The NLCS recently held its eleventh yearly philosophy conference this week. The event was enjoyed by Sixth Form philosophy students from NLCS, along with their peers from the London Academy of Excellence, Bentley Wood, and QE Boys. The day was filled with intriguing lectures delivered by respected scholars. This article will provide a short summary on philosophical topics ranging from the mysteries of metaphysics and time travel by delving into the grandfather paradox, women's virtue, navigating nihilism and faith and the impact of socratic questioning in understanding the world.

 

Olivia Coombes embarked on an in-depth exploration of philosophy at Edinburgh University, with a specific focus on metaphysics as well as the philosophical aspects of time travel and free will. During her discourse, she delves into the notion that time travel is a subset of the extensive discipline termed metaphysics, advocating for its logical plausibility. Further into her elucidation, she discusses the well-known Grandfather Paradox, questioning whether the concept of time travel instigates paradoxical implications

Dr. Sophia M. Connell, a distinguished senior lecturer of Philosophy at Birkbeck College in London, brings a rich history of academic involvement, including earlier positions held at Cambridge. In her enlightening discourses, Dr. Connell offers profound insights into the contrasting philosophies of Platonism and Aristotelianism, with a particular emphasis on the perception of women's roles within the societal framework of Athens. Of great interest, she draws attention to the teachings of Musonius, who advocated for women's virtue equal to that of men. 

 

The tertiary discourse revolved around Kierkegaard, nihilism, and faith. Dr Alex decrow stated that his central proposition is that an intense acceptance of the enigmatic infinite, or faith as it is understood in his conceptualization of inwardness, can validate our values, infuse them with significance, and bestow purpose to our existence. This, in turn, liberates humanity from the perilous clutches of nihilism. Kierkegaard defines faith as unconditional commitment where you are constantly seeing a sword hanging over a loved one and still loving them

 

Finally, Fiona Leigh discusses whether Socratic questioning can help better our knowledge of the word. The Socratic method uses probing questions in effort to examine the beliefs that shape an individuals views and opinions.