Workshop: Experiencing the Café-philo
This workshop consists in a practical application of the group method termed the café philosophique or the café-philo. This method is thought of as offering a space for philosophical debates opened to anyone who wants to participate. The idea behind this concept is to make philosophy accessible to everyone. This seminar/workshop is aimed at providing an experience of one of the group methods in philosophical counselling, that allows for a more informal debate about various topic of philosophical importance. Some theoretical information on the method employed, its rules and regulations, and about the topic at hand will be provided at the beginning of the workshop, but the main part of it will consist on experiential learning. The theme this workshop will be built on is that of philosophical counselling and its capacity to serve as an instrument in the alienating effect technology seems to be having on the human being.
Bio: Adriana Vlaicu, PhD student at the West University of Timisoara, where I am doing my thesis on the theme of Alienation, Technology and Higher Education. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Philosophical Counselling and Consultancy, both from West University of Timisoara. During my PhD, I have taught Philosophical Propaedeutics, Philosophy of Culture, Philosophy of History, Axiology, Romanian Philosophy and last, but not least Introduction to Philosophical Counselling. My interest in philosophical counselling is especially related to group methods, such as the café-philo, the community of inquiry or the Socratic walk.