Philosophers for Humanity had an exciting Fall 2024 semester! With the help of our members, we kicked off the year by voting to support the “WoodGreen Community Services” charity, a charity dedicated to providing free health, housing, and wellnesses services to the Toronto community.
To raise money for WoodGreen, we hosted two fundraiser bake sales. In addition to our fundraisers, we hosted three Panel Discussions and one Ethics Circle to promote philosophical conversations on campus.
Keep scrolling to discover our Autumn updates!
Our 2024 to 2025 Executive Council
In September, we revealed our Executive Council for the 2024-2025 academic year!
Our founder, Salem Kakish, is serving his second year as President, alongside our Vice-President of two years, Gabrielle Bridi.
Our new members include Nikolai van Niekerk and Alexandra Owens as our Events Executives. Ina Bicaj as our Head of Fundraising and Programming. Rosa Caramazza as our Head of Bureaucracy, and Nicole De Jesus as our Head of Media. Nicole’s biggest project this semester was creating this website!
Fundraising Bake Sales
This semester, Philosophers for Humanity held two fundraising bake sales. Our first bake sale occurred in September and our second in November.
We sold treats such as sugar cookies and Choco Pies to raise money for WoodGreen Community Services and we were delighted with the support we received from the UofT community! This semester we raised nearly $100 for charity.
Panel Discussions
Our Panel Discussions involve inviting UofT professors and experts to share their thoughts on exciting philosophical or political topics with students. This semester, we were excited to see how many active students listened and participated in our panel discussions!
Our first panel discussion was on the importance of pursuing the study of philosophy and ethics. Professor Nicholas Stang and Professor James John sat with us to share their thoughts on how philosophy shapes our world.
Our second panel discussion was on the thrilling subject of the ethics of political violence. Professor Natalie Helberg and PhD candidate Kavita Reddy examined the meaning of political violence and if it is ever justified.
We greatly appreciate all the speakers and students who devoted time for participating in our panel discussions.
The Inaugural Ethics Circle
In November, we had our first ever “Ethics Circle”! Ethics Circles are designed as a tool to host open discussions, and even debates, on compelling ethics topics. Our inaugural Ethics Circle was hosted by one of our Events Executives, Nikolai van Niekerk, on the topic of the philosophy of charity and altruism.
Conclusion
Overall, we are extremely pleased with the results of our 2024 Fall semester and we have exciting plans for the upcoming Winter. Remember to follow us on Instagram to hear announcements on events and volunteer opportunities first!