Where do you find Philosophers at SMSU?

Usually, tucked away in a storage room, eating Jimmy John’s and discussing everything from the meaning of life to the philosophy of their favorite TV shows.

Every Friday at 12:30, the members of Philosophy club get together in BA 102, a strange-yet-perfect place to gather.  It’s a room with blackboards, a fridge, a few tables, and some random framed French photographs of Onions, or rather, L’Oignon.

A handful of young philosophers gather here, order some Jimmy John’s sandwiches, and discuss, discuss, discuss.  They do thought experiments, such as the following:

You are the last human on Earth.  Before you is the last of a species of enormous tree.  You feel like having a wild end-of-the-world party, and you want to burn the tree as part of the festivities.  Is it okay to do so?

Members then chime in with their opinions.  With the above example, they explore the morality of making another species extinct just for a party.  Does the tree have any value if there are no humans left to appreciate it?

Some other topics of discussion include: free-will vs. predestination, the meaning of life, as well as some less serious topics, such as the philosophy of zombies.  At present, the club doesn’t do any film-viewing events, although they would like to.  Thought provoking films like Fight Club or What the BLEEP do we Know have been viewed in recent years and then talked about in the club.

If you enjoy discussing politics, ethics, science, and religion, you’re welcome to attend.  The meetings have free Jimmy John’s, cookies, and drinks, as long as you’re willing to do some good old questioning, thinking, and discussing.