Philosophical Cafe
The "Philosophical Café", in the Karmeliterhof, is the place where all interested people can join in, discuss, analyze, report, criticize, complement or simply listen. Topics are discussed that are not only of interest to experts, but to many people.
It is a place of understanding where there are no taboos. The goal is to practice such skills and abilities that lead to independent analysis and judgment and encourage independent, critical thinking. On the one hand, interest in politics is to be awakened, and on the other hand, the prerequisites are to be created for seeing through complex interrelationships and acquiring the competence to act in order to actively participate in social processes.
The proposed topics are "moderated" in the "Philosophical Café" by a philosopher (as a questioner in the sense of a Socratic didactic discussion). The guests are confronted with controversial theses. The aim is to create a process in which the dialogue between citizens plays the central role.
Information and registration for the individual events of the Philosophical Café:
kinderphilosophie@aon.at or by phone at 0316/90 370 201.
The "Philosophical Café" is funded by the Austrian Society for Civic Education.
The relationship between politics and science
02.07.2024
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth
Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz
Start 5 pm.
How can science cooperate with politics?
Rarely before has the political need for scientific expertise been so great. Are researchers being listened to more? What about the relationship between those who advise and those who govern? Is there continuous, two-way communication on an equal footing between experts and politicians? As early as 1968, the philosopher Jürgen Habermas dealt with the relationship between those who advise and those who govern. In this workshop we will discuss his models and look for answers.
Free participation!
Registration and request:
please send an e-mail to: office(at)kinderphilosophie.at
or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Why is science important in our lives?
11.06.2024
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth
Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz
Start 5 pm.
Science offers us indispensable tools and plays an important role in our everyday lives. In our dynamic world, we can hardly imagine life without the benefits that science brings us. But are we aware of this? This is shown to us not only by the significant discoveries and developments in medicine, but also by the numerous achievements in the technical field that make our lives easier and help us to work faster or organize better. Science is always faced with new challenges. This is how it changes With digitalization, the art and manner in which knowledge is generated, organized and received. In this workshop we will explore the questions: What role does science play in an increasingly fragmented and digital society? How can science avoid the impression of arbitrariness, despite often different research results? Why is science important for society?
Free participation!
Registration and request:
please send an e-mail to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at
or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
How can we counteract polarization that threatens democracy?
22.05.2024
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth
Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz
Start 5 pm.
It is becoming increasingly easier to get together with groups online and offline who share your own opinions and encourage each other. Current political and social conflict issues are addressed. Especially on social media, anti-democratic actors, initiatives and parties use these opportunities to mobilize people and expand their following. It is often “the lure of authoritarianism,” as Anne Appelbaum, journalist and author, writes in her book of the same name. Convincing people in difficult times with simple answers to complex questions. The question that concerns us above all in this workshop: How do we go along? anti-democratic attitudes and behavior?
Free participation!
Registration and request:
please send an e-mail to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at
or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Dealing with fake news and conspiracy theories is a challenge
12.04.2024
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth
Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz
Start 5 pm.
Fake news and conspiracy theories are making the rounds and are booming. When it comes to spreading false information and using algorithms, aspects of health and climate policy have been at the forefront in recent years. People's insecurities are exploited, emotions are worked with and scientific findings and democratic values are rejected. But what exactly is a conspiracy theory and what distinguishes it from fake news? Why and under what conditions do people believe in conspiracy theories? Who is falling for them and what danger do conspiracy theories pose? And, most importantly, how can we address them? How can you discuss with people who believe in false reports or conspiracy stories?
Free participation!
Registration and request:
please send an e-mail to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at
or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Science communication - what for?
13.02.2024
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth
Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz
Start 5 pm.
The knowledge of experts is more in demand than ever, yet experienced Scientists believe that facts alone are often not convincing. Should scientists communicate differently than before? Is public relations essential when it comes to science? Who should report scientific results? Who are the actors in science communication? How can the general public participate in the topics and findings of research? These and many other questions are at the heart of this philosophical café.
Free participation!
Registration and request:
please send an e-mail to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at
or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
How can false information on climate change be debunked?
09.01.2024
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth
Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz
Start 5 pm.
“Alternative facts” have been enjoying increasing popularity for some time and the topic of climate change also lends itself to this. What is missing from the climate change debate? How can we talk to people about global warming and climate protection? How much is science in the foreground? In this workshop we investigate a lot of information about climate change, debunk disinformation and provide enough facts about climate change.
