Café Philo - Warsaw

Café philosophique (or café-philo) is a grassroots forum for philosophical discussion, founded by philosopher Marc Sautet in Paris, France. The subjects discussed at the cafés had a range that varied from the Santa Claus myth to truth to beauty to sex to death. They posed such questions as What is a fact? and Is hope a violent thing? Sautet made the discussions seem fun and exciting. The concept was to bring people together in a public friendly forum where they could discuss ideas. (Wiki)

Here in Warsaw we would like to form a supportive community who are able to discuss and share our own practical wisdom we gained over years of our life. We believe that every human being is able to philosophize the world around us. Our personal philosophies are mostly drawn from our own background. A platform to express it in a multinational and multicultural environment itself is a great treasure of wisdom. Hence we don't have to look like or read  like great philosophers. This platform is for lay men philosophers, though serious philosophers (academic) who may join can provide great insights into our practical wisdom. The more diverse we are in our thinking, the more we are to gain. The group envisages to broaden our mindsets but in a very casual way without any persuasion. The core concept is freedom of expression and speech. The characteristic of the community is a sense of sharing and supporting each other. It also means to grow beyond our own cultural boundaries, think critically and to be able to grow spiritually and live life in its entirety. We would take help of numerous philosophers and guides who have given us enormous wisdom to live beautiful.

Café-philos around the world have a set of rules to be followed to  provide all of us a safe space to share and express. It is a very democratic way of conducting a discussion. I am   posting below  an exemplary charter we may follow after due discussion during the launch of this café-philo. The charter will give clarity about the conduction of Café-philo.  All your creative  ideas about conducting a harmonious discussion are welcome. We would like it to be a  collective. 

All who would like to be a part of it, to share something, to give and take support, to learn from each other are welcome to join. When we have enough numbers to call a meeting we can meet up.

PHILOSOPHICAL CHARTER OF THE SOPHIA NETWORK

DECLARATION ON THE ETHICS AND PRACTICE OF PHILOSOPHICAL DEBATES IN PUBLIC SPACES

The SOPHIA network was created in 1998 by the Aldéran association to promote the development of philosophical debates in public spaces (logistical support, exchange of experience, periodic meetings, collaboration, training, etc.). The SOPHIA network was born from the idea that philo cafes can play a considerable role in bringing philosophy back to the general public, where it is most necessary and most alive, finally freed from academies and specialized circles. The legitimate place of Philosophy is at the center of society. The vocation of the SOPHIA network is to help and connect in a dynamic movement philosophical cafes, thematic cafes, other forms of debate and places of cultural life. The following charter adopted on 12/28/2000 specifies its ethics and its philosophical approach to philo cafes.

PREAMBLE
Considering the development of the phenomenon of philosophical cafes and thematic cafes (scientific cafes, citizen cafes, literary cafes, geographical cafes, poetry cafes, theological cafes, metaphysical cafes, psychos cafes, etc.);
- considering the radical divergences in practices, ethics and philosophical conceptions with regard to philosophical and citizen debates in public spaces;
- considering also the upsurge in the recovery of philosophical cafes by sectarian, religious, political or non-philosophical movements,
- considering the resurgence of economic, technological, political and religious forces leading to human exploitation and the decline of freedoms; the proliferation of racial, sexist, ethnic, religious, cultural, economic and intellectual prejudices which incite hatred, violence and conflict;
- considering that in order to promote the philosophy and the practice of philosophical debates on a world scale, it is necessary that the philo cafes and similar activities which recognize themselves in the principles set out in this Declaration unite;
it is now necessary to specify the ethical, philosophical and practical principles of philo cafes and similar activities in a Unitary Declaration, in order to make the practice of these philosophical debates more coherent and more effective:

Article 1: Philosophy cafés and similar activities are philosophical debates in public places open to all, intended to promote and disseminate philosophy to the public without distinction of social condition, level of study, sex, culture , religion or any other discriminatory element. Philosophy is accessible to everyone, everyone can practice philosophy and everyone has everything to gain in the practice of a philosophical approach.

Article 2: Philosophy cafes and similar activities have the primary mission of providing access to philosophy. The practice of debates is therefore subordinate to this philosophical finality and to the intrinsic aims of philosophy. The second objective of these activities is then to bring philosophy into public places (cafes, libraries, salons, gardens, etc.) in order to bring philosophy back to the heart of public life, in a lively and direct manner.

Article 3: Philosophy cafes and similar activities are places of affirmation and dissemination of philosophy, its humanist ethical values ​​and its specific approach, aiming in particular at the emancipation of the individual, the development, the happiness and human, individual and social progress.

Article 4 : Philosophy cafés and similar activities must shed light on the subjects debated, make them understandable for all, dispel errors, beliefs and prejudices; to lead to think for oneself and to provoke individual reflections likely to lead to concrete applications in human life. Philosophy cafes and similar activities should avoid becoming simply places for discussion, meeting to break loneliness, self-assertion and conviviality.

Article 5: Philosophy cafes and similar activities are not their own purpose. They are one of the many activities of teaching, reflection and practice of philosophy. They should encourage the audience to go beyond the debates and explore the subject in depth through their own reflections, readings, lectures, courses, other debates or any other means.

Article 6: Philosophy cafes and similar activities must be exercised in the respect, defense and promotion of human rights, ways of rational knowledge, truth, free thought, human dignity, tolerance , freedom, democracy, secularism, social justice, solidarity and human fraternity.

