiricism or the physical world (eg Science and statistics). It's about abstractions, concepts and ideas (eg Identity, Morality, Mind and Truth).

How Philosophy in the Park Works

• Each hour begins with a group vote on which questions to discuss. You can vote for more than one question if you'd like.
• We then break out into groups, each focusing on one of the chosen questions. The question is just a starting point and it's cool if you go on tangents and end up talking about different things. You're welcome to join in and participate or if you'd prefer to sit back and enjoy the conversation, that’s also welcome.
• After an hour we regroup, take a quick break and then repeat all over again. So across the 3 hours, we’ll break out 3 times.

Where it is

We meet at Baroness Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain in Victoria Park (East Park). It is marked down as "13" on the official maps found in the park.

Please feel free to bring snacks and drinks with you if you want.
After the event finishes most people stay and hang out. There’s a local supermarket to get drinks and snacks, or bring your own. You are very welcome to join us.

Guidelines

In order to make the conversations as fun, interesting and productive as possible please follow these simple guidelines:

1. Keep it Philosophical
   (No Science, no History, no Sociology, no Evolutionary Psychology, no contestable facts, personal anecdotes etc).
2. Think for Yourself
   (No phones, no looking up definitions, no name dropping Philosophers / books you've read).
3. Tangents are Cool
   (Don't worry too much if the subject drifts and you don't answer the question).
4. Keep it Succinct
   (Like this).
5. Be Excellent to Each Other
   (But of course).

Please remember: It's not about debating and trying to win - it's about listening to people and working collaboratively to increase our collective understanding.

Community

We have a WhatsApp group if you'd like to continue these conversations between meetings.

Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological horror thriller film directed by Darren Aronofsky from a screenplay by Mark Heyman, John McLaughlin, and Andres Heinz, based on a story by Heinz. The film stars Natalie Portman in the lead role, with Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder in supporting roles. The plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake by the company of New York City Ballet. The production requires a ballerina to play the innocent and fragile White Swan, for which the committed dancer Nina Sayers (Portman) is a perfect fit, as well as the dark and sensual Black Swan, which are qualities better embodied by the new rival Lily (Kunis). Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the role, causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into madness. The film received five nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director (Aronofsky), with Portman winning Best Actress; it also received four nominations at the 68th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director (Aronofsky), with Portman winning Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. In 2021, Portman's performance was included in The New Yorker's list of the best film performances of the 21st century.

Please note we will not be showing the film at the meeting. Make sure you watch the film before you attend and then come and join in with the conversation. It’s just a discussion. It’s not a screening.

Nightcrawler is a 2014 American neo-noir satirical thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy in his directorial debut. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an unhinged stringer who seeks out violent and morbid events late at night in Los Angeles so he can film them and sell the exclusive footage to a local television news station. The supporting cast includes Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton. It was met with widespread praise, especially Gilroy's screenplay and the performances of Gyllenhaal and Russo. Several critics listed Nightcrawler as one of the best films of 2014 and it received various accolades, including a Best Original Screenplay nomination at the 87th Academy Awards.

Please note we will not be showing the film at the meeting. Make sure you watch the film before you attend and then come and join in with the conversation. It’s just a discussion. It’s not a screening.

Connecting people into Philosophy. All welcome, no previous philosophical experience needed.

What it is

Philosophy in the Park is a fun and friendly space for people to come together and have discussions that get deep. It’s a safe space where active creative thinking is encouraged and enjoyed, and where everyone can explore abstract concepts in a way that combines both sincerity and playfulness. Where the most important question is always - what do you think?

What is Philosophy?

Philosophy is about analysing concepts. It's thinking about thinking. It's not about empiricism or the physical world (eg Science and statistics). It's about abstractions, concepts and ideas (eg Identity, Morality, Mind and Truth).

How Philosophy in the Park Works

• Each hour begins with a group vote on which questions to discuss. You can vote for more than one question if you'd like.
• We then break out into groups, each focusing on one of the chosen questions. The question is just a starting point and it's cool if you go on tangents and end up talking about different things. You're welcome to join in and participate or if you'd prefer to sit back and enjoy the conversation, that’s also welcome.
• After an hour we regroup, take a quick break and then repeat all over again. So across the 3 hours, we’ll break out 3 times.

Where it is

We meet at Baroness Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain in Victoria Park (East Park). It is marked down as "13" on the official maps found in the park.

Please feel free to bring snacks and drinks with you if you want.
After the event finishes most people stay and hang out. There’s a local supermarket to get drinks and snacks, or bring your own. You are very welcome to join us.

Guidelines

In order to make the conversations as fun, interesting and productive as possible please follow these simple guidelines:

1. Keep it Philosophical
   (No Science, no History, no Sociology, no Evolutionary Psychology, no contestable facts, personal anecdotes etc).
2. Think for Yourself
   (No phones, no looking up definitions, no name dropping Philosophers / books you've read).
3. Tangents are Cool
   (Don't worry too much if the subject drifts and you don't answer the question).
4. Keep it Succinct
   (Like this).
5. Be Excellent to Each Other
   (But of course).

Please remember: It's not about debating and trying to win - it's about listening to people and working collaboratively to increase our collective understanding.

Community

We have a WhatsApp group if you'd like to continue these conversations between meetings.