By NICK McCOY
Tiger Media Network
The Fort Hays Philosophy Program hosted another installment of “Philosopher Café” on Thursday. Taking place at the Paisley Pear Wine Bar and Bistro, the event invited others to come and discuss topics all related to the question “Who Are We?” Ideas such as existence, where our bodies go when we die, and what we classify as living beings were all brought up in discussion.
Rob Byer, an assistant professor of Philosophy for FHSU’s History and Philosophy department, was the host of the event. He explained why students and others should think about who we are.
“For one, it’s just thinking about practical issues, like the nature of death,” Byer said. “It depends on the kind of thing I am. If I’m an organism, there’s a very clear answer to that. If I’m a mind or a brain, it’s a little less clear. There’s all kinds of answers to these questions, and these things are important.”
Byer also explained why social and political issues require us to think about the nature of who we are.
“We think of the applications to social policy,” Byer said. “Things like abortion and euthanasia, all of that requires us to take some position on the nature of who we are and what we are.”
Having started the event, Byer stated the goals for the Philosophy Café event, and what it’s supposed to accomplish.
“It’s public outreach in philosophy,” Byer said. “The purpose is to get philosophy and philosophical questions and discussions out into the county.”
Byer also explains the event is meant for the benefit of both students and non-students alike.
“It’s not to fundraise,” Byer said. “It’s not to enroll students. Philosophy is important for everybody, not just academics or those majoring in it. It’s vitally important for everybody’s life.”
Byer said he hopes those who attend, whether it be students or just members of the community, get something out of this event.
“Everybody is a philosopher,” Byer said. “You have views of the nature of reality, whether God exists, and the like. You have views about ethics, or beliefs as opposed to true knowledge. People have a yearning to know, but often not a location to do it, so this provides a way for them to do so.”
Philosophy Night is an event meant to show how important philosophy is in everyday life, and give a way for students, faculty members, and Hays residents to answer philosophical questions. The next Philosophy Café is slated for Tuesday, October 15th.