2020 AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION OF PHILOSOPHY PHILOSOTHON (AAPP)

STUDENTS INFORMATION KITS

Congratulations on being selected to represent your school in the 2020 AAP Philosothon. The following information is designed to help you as you prepare for the event. Your school has entered a team of 8 students.

• As a result of Covid 19 restrictions we have decided to run this year’s Australasian Philosothon online using Zoom technology. While the structure of the event remains exactly the same as in previous years there will be important differences to previous Australasian Philosothons.

• We will not be asking students to submit questions beforehand, but students will need to arrive at the event with a question prepared. Questions should be based on the Stimulus material provided. Open ended philosophical questions will be most welcomed.

• There are 20 schools entered in the 2020 Australasian Philosothon. • You can find the stimulus material and other resources for the 2020 Australasian Philosothon online at; https://philosothon.org/2020AustralasianPhilosothon/Resources1.html

• These resources are not intended to be exhaustive but rather provide a starting point for the discussions throughout the event. Students will need to familiarise themselves with the resource material beforehand.

• We will use a Zoom format on the day and so students email addresses will need to be registered. We will send you an invitation to register one month before the event. It is important that you register as the groups are pre-assigned and based on registered participants.

• The only difference between an online Philosothon and one held face to face is that you are not sitting in a circle but in front of a screen. All the other rules and propocals apply. See article at the end of this handout.

• There is no expectation on students that they will have studied Philosophy before or after participating in the Philosothon.

• During the event students will have the opportunity to observe other COIs. It is vital that people do not distract or disrupt a COI in any way.

• All students attending the Philosothon will need to be in their respective school uniform for each COI.

Event Details:

(Please adjust the time according to your location)

29th September- Day 1- Starting at 8 am Perth/9.30am Adelaide/ 10.00am AEST/1pm NZST-Total time four hours) • 8 am - 8.30 am AWST Welcome and Introductions • 8.30 am - 9.10 am AWST COI 1 (Seniors) • 9.20 - 9.50 am AWST COI 1 (Juniors) • 9.50-10.20- Break • 10.25 am- 11.05 am AWST COI 2 (Seniors) • 11.15am -11.55 am AWST COI 2 (Juniors) • 11.55 pm-12.10 pm- AWST Housekeeping Finish time- 12.10 pm Perth/1.40pm Adelaide/ 2.10 pm AEST/ 5.10pm NZST

30th September- Day 2- Starting at 8 am Perth/9.30am Adelaide/ 10.00am AEST/1pm NZST-Total time four hours) • 8 am - 8.30 am AWST Introductions • 8.30 am - 9.10 am AWST COI 3 (Seniors) • 9.20 - 9.50 am AWST COI 3 (Juniors) • 9.50-10.20- Break • 10.25 am- 11.05 am AWST COI 4 (Seniors) • 11.15am -11.55 am AWST COI 4 (Juniors) • 11.55 am-12.10- AWST Housekeeping Finish time- 12.10 pm Perth/1.40pm Adelaide/ 2.10 pm AEST/ 5.10pm NZST

Participating Schools

Churchie QLD Our Lady of Mercy College WA

Hamilton Girls High School NZ PLC (Armidale) NSW

Kind David School VIC Scotch College WA

Kinross Wolaroi School NSW SA

Lindisfarne NSW St Andrews Cathedral School NSW

Loreto College VIC St Ignatius College SA

MacKillop College Port Macquarie. NSW St Peters Girls School SA

Mentone Grammar School VIC Telopea Park High School/Narrabunda College ACT ACT NZ Nth Sydney Girls School NSW Wesley College VIC

FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE PHILOSOTHON

During the Australasian Philosothon there will be eight Communities of Inquiry over the two days. Like last year we are running the COI’s from the very beginning of the program, on the first day, through to the end of the program on Thursday. Each student will participate in four COIs and all four will be graded. Like last year junior students will have an opportunity to observe COIs during the Australasian Philosothon. Each graded COI will be 40 minutes long. There will be eight groups meeting at any one time, all eight groups will be dealing with the same topic. Students will remain in age level groups (14yrs & 15yrs, 16yrs & Open) for their first two assessed Communities of Inquiry and then for the final two sessions the year levels will be mixed up. Each graded Community of Inquiry will be assigned a facilitator to co-ordinate the discussion and a judge will award marks using the attached criteria. Each participant in the Community of Inquiry will be marked separately, and these marks will contribute towards a final School score but will also be tallied to decide Year level medals. Individual medals will also be awarded to year level winners and a book voucher for the most promising philosopher. The attached marking regime will be used by the judging panel and the panel consists of subject specialists in the area of Philosophy.

Recognition Award Information

A magnificent trophy will be awarded to the winning school at the end of the Australasian Philosothon and medals awarded to various age categories. These will be posted to the participating schools in order that schools can award these in an assembly. A $200 book voucher has also been donated by the Australasian Association for Philosophy and will be awarded to the most promising philosopher over the three days. The top three schools will also receive a year’s subscription to Philosophy Now. Students will be awarded medals if ranked 1st, 2nd or 3rd in their age division and school ranking.

Topics for the Communities of Inquiry:

2020 Philosothon Topics

1. The Trolley Problem and Implications

2. The Case of the Four Causes

3. Sorry Mr Spock Science & Emotion Are Not Only Compatible They’re Inseparable

4. Philosophical Scepticism

www.philosothon.net

Students will go through this stimulus material and design an open-ended question which will be read out at the start of each COI. ______

Contact Details

Organisers Matthew Wills - [email protected]

Dr Karen Bland - [email protected]

Basic Guidelines for an online Philosophical Community of Inquiry

• You will be invited to enter a breakout room. Note: some students will be observing and others participating in the COI. • When invited by the facilitator please enter your question in the “Chat Forum” (Cut and paste it) • Make sure your camera is on and microphone off. And that you are seated far enough from your camera so that your upper torso is visible. (Not just a head shot) • Be prepared for a discussion. When you are invited to speak turn your microphone on. (after you have chosen the next speak turn your mic off) • There is to be no reference to notes. (Judges will mark students down if they are reading pre-prepared notes.) • Keep your contribution as brief as possible and do not make multiple points, questions and or illustrations. • If you want to speak you put your “hand up • The last person to speak chooses the next person to speak. • There is a need to ask questions rather than make statements. • Deep listening is integral to the process • Give reasons for your position • Check assumptions, reasoning, evidence – your own as well as others • Define and discuss points of difference as well as points of agreement • Ask others for reasons, definitions, evidences, examples assumptions if necessary. • Admit when you disagree with something that you may have thought earlier. • The facilitator will ask people to finish Remember Sense of community is essential All opinions are respected but you do not have to agree with every position. The discussion makes the pathway not a leader Differences are a fundamental part of the process Accept that others may disagree with you Conflict and mistakes made in good faith are to be seen as opportunities for learning and growth. This is a thinking process that can challenge assumptions and preconceived ideas It may be that you need to change your mind It is NOT about winning an argument. It is about thinking more deeply about matters of importance to you as a member of the community. ALL CHALLENGES ARE TO IDEAS EXPRESSED AND NOT TO THE PEOPLE EXPRESSING THE IDEAS

Philosothon Community of Inquiry marking key

The following marking key will be used for the Philosothon. It is an updated version of the marking key originally developed by Professor Stephan Millett to assess student participation and performance in the Community of Inquiry. Note each section is graded out of 10.