A year and a half ago a group of Notre Dame undergraduates formed a philosophy discussion group which developed into the Philosophy Club. This fall, the Student Activities Office recognized the Philosophy Club as one of Notre Dame’s more than 300 official student groups.
The club was established as a result of the hard work of several students, including club president Katie Finley, a senior who plans to pursue graduate studies in philosophy. Finley recalled her surprise to learn that the university did not already have a philosophy club. “Philosophy programs of Notre Dame’s caliber should have accompanying student clubs because they open up a range of opportunities for students,” she said.
This student club meets weekly to discuss texts chosen by its members. Articles are sent out prior to the meetings and vary widely in topic but always offer a philosophical perspective on the issue under discussion.
Part of the club’s mission is to help students see that any subject can be analyzed philosophically to provide an interesting, fresh perspective. Club officers do not require members to familiarize themselves with a list of philosophy jargon in order to attend meetings. According to Finley, the goal of the club is less to endow members with advanced philosophical understanding as it is to “show other students that philosophy isn’t boring and dry but rather applicable to life.”
Thus, the club’s activities extend beyond reading standard philosophical texts. Other Philosophy Club events include movie nights, such as an upcoming showing of Quentin Tarantino’s FIGHT CLUB in DeBartolo Hall on September 2. The club occasionally hosts discussions with Notre Dame philosophy professors as well as visiting professors from other universities.
Nor is the club composed entirely of philosophy majors. Officer Teresa Gorman said that many students “seem to have a preconceived notion that only philosophy majors join the philosophy club, (but) the club in fact has a wide variety of majors, such as computer science, represented in its membership.”
Currently, the club is composed of several undergraduates and one graduate student. It provides an opportunity for fellowship: its officers, for example, attest that they became friends through their mutual efforts to establish the club.
Interested in Philosophy Club? This semester the club meets from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Mondays in Malloy Hall. For more information on tmeetings, movie showings, and other activities, visit their website, www.nd.edu/~philo.
Sophomore Madeline Gillen resides in a luxurious quad in Welsh Family Hall. Contact her at mgillen@nd.edu.