Free participation!
Registration and request:
please send an e-mail to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at
or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
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Democracy and the rule of law
19.07.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 5:00 p.m.
Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister said "Democracy is not perfect, but it is the best form of government we have." Have we taken democracy and the rule of law for granted for too long? The current crisis shows that liberal society is facing serious problems. Not only because of the turn to illiberalism, populism and nationalism in liberal democracies and the rise of authoritarian powers. The war in Ukraine shows a turning point, it is a war against democracies and freedom. How is it that rights are violated in such a massive and undemocratic way? What does it mean for democratic constitutional states? How do we deal with this existential crisis?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an email to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Democracy and technical surveillance
04.07.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 17.00 hrs.
Technical systems of control and surveillance are finding their way into our everyday lives. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies use digital technologies and Big Data to increase security. They collect, share personal data and violate the fundamental rights of citizens. Comprehensive security pacts are adopted, allowing increased surveillance with facial recognition and access with federal Trojans to cell phones. There seem to be hardly any limits to the technical developments. What impact do these technical systems of control and surveillance have on democracy and democratic coexistence?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an email to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Are Authoritarian Tendencies Undermining Our Democracy?
21.06.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 5.00 p.m.
"A democracy must never become a dictatorship of the majority" emphasizes the philosopher Agnes Heller in an interview. Starting from this quote, we will look at democracy as a model social order, examine authoritarian tendencies, and explore the meanings underlying the concepts of democracy and liberalism. What beliefs and values are authoritative in the consideration of democracies?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an email to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Filter bubbles and echo chambers - their influence on the democratic public sphere
31.05.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 5.00 p.m.
What effects can echo chambers and filter bubbles have on democratic society? The term filter bubble describes the phenomenon that websites and platforms, with the help of appropriate algorithms, mainly show each individual person information and opinions that largely coincide with his/her previous views and interests. As a result, other or contrary opinions are missing from discussion groups. Are we prisoners of our own filter bubble? How can we "get out" of our own filter bubble and escape the presumed negative effects of algorithms?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an email to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Does the Internet have democratic potential or is it becoming a risk for a democratic public sphere?
12.05.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 5.00 p.m.
The internet is changing the political public sphere, discourses and possibilities of participation. Where are the chances and what are the risks? How do political discourses and movements differ in digital and analogue space? What is the greatest sociopolitical challenge of this new public sphere? What is the greatest opportunity of digitization for politics and democracy? What kind of digital and political future do we want to live in? These are just some of the questions we will address in this workshop.
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an email to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
How does democracy succeed?
04.04.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2. floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 5.00 p.m.
Karl Popper, the philosopher of the open society and its enemies, dealt with the question of how an "open society" should be structured. His idea is closely connected with the state form of democracy. The essential point here is that citizens in a democracy are called upon to critically question the holders of power again and again, and that statements of law as well as state institutions are to be subjected to critical examination again and again. Popper defended contemporary democracy, but warned against seeing it as the rule of the people, the rule of the majority. What is essential is the control of power and the possibility of voting the government out without violence. What conditions promote a functioning democracy?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an e-mail to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Democracy and the fight against disinformation
14.03.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 5.00 p.m.
The spread of disinformation and fake news is an ever-growing problem. Fake news is not an invention of the internet age, it has always existed. Today, fake news is understood as "false news spread with manipulative intent." The authors of such deliberately false news are often not people at all, but computer programs called "social bots." They can create sentiment for or against political views and specifically influence public opinion. Spread disinformation, and thus destroy people's trust in certain institutions or democracy itself. How can we see through mechanisms of manipulation?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an e-mail to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
What competencies do we need for democratic coexistence?
02.03.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 3.00 p.m.
Rapid changes and unpredictable crises present us with great challenges. We live in a world in which principles of neoliberalism are spreading more and more and concepts of self-optimization are being forced. Even the private sphere is increasingly made public, subject to processes of competition and market economy. What competencies are needed to participate in and shape a democratic society? Within the framework of this workshop we will deal with the educational considerations of the social philosopher Oskar Negt, among others.
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an email to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
Why democracy needs education
23.02.2023
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 3.00 p.m.
