Article: Christopher R. Phillips
Christopher Phillips is an American philosopher and author of several books. He is founder and head of the Society for Philosophical Inquiry (SPI).
Phillips holds a masters degree in philosophy from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
As head of SPI, he travels to various countries hosting informal public meetings called Socratic Cafes, at which philosophical issues are discussed using the Socratic Method. There are currently over 300 of these groups in established worldwide, which are organized by volunteers and meet on a regular basis.
Society for Philosophical Inquiry
editSociety for Philosophical Inquiry website Society for Philosophical Inquiry
Board Members
- Matthew Lipman
- Robert Coles
- Roy J. Nirschel, PhD, president of Roger Williams University
- Jacob Needleman
Socrates cafes
editWritings
edit- Philosopher's Club (ISBN 1582460396)
- Six Questions of Socrates (ISBN 039332298X)
- Socrates cafe : a fresh taste of philosophy (ISBN 0393326799) amazon
Category:American Philosophers
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Socrates taken to the masses USA Today excerpt -
The somewhat surreal scene is actually a dream come true for Phillips, who held his first "cafe" back in Montclair, N.J., in 1996 when his marriage, his career and his life were all falling apart. He was looking for answers.
"My plan was to just have one, then move on," says Phillips, who holds a master's degree in philosophy from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
"But then I started going wherever people would invite me."
Over the years, the former writer for Parade magazine turned his desire to bring philosophy to the masses into a full-time job, founding the Society for Philosophical Inquiry. He has even been called the Johnny Appleseed of philosophy.
More than 300 active Socrates Cafes now operate around the world, twice as many as before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Phillips isn't surprised: He says people are looking for answers in an increasingly complex world.