Where: Rue de la Course Coffeehouse, 3100 block Magazine St (New), New Orleans, LA
Moderator: Tim MacDonnell, Rhonda Toussaint
What is a Philo Cafe (or Cafe Philo as it is known in Europe)?
Philo Cafes have sprung up throughout the world for the past six years. Originally starting in Paris, France, (1992) with Marc Sautet, Pascal Hardy, and several friends who got together discussing various issues of the day at the now famous Cafe des Phares at the Place de la Bastille, the Cafes have extended to others in Paris and throughout France (about 160 now) as well as internationally (about 70) in countries such as: Japan, USA, Canada, England, South America, Germany, Belgium, etc.)
A Philo Cafe is an organized discussion in a public place which aims to establish a Philosophical exchange, democratically distributing the right to speak among the participants. It strives to induce "philosophic moments", to pass from simple opinion to thought, to analyze communal and understood concepts, and to decode various meanings, resulting in a collective search on a particular subject. The subject comes from the participant�s suggestions in the form of a question and is chosen by the moderator, whose role it is to give guidance and keep the discussion focused on the subject.
Why a Philo Cafe?
Here's the real challenge to philosophy. By inducing debates in the public arena, philosophy sets out to break down people's prejudices based upon general beliefs by inducing them to think critically. Philo Cafes are vital both socially and politically. They provide the "free" space for people to gather together, think things out collectively and individually, away from dominating influences. They also allow people to develop their thinking skills, to start questioning various aspects of life, and to find ways of changing them.
If you are have any further questions about the Philo Cafe, please contact Tim at [email protected].
The Philo Cafe is a public forum open to all inquiring individuals, undergraduate students, critical thinkers, and seekers of inner freedom and truth.
To view our current and past topics, use the link to the right.
(many thanks to philos.org, which provided much of this information)