What does democracy have to do with education? What are the prerequisites for a living democracy? These are the questions that philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum explores. In her book "Not for Profit. Why Democracy Needs Education," she criticizes the economization of education and the orientation of our educational systems toward economic growth and profit. Education is increasingly reduced to subjects that are directly related to technologies. Humanities and arts subjects are being pushed back. Does the loss of imagination, critical faculties and empathy endanger democracy?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an email to office(at)kinderphilosophie.at or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
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The state and Corona
07.08.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 4.00 p.m.
In our global world, Covid-19 is spreading rapidly across all national borders. One of the first reactions was for countries to close their borders to protect their own populations and seek regional and national solutions to contain the spread. However, global crises cannot be solved by individual states. How could joint solutions be developed and implemented? How can a global crisis be managed? How should states interact? The workshop will highlight and discuss opportunities and risks of globalization in times of crisis.
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an e-mail or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
The importance of human rights and Covid-19
30.07.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 16.00 hrs.
With human rights, the United Nations has developed an instrument with which states and societies can react to threats and crises in a way that puts people at the center. In the current crisis management, which has the primary goal to protect health and save human lives, extraordinary measures are taken, also fundamental and human rights are directly or indirectly affected. It is in crisis situations that special attention must be paid to people in vulnerable situations, as the crisis exacerbates the vulnerability of those who are least protected. Why are human rights so important in the response to Covid-19?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please email or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
One crisis after another? How will Corona change the world?
11.07.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 16.00 hrs.
The consequences of the Corona pandemic are unclear for all areas of our society, culture, education, economy and politics. A deeper reflection from different perspectives is more important than ever. Throughout history, there have always been new crises and it seems that after one crisis, the next one immediately follows: Corona crisis, economic crisis, democracy crisis, refugee crisis, migration crisis, climate crisis. What is a "crisis" anyway? How can different types of crises be distinguished? What is the significance of crises? How can complex problems be solved? How do we interpret these situations? How will Corona change the world?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please via e-mail or by phone +43 (0)316 90 370 200
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
What are the consequences of the pandemic for democracies?
10.06.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 16.00 hrs.
In times of crisis, politicians* have to take measures and actions quickly and under time pressure in order to lead people out of the crisis in the best possible way. Decisions and risk assessments are often characterized by uncertainty due to a lack of studies and experience. Democracy needs critical attention, especially in exceptional situations that reveal contradictions and contrasts. Crisis situations are used by some heads of state and government to strengthen their authority, gradually dismantle the democratic state and restrict freedoms. What are the implications of the Corona crisis for democracy? How can democracy be lived in times of crisis? What characterizes a functioning democracy?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please via e-mail or by phone +43 (0)316 90 370 200
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
Ethical considerations on the Corona crisis
06.05.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 16.00 hrs.
The Corona Crisis requires important decisions in politics, in health care, but also from each individual. In most cases it is necessary to make trade-offs - from a medical, economic, but also from a social and ethical point of view. In this workshop we open necessary debates on relevant moral questions raised in the context of the Corona crisis: Should the protection of life be given absolute priority among fundamental rights? What does it mean when citizens are asked to share highly sensitive health data under the pretext of security? Were appropriate violence prevention measures used to protect women and children? To what extent were the measures necessary from an economic and socio-political perspective?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an e-mail or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
Language in times of crisis
03.05.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 4.00 p.m.
"Language creates reality", already wrote the philosopher of language Ludwig Wittgenstein. Individual words have a great influence on thinking and acting, therefore words have to be used in a well-considered way. Communication in the Corona crisis has produced new, often previously unknown, technical terms, e.g., social distancing, quarantine, baby elephant, herd immunity, lockdown, etc. Many terms, are used without knowing the exact definition of the concept. How does Corona influence our language? Why do negative statements and information attract greater attention? How can we be more sensitive with language? Examples from politics and the media will be analyzed and questioned in this workshop.
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an e-mail or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
How is our society changing as a result of the Corona pandemic?
22.03.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 4.00 p.m.
Without a doubt, we are in a unique situation. We are all clearly feeling the effects of the Corona pandemic, as it affects all areas of our personal lives. The consequences of the Corona pandemic are unclear for all areas of our society, culture, education, economy and politics. But political and economic systems, the rule of law, and the health care system are also affected. Social inequalities are becoming more visible and further amplified. Corona primarily affects people at the margins of society, for example in refugee camps. So the Corona pandemic is not just affecting us and our health, but reinforcing poverty, nationalism, and authoritarianism. Thinking more deeply from different perspectives is more important than ever. Is the pandemic fundamentally changing society? What values and patterns of behavior are taking center stage? How do we deal with deceleration, stasis and constraints? What can we learn from the Corona crisis?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please via e-mail or by phone +43 (0)316 90 370 200
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
Corona crisis - climate change
22.02.2022
Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2nd floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 16.00 hrs.
