Philosothon: A Philosophy Hackathon – Call for Participants

Hey Philosophy Students!

Ever wanted more chances to dive into extended philosophical discussions with your peers? Tired of philosophy being just you, alone with your books and papers? The Philosophy of Technology Group invites you to join our experimental Philosothon – a one-day intensive philosophical collaboration event happening April 7-8, 2025.

What is a Philosothon?

Think of it as a philosophy hackathon – but instead of coding, we're creating philosophical arguments. You'll team up with fellow students to tackle a compelling philosophical theme related to technology. You'll develop ideas together, create a written piece, and present your thinking to a panel of graduate student judges. It's philosophy as a team sport!

Why Participate?

• Break out of solitary philosophical work – Philosophy courses rarely give us the chance to think collaboratively. Here's your opportunity!
• Engage with ideas at the intersection of philosophy and technology – Explore themes like consciousness and AI, digital commons, algorithmic governance, or technological mediation
• Experience philosophy as a creative, generative practice – Not just analyzing others' ideas, but building something together
• Connect with other philosophy students you might not meet in your courses
• Get feedback on your ideas in a low-stakes, supportive environment from graduate students
• Participate in unique workshops including a hands-on session with Pascal Quest technology

Event Details

Monday, April 7:

• 8:30AM: Sign-in and welcome
• 9:00AM: Opening remarks and theme announcement
• 12:00-1:00PM: Philosophy of Technology workshop and lunch
• 6:00-8:00PM: Pascal Quest workshop (limited to one representative per team)
• 11:59PM: Submission deadline

Tuesday, April 8:

• 10:30AM-12:30PM: Team presentations
• 12:30-2:00PM: Discussion, feedback, and closing

Location: Bahen Atrium

How Teams Work

We believe philosophy is enriched through diverse perspectives. Our matchmaking process is designed with this in mind. When you sign up, you'll tell us whether you'd prefer teammates with similar philosophical interests or different ones. Maybe you want to dive deep with someone who shares your passion for phenomenology, or perhaps you'd benefit more from the creative friction of working with someone from a different philosophical tradition.

Upper-year students can opt to mentor newer philosophy students (and we hope you will!), while first or second years can request to be paired with more experienced students. This creates learning opportunities flowing in both directions – fresh perspectives meet developed knowledge.

Teams will be announced by Thursday, April 3rd, giving you time to connect before the event.

Philosophical Themes

The exact theme will be selected through participant voting and revealed at the opening, but might include:

• Minds and Machines: Consciousness Beyond the Human
• Digital Commons: Rethinking Property in Information Space
• Algorithmic Governance: Authority Without Autonomy?
• Technological Singularity: Philosophical Implications of Superintelligence
• Extended Perception: Technology and Phenomenological Experience
• Digital Ethics: Beyond Utilitarian Frameworks
• Attention Economies: The Commodification of Consciousness
• Algorithmic Aesthetics: Beauty in the Age of Machine Creation

You'll also help us choose a workshop for Saturday evening, with options like:

• Language Models as Philosophical Objects
• Generative AI Art: Creativity, Authorship, and Aesthetics
• Reinforcement Learning: The Technical Foundations of AI "Creativity"
• Technology as Tool vs Master: Beyond Instrumentalism
• Digital Commons and Information Capitalism
• The Attention Economy: Technical Mechanisms and Philosophical Implications

How to Apply

This is a small trial event limited to 15-30 participants. Simply fill out the sign-up form by Thursday, April 3rd at noon. We'll ask about your interests, experience level, and preferences for teammates and topics. If more people apply than we can accommodate, we'll aim for a diverse mix of participants.

[Google Form Link]

Questions?

Reach out to logan.rooks@mail.utoronto.ca with any questions.

Join us in reimagining how philosophy can be practiced!

Logan Rooks
PCU Tech and Society Liaison
Philosophy of Technology Group