About us

The Romanian Association of Philosophical and Ethical Counseling

organise in Timișoara – Romania

The 17th International Conference on Philosophical Practice

 „Sophia, counseling and intercultural approach to philosophical practice„

having PARTNERS:

Romanian Academy, Timișoara Branch & CRIFST Timișoara

Polytechnic University, Timișoara & PoliCom

„Aurel Vlaicu” University, Arad

French Institute Timisoara

 

In philosophical practice, the “academic” model, centered around the presence of the self-sufficient philosopher as the first reality of philosophy, is relegated to a subsidiary, informing, philosophical level. The modus philosophandi in which inquiry is a solitary contemplative process is replaced with modes of thinking inspired by the pragmatist belief that only in communication philosophy – constituted as co-philosophizing – acquires authentic reality. This relatively recently rediscovered attitude is also deeply rooted in dialectic as defined by Aristotle, which demands the presence of fellow co-inquirers – as lovers of sophia – with whom one establishes the shared points in an argumentation, and understands their community element as a major type of philosophical companionship.

Timisoara is the capital of a region known as one of the most diverse ethnic, religious and cultural melting pots of Europe, a crossroads and a bridging land between Central, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, where nearly 20 ethno-linguistic groups live or lived together peacefully over the centuries. This multiculturalism allowed mutual acceptance and cooperation and laid the groundwork for intercultural dialogue and brought Timisoara the title of European Capital of Culture for 2023. As in philosophical counseling and consultancy meanings do not pre-exist dialogue, we are confident that there are very few places in the world where the century-old heritage diversity can better fuel the philosophical practice debates inspired by interculturality than Timisoara.