In Egan Hall, thinking enthusiasts and lovers of wisdom joined Dr. Rashad Rehman to launch this year’s Philosophy club.
The event took place in Egan 219, where students gathered for the first seminar of the semester, “Philosophical Poetics,” hosted by Dr. Rehman. The session began with a reading from Plato’s “Gorgias,” sparking a dialogue about the philosopher’s critique of the sophist “Gorgias” and a related clip from renowned psychologist Dr. Jordan B. Peterson.
This first meeting saw a lively discussion about Peterson’s thoughts on whether the question “What is the meaning of life?” is even worth asking.
Bennett Gann, a junior philosophy and writing major, said, “Dr. Rehman has organized a great curriculum that sparks philosophical dialogue. The turnout was larger than expected.”
Dr. Rehman, assistant professor of philosophy and assistant director of the Center for Bioethics, expressed enthusiasm about the club’s new semester. “The Philosophy Club predates me by a long shot,” he said. “But the Philosophy Club has an important role to play in our philosophy department.”
When asked about the club’s name, “Philosophical Poetics,” Dr. Rehman explained, “The title comes from the German philosopher Josef Pieper … it was the title of the theme of a colloquium that he had started in Germany with his students.”
Dr. Rehman elaborated on Pieper’s vision, “[Pieper] said that the sort of the totality of existence just laid before the eyes of all who were involved, whether in the reading of a philosophical dialogue or a poem or a piece of great literature. So this club aims to do something similar.”
He hopes the club will engage students in addressing “the timeless questions asked and discussed in Plato’s dialogues” through colloquium-style approach.
Summing up the club’s intention, Dr. Rehman said, “I think that place where we can go to actually challenge ourselves in a way that’s aimed at the truth of things and also loving. That is, I think, a protected space, and it’s an important space of the university specifically. And so this club aims to foster that very specifically.”
This protected space isn’t limited to the club’s meetings. For those unable to attend, formal discussions can be had anywhere. Groups of wisdom-lovers looking to discuss the deep questions about life, God and the universe, can always repeat what Pieper did and make their own colloquiums, and contribute in their own way to Franciscan intellectual life.
Throughout the semester, the Philosophy Club will continue to explore passages from “Gorgias,” drawing connections between Socrates’ ancient debates with the sophists and contemporary events. The group will also delve into other exciting clips and topics.
The club meets every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 13 p.m., offering students the opportunity for engaging intellectual discourse.