Article 7: Philosophy is intrinsically linked to free thought, rational knowledge and scientific progress. Philosophical cafes and similar activities must therefore refuse beliefs, superstitions, political or religious doctrines wrongly assimilated to philosophies, fanaticisms, negationisms of all kinds, fundamentalism, sectarian discourse and all obscurantism.

Article 8: Philosophical cafes and similar activities should be organized in the spirit of the Philosophical Renaissance. The debates must be done by returning to the effective and concrete questions of philosophy; by placing philosophy and the philosophical approach at the center of daily life, of human experience and of the city.

Article 9: Philosophy cafés and similar activities must animate debates in the direction of the modernity of Philosophy; to philosophy as it can be thought and lived today according to the state of human knowledge and the development of humanity, in search of a wisdom of today and not yesterday. The debates should not therefore be monopolized by the history of philosophy, often a matter for specialists and of which many principles are outdated. Philosophical cafes and similar activities should not confuse the history of philosophical thought and scholarship with the true philosophical process.

Article 10: In philo cafes and similar activities, all subjects can be discussed if they are treated in a philosophical way. There are no subjects which are not philosophical; the subjects of society, politics and citizenship are philosophical subjects in their own right. The subjects must be treated in an objective manner, drawing on scientific knowledge, following a logical and rational argument, and making a final confrontation with the touchstone of reality.

Article 11: Philosophy cafes and similar activities are places for open public debate. All participants can take the floor or prefer to listen to the debates if they wish. The only condition is to respect the rules of democratic debate, by discussing ideas and arguments and not people, avoiding personal conflicts and the monopolization of speech, preventing debates from becoming conferences, and above all by listening openly and attentively to everyone's words because truth is no one's monopoly, as are prejudices.

Article 12: Philosophy is a way of financial and personal selflessness. The animators are therefore at the service of the public and not the other way around. Facilitators should be volunteers, not seeking glory or vanity in their role, nor playing the masters or gurus. The same goes for audience speakers.

Article 13: The deliberate and repeated non-respect of the principles set out in the articles of this Declaration may result in exclusion from the network.

INDICATIVE CHARTER ON PRACTICAL MODALITIES OF ANIMATION

Article 1: Except in exceptional cases, the subjects must be announced as long as possible in advance so that the public can choose the themes that interest them and above all, in order to be able to prepare by reflecting and documenting themselves in advance on these topics.

Article 2: Except in exceptional cases, the choice of subjects is made in advance in consultation between the presenters and the public, for example by circulating a sheet on which the proposals for subjects are recorded, or by any other means which prevents the facilitators are the only ones to suggest topics. The facilitators must then explain to the audience the reasons for the choice of topics.

Article 3: As far as possible, double animation will be privileged. A speech moderator will take care of the management of speaking times and speakers, and a moderator will take care of the philosophical animation of the debate.

Article 4: The role of the philosophy facilitator is to present the subject, to specify the problem, the ideas and the concepts. At the end of the debate, he must conclude by synthesizing the main ideas expressed by the speakers and by supplementing what was said in the debate.

Article 5: During the debate, the role of the philosophy facilitator is to ensure that the philosophical treatment of the debate and the ideas expressed are respected. The facilitator must prioritize people who have never spoken before.

Article 6: The debates can be supported by the distribution of texts or reference bibliographies. This is to be encouraged whenever possible.

Article 7: The animators must intervene in the debates when they turn to the confrontation of people, to the monopolization of the word or during discriminatory or inadmissible remarks with the fundamental ethical principles of respect and mutual tolerance.

Article 8: The animators must intervene when the debates are diverted to serve as places of ideological or commercial propaganda by political, religious, sectarian or business movements.

Article 9: Philosophy cafes and similar activities must be done in a spirit of disinterestedness and gratuitousness. If the people in charge of the places where the debates take place ask for compulsory consumption or financial participation, the facilitators must explain this before the debates, specifying that this money is not intended for the philo café or its facilitators.

Article 10: In the event that a financial contribution is requested by the café philo or similar activity, it must be modest, non-discriminatory and not be remuneration for the animators. It should only be used to cover any costs (posters, activity programs, reflection materials, sound system, etc.). In the case of philo coffee making the animators come from far away, only travel expenses are payable in the financial participation.

Article 11: In the event that a financial contribution is requested by the café philo or similar activity, accounts must be kept and the accounts must be made public at least once a year or at any request from the participants.

Article 12: Philosophy cafes and similar activities are free in their organization (spontaneous groups, associations, etc.), in the choice of their subjects, their leaders, their places and their internal functioning. The only condition required by the network is to respect the principles set out in the articles of the Ethics Declaration.

Article 13: The functioning of the network will be specified if necessary in an internal regulation adopted by the representatives of the philo cafes and similar activities during the annual assemblies. Additional and complementary articles may be adopted in Complementary Declarations depending on the circumstances or developments unforeseen by this Declaration. 12/28/2000

Drafting committee of the 2000 Declaration under the direction of Roman Wallis (GB - London): Eric Lowen (FR for the café philo “Victor Schoelcher”), John Valmer (USA), Nathan Deward (USA - New-York), Pierre Grégoire (CAN - Quebec), Tiana Nunki (CAN - Quebec), and Hermann Sonnelmann (AUS - Innsbruck).