Lectures Ended
2026 Wonsa Philosophy Salon III: "Chimpanzee Philosophy? What Animals Can Teach Us About Ourselves"
What kind of person do you imagine a philosopher to be? Perhaps you think of Confucius, with a long beard and robe, always very serious; or Socrates, a chubby Greek who walked around the marketplace criticizing everyone. Maybe you imagine a foreigner with a pipe in his mouth, sitting in an armchair debating metaphysics. No matter how you picture a philosopher, you probably think they are wise sages, not yourself, and firmly believe that abstract and strange topics like philosophy have nothing to do with your life. However, this is not the case. In fact, you are also a philosopher!
The English word "Philosophy" originates from the Greek "philosophia" or "φιλοσοφία," where "Philos-" or "φίλος" means "love" and "-sophia" or "σοφία" means "wisdom." Thus, "φιλοσοφία" means "love of wisdom." Socrates said that a lover of wisdom is not one who already possesses wisdom. A lover of wisdom is neither ignorant nor has reached the pinnacle of wisdom. They, like us, are in an intermediate state. Seeking wisdom is a journey. We explore life's big questions together, debate, tell stories, share experiences, learn from each other, and gradually uncover better questions and answers. Our "Wonsa Philosophy Salon" is an opportunity for you to become a philosopher and experience this process firsthand. Because everyone can be a philosopher. You don't need a beard, you don't need to be overly serious, you don't need to wear a robe or smoke a pipe. You just need to be willing to face life's problems and find more creative ways of thinking.
I am Dr. Will Buckingham (白忠修博士), the host of the "Wonsa Philosophy Salon." I am from Scotland and currently live in Tainan. Since 2024, I have been collaborating with "Wonsa Art Center" (涴莎藝術展演中心) and my social enterprise "Fenggu Creative" (風骨文創) to host this series of salon events. I am both a philosopher and a writer, with a keen interest in public philosophy. I believe philosophy is too important to be limited to professional philosophers. Philosophy belongs to everyone! Wisdom exists not only in university classrooms and offices but also on the streets, at noodle stalls, in your grandmother's stories, and in the support and encouragement of good friends.
We meet once a month. The salon is not a traditional lecture but a more interactive event. The "Wonsa Philosophy Salon" is a bilingual event, offering Mandarin and English groups so you can choose the language you are most comfortable with. In this friendly and cozy environment, you have many opportunities to share your thoughts. Together, we read famous philosophical works from Asia, Europe, and around the world, and discuss how they relate to daily life. How can philosophy help us solve the major problems we face? How can we use philosophy to gain new perspectives on life or overcome the challenges we encounter?
Each session, we choose a topic for discussion, exploring how philosophy can shed light on that topic.
Upcoming topics are "The Philosophy of Home" (February 2025) and "Travel and Philosophy" (March 2025). What does "home" mean to you? Does the word give you a sense of security? Who is the wisest philosopher in your home? Is it your grandmother? Or your cat? How does our home shape our lives and thoughts? "Home" is not just about a physical space; it also involves emotional and psychological belonging. The French philosopher Gaston Bachelard once said, "Our soul is a dwelling." What does this mean? How does our concept of home relate to our inner world? What is your ideal "home"? These are the topics we will discuss in February. However, perhaps one morning you suddenly feel tired of home and long to leave, to go somewhere else. Therefore, the March salon will explore philosophy and travel. Is our life a journey? Can travel bring us new wisdom? Or do we always end up discovering the same thing—ourselves? In March, we will reflect on the journeys that have most influenced us, whether it's a personal "Story of the Sahara" or a small incident at the market that changed your life.
The "Wonsa Philosophy Salon" is completely free. We warmly invite everyone to come, become a philosopher, share ideas and experiences, and help make Tainan the philosophy capital of Taiwan!
07/25 (Sat) Chimpanzee Philosophy? What Animals Can Teach Us About Ourselves.
The English word "Philosophy" originates from the Greek "philosophia" or "φιλοσοφία," where "Philos-" or "φίλος" means "love" and "-sophia" or "σοφία" means "wisdom." Thus, "φιλοσοφία" means "love of wisdom." Socrates said that a lover of wisdom is not one who already possesses wisdom. A lover of wisdom is neither ignorant nor has reached the pinnacle of wisdom. They, like us, are in an intermediate state. Seeking wisdom is a journey. We explore life's big questions together, debate, tell stories, share experiences, learn from each other, and gradually uncover better questions and answers. Our "Wonsa Philosophy Salon" is an opportunity for you to become a philosopher and experience this process firsthand. Because everyone can be a philosopher. You don't need a beard, you don't need to be overly serious, you don't need to wear a robe or smoke a pipe. You just need to be willing to face life's problems and find more creative ways of thinking.
I am Dr. Will Buckingham (白忠修博士), the host of the "Wonsa Philosophy Salon." I am from Scotland and currently live in Tainan. Since 2024, I have been collaborating with "Wonsa Art Center" (涴莎藝術展演中心) and my social enterprise "Fenggu Creative" (風骨文創) to host this series of salon events. I am both a philosopher and a writer, with a keen interest in public philosophy. I believe philosophy is too important to be limited to professional philosophers. Philosophy belongs to everyone! Wisdom exists not only in university classrooms and offices but also on the streets, at noodle stalls, in your grandmother's stories, and in the support and encouragement of good friends.
We meet once a month. The salon is not a traditional lecture but a more interactive event. The "Wonsa Philosophy Salon" is a bilingual event, offering Mandarin and English groups so you can choose the language you are most comfortable with. In this friendly and cozy environment, you have many opportunities to share your thoughts. Together, we read famous philosophical works from Asia, Europe, and around the world, and discuss how they relate to daily life. How can philosophy help us solve the major problems we face? How can we use philosophy to gain new perspectives on life or overcome the challenges we encounter?
Each session, we choose a topic for discussion, exploring how philosophy can shed light on that topic.
Upcoming topics are "The Philosophy of Home" (February 2025) and "Travel and Philosophy" (March 2025). What does "home" mean to you? Does the word give you a sense of security? Who is the wisest philosopher in your home? Is it your grandmother? Or your cat? How does our home shape our lives and thoughts? "