Report of the UNESCO Philosophy Day in Finland November
the 18th 2004-11-23
International Philosophical Essay Event for Upper Secondary Schools and
National Essay Event for Elementary Schools
The international philosophy teachers' association AIIPh Baltic Sea Net
organized in cooperation with the Finnish UNESCO ASPnet, The Finnish
Association for Teachers of Philosophy and Philosophy of Life, and
Societas Philosophica Fennica a philosophical essay event for schools for
the international Philosophy Day 2004. The event was organised for the
third time. Upper secondary schools from seven countries enrolled in the
event and essays sent in represented schools from Finland, Lithuania,
Poland, Germany and Bulgaria.
There were three optional topics treating the nature of philosophy and
scientific knowledge; justice in society and justification of slavery.
Four writers were awarded in the international category, namely Alexander
Alafuzoff from Finland (Tikkurilan lukio, Vantaa); Berenika Rozanska from
Poland (II Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace im. C.K. Norwida, Jelenia Góra); Nicole
Hjelt from Finland (Tölö gymnasium, Helsinki) and Przemysław Szkodziński
from Poland (I Liceum Ogólnokształcące, Gorzów Wielkopolski).
Four Finnish students were awarded as well: Ted Apter and Antti Saarilahti
from Ressun lukio, Janne Peltola from Olarin lukio and Antti Seitamaa
Tikkurilan lukio. The Finnish awards were handed out at the "Sources of
Slavery" -colloquium where the students also presented their work.
From the Finnish elementary schools Yamuna Meyer-Rochow (6th grade, Oulun
normaalikoulu, Oulu) and Venla Kokko (8th grade, Käpylän yläaste,
Helsinki) were awarded. Both wrote about what is important in the world.
The prizes in the category for elementary education were books for the
whole group of the awarded pupil. Also Gether Beek and Miina Rantala (6th
grade, Roihuvuoren ala-aste, Helsinki), Loviisa Kortteinen (8th grade,
Alppilan yläaste, Helsinki) and Peetu Rytkönen (8th grade, Kuopion
yhteiskoulu, Kuopio) got a special mention for their essays.
The awarded essays (and other good essays) can be read on the internet at
www.feto.fi. A publication will also be made of the essays and the papers
presented in the colloquium "Sources of Slavery".
Colloquium "Sources of Slavery" 19th-20th November 2004 in Helsinki
The colloquium started on Friday afternoon with the prize giving ceremony
for the Philosophical Essay Event for Upper Secondary Schools. Ms Emilia
Lehtinen thanked all the participants and Senior Adviser Pekka Elo handed
out the prizes to the awarded Finnish students who were all present and
presented their work.
The first lecture was given by Mr Juha Savolainen. He explored the
definition of slavery and came to the conclusion that the lack of all or
many of the conditions of the good life characterises slavery as well in
its historical as contemporary forms. Mr Eero Salmenkivi presented a paper
on Plato's conception of slavery and more specifically the role of the
slave in the dialogue Meno.
The colloquium's key note speaker, Professor Timo Airaksinen, addressed
four different historical attempts to justify slavery. He started by
defining slavery as a property relation, and then proceded to demonstrate
that as well Artistotle's natural slave argument; Molina's theory of a
voluntary contract; Locke's arguments, as the arguments put forward by the
defenders of the Antebellum Southern slavery do not hold together but fall
on their own. Friday's last speaker was Docent Mikko Salmela who talked on
the subject of "Slaves to Passion" about how our emotions such as fear can
enslave us.
On Friday evening, the traditional Immanuel Kant billiard tournament was
organised in Corona bar. The tournament proved long and the competition
hard. Tyko Elo finally carried of the victory. At the same time the
Finnish and Estonian essaywriters had dinner in cafe Soihtu and thereafter
familiarised themselves with forms of modern slavery by discussion and a
roleplay.
On Saturday Mr Leo Luks represented the Estonian philosophy teachers by
opening the day's session with his paper "Slaves of Technology in Our
Time". Mr Miika Kabata presented a paper on wage slavery where he studied
the concept of wage slavery which at first might seem contradictory.
Associate Professor Ananta Kumar Giri from Aalborg University gave the
last paper in the colloquium under the title "Building a Post-Colonial
Cosmopolis Beyond Slavery: Self-Development, Inclusion of the Other and
Planetary Realizations".
After the coffee break there was still time for discussion on philosophy
teaching and it's particularities in Finland and in Estonia. After the
colloquium Saturday's participants could still continue the discussion
with the Estonian guests during lunch.
