The Society for Philosophical Inquiry (SPI) is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

devoted to propagating a version of

Socratic inquiry The Socratic method (also known as method of Elenchus, elenctic method, or Socratic debate) is a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw ou ...

through the establishment of regular meetings. Based on their different settings, they are called

Socrates Café Socrates Café are gatherings around the world where people from different backgrounds get together and exchange philosophical perspectives based on their experiences, using the version of the Socratic Method developed by founder Christopher Phill ...

, Philosophers' Club, these meetings take place all over the world. The purpose of these meetings is to facilitate discussion of

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

. Christopher and Cecilia Phillips co-founded SPI in 1998. The Society is funded through a grant from the Whitman Institute in San Francisco

History

SPI is a grassroots nonprofit organization devoted to supporting philosophical inquirers of all ages and walks of life as they become more empathetic and autonomous thinkers who take active part in creating a more deliberative democracy. Its members strive to form and facilitate "democratic communities of philosophical inquiry". Their gatherings - which, depending on the setting, occasion and purpose, have such names as

, Philosophers’ Club, bring together people from a wide array of walks of life and experiences. They take place in venues like parks, coffee houses, hospices, senior centers, nursing homes, prisons, plazas, bookstores, homeless shelters, community centers, libraries, schools, and other public spaces. Board members include:

Matthew Lipman Matthew Lipman (August 24, 1923 in Vineland, New Jersey – December 26, 2010 in West Orange, New Jersey) is recognized as the founder of Philosophy for Children. His decision to bring philosophy to young people came from his experience as ...

, Robert Coles, Roy J. Nirschel, president of

Roger Williams University Roger Williams University (RWU) is a private university in Bristol, Rhode Island. Founded in 1956, it was named for theologian and Rhode Island cofounder Roger Williams (theologian), Roger Williams. The school enrolls over 5,000 students and e ...

, and

Jacob Needleman Jacob Needleman (October 6, 1934 - November 28, 2022) was an American philosopher, author, and religious scholar. Needleman was Jewish and was educated at Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of Freiburg, Germany.Socrates Café Socrates Café are gatherings around the world where people from different backgrounds get together and exchange philosophical perspectives based on their experiences, using the version of the Socratic Method developed by founder Christopher Phill ...

Lincoln Philosophy Café Lincoln Philosophy Café (LPC) is an open society for philosophical and topical discussion based in Lincoln (United Kingdom). It was founded on 29 June 2009 by James Taylor-Foster and has run continuously at the Angel Coffee House in central Lin ...

External links

The Society for Philosophical InquirySocrates Cafe
Philosophical societies in the United States Inquiry Public philosophy {{philo-org-stub