Socrates Cafe founder stresses power of philosophy at Riyadh meet
While so many places are building walls, there are people in Saudi Arabia who want to build bridges: Christopher Phillips
The Riyadh Philosophy Conference has featured a powerful discussion on the power of philosophy to transform humanity by Socrates Cafe founder Christopher Phillips.
Socrates Cafe is an international gathering concept that encourages individuals to come together and explore timeless and timely questions as well as share their viewpoints on different topics. It can be held in any place, from cafes to meeting areas or any space that invites thinkers to share their thoughts.
“There is a beautiful window here (Saudi Arabia) of flourishing desire, almost a hunger for the discovering, cultivating the art of sort of questioning, to look at what speaks for and against a wide variety of views,” Phillips told Arab News.
“At a time when so many places around the world are building walls, not just literal walls, physical walls — walls between one another, existential walls — there are so many people in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East who truly want to build bridges. They want to be less impatient. And they understand that this form of philosophical inquiry is one way to hear somebody out,” he added.
The Saudi Literature, Publishing & Translation Commission is hosting the second edition of the three-day philosophy conference from Dec. 1-3
There is a beautiful window here of flourishing desire, almost a hunger for the discovering, cultivating the art of questioning, to look at what speaks for and against a wide variety of views. at the King Fahd National Library.
Speakers include scientists, writers, historians, professors and philosophers from around the world.
Phillips spoke during the first Riyadh Philosophy Conference and has returned for the second edition to host an inperson Socrates Cafe event that give people the opportunity to interact and explore ideas as well as
different perspectives in a relaxed setting. The Philosophers Cafe will explore questions surrounding the conference’s theme of “Knowledge and Exploration: Space, Time and Humanity.”
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