Speed Debating: philosophers in love
Arina Pismenny, a philosophy professor involved with the Society for Women in Philosophy, finds Valentine’s Day a perfect excuse to organize a philosophy event.
As is typically the case, not everyone in SWIP shares the same perspective on the holiday. Maggie Mattinson asserted that Valentine’s Day is “a capitalistic mess,” while Megan Behan and Alex Bullock confessed their love for Valentine’s Day despite agreeing, to a certain extent, with Mattinson’s passionate stance.
Other SWIP members, like Emilia Clark, and Rachel Robison-Greene, also a professor of philosophy, were somewhere in the middle of the love-hate spectrum.
This diversity of opinions will make for some lively discussions at SWIP’s Valentine’s Day event on February 15.
Pismenny explained that the event, which is called Speed Debating: Philosophers in Love, will be modeled after speed dating. Participants will be able to have philosophical discussions about love. “So, for example, is love real? Is love a kind of madness? What is the difference between romantic love and friendship? Do soulmates exist? Is love gendered? Just to give a taste of some of the questions,” Pismenny said.
There will also be Valentine’s Day treats and chances to win prizes.
One key purpose of this event is to give life to the otherwise drab connotation of the phrase “philosophical discussion.” Members of SWIP want to help students know that it isn’t, in Bullock’s words, “just a bunch of dudes with beards arguing about stupid things.”
Instead, SWIP hopes that people will walk away from the event feeling as Behan does: that casual debate can be fun.
SWIP keeps its conversations focused on what interests students, making for dynamic debates on a regular basis. Love is a universally relevant topic, and Valentine’s Day serves as a catalyst for discussion.
“[Love is] something that we are aware of every day, but we don’t necessarily reflect on it philosophically in a systematic way, in this critical way, so I think this will be a good opportunity to ask some of these questions,” said Pismenny.
Some topics up for debate will “cause you to be more introspective,” said Bullock. “It’s attractive because it’s an opportunity for intellectual stimulation.”
Though event will be “date-appropriate,” Pismenny said a date is definitely not required.
However, Bullock feels that this is an ideal event for a date. “I don’t think there’s anything that could be more romantic than you and your significant other coming to this and being like, ‘we have no idea what love is!’ And then you embark on a journey to discover love together,” she said.
Clark also felt that people shouldn’t be shy about having these kinds of conversations with their loved ones. “If our teachings about love are ruining your relationships,” she said, “then they are ruined to begin with. We’re saving you!”
“There’s no guarantees,” Pismenny said when asked what students might learn concerning love. “It might be that they find out that they have no idea, or they might find out that actually what they think is incoherent, or maybe that love is incoherent! Or maybe you’ll discover something about your romantic worldview that will reinforce your relationship and help you make a deeper connection with your loved one.”
With activities such as these, SWIP aims to instill a love of philosophy in those who participate. The members hope to help people of all backgrounds feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, ideas, and opinions.
“In general, presenting your ideas and doing that in a concise way and a confident way is hard,” Clark said. “No matter what your profession is, it’ll help you overcome stuff like that.”
Behan similarly feels that philosophy and debate are practical skills that are “worth investing in.”
Pismenny said the major goal of SWIP is to “provide conditions for networking and also for an intellectual environment that makes people, particularly women, feel more comfortable discussing ideas and voicing their opinions more freely than what they might otherwise feel constrained to do in other contexts and other circumstances.”
Professor Robison-Greene admitted that philosophy can be “aggressive,” but added her support of SWIP as a community that supports the development of women who can express their views without “competing against one another.”
“We can exist in a cooperative environment where we’re building each other,” she said.
To meet these goals, the Valentine’s Day Speed Debating activity will be rooted in inclusiveness, gratifying discussion, invigorating debate, and relevant material, all for enjoyment.
Speed Debating: Philosophers in Love will be held Friday, February 15 at 4 p.m. in Old Main 304.
To learn more about philosophy at USU, visit https://usuphilosophy.com/
—sladeabigail@aggiemail.usu.edu