The climate crisis has been with us for years, again and again new goals for climate protection are set and agreements are made, but these hardly bring any changes. However, climate change not only alters our weather, but also our habitats and ecosystems. Virologists warned years ago that the consequences of man-made climate change could have a major impact on health and play a decisive role in the development of pandemics. The Corona crisis demonstrated that people are willing to make short-term, profound lifestyle changes to mitigate the pandemic, but they are reluctant to mitigate the climate crisis with small, longer-term changes in their daily lives. In this workshop, we will look at the parallels between the Corona Pandemic and climate change. What are the opportunities for the climate crisis because of Corona? Does the Corona crisis, through constraints, help us meet climate goals?
Free participation!
- Registration and request: please send an e-mail or call +43 (0)316 90 370 200.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
Responsibility for future generations
on 02.06.2021 16:00 - ONLINE
One of the most pressing issues of intergenerational climate justice concerns the relationship of present generations to those that follow. In his book "Responsibility for Future Generations," Dieter Birnbacher addresses the problem of motivating responsible action and calls for the inclusion of nature within the horizon of what can be planned. We owe it to future generations to take action against climate change and its harmful consequences. But in what ways? How can the consequences of climate change for different generations be compared and weighed? Together we will discuss different approaches and proposed solutions.
Free participation! Registration at: kinderphilosophie(at)aon.at or by phone at 0316/ 90 370 201.
Justice and Freedom
15.06.2021 Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2. floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 16.00 hrs.
Via the two terms justice and freedom we arrive at the so-called "Capability Approach", which is at the heart of Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen's philosophy. At the core of this capability approach are two principles: First, the freedom to live a good life as the greatest moral weight. And second, that this freedom is measured by people's abilities, which they have good reasons to care about. When asked what is just, Sen responds, "Just is a world in which people have just this freedom. Goods and resources alone are not enough to create justice, the diversity of people must be taken into account! With practical examples we show new attempts at solutions.
Free admission! Registration at: kinderphilosophie(at)aon.at or by phone 0316/ 90 370 201.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
What does climate change have to do with poverty?
29.06.2021 Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 2. floor, meeting room G2, 8010 Graz Start 16.00 hrs.
Worldwide, the increase of extreme events and their aftermath show immediate effects on nature and society. In many countries of the world the consequences of global warming already exist. Drought, heat waves, floods, rising sea levels and melting glaciers are leading to rural exodus, food shortages and disease. The poorest of the poor, in so-called developing countries, are particularly affected. What changes in people's living conditions will result from this? What does climate change have to do with poverty? What are the roots of the climate crisis? What can we do to save the climate?
Free admission! Registration at: kinderphilosophie(at)aon.at or by phone at 0316/ 90 370 201.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
How to deal with anti-Semitism?
on 27.08.2021 16:00 Institute for Philosophy of Children and Youth Karmeliterplatz 2, 8010 Graz.
During the workshop, strategies for action will be developed together in order to be able to react to anti-Semitism in a concrete way. The aim is to recognize the many different aspects of anti-Semitism and to be able to act self-confidently on the basis of practical examples. This workshop format is for people who recognize anti-Semitism and wonder how they can react to it appropriately. In doing so, own limits and possibilities of reactions will be considered and discussed together.
Free admission! Registration at: kinderphilosophie(at)aon.at or by phone at 0316/ 90 370 201.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.
The new anti-Semitism
26.08.2021 16:00 - Vienna (the exact location will be announced).
Together we will deal with the question of the "new anti-Semitism". What is the "new" thing about it? What are the differences? What does it have to do with National Socialism? Why is anti-Semitism a global phenomenon? In the workshop we will work with current political examples and developments in different countries. There will be space to respectfully discuss the topic with each other and to reflect on different perspectives.
Free admission! Registration at: kinderphilosophie(at)aon.at or by phone at 0316/ 90 370 201.
The event will take place according to the current COVID-19 guidelines! Prerequisite for participation is proof of recovery, vaccination or testing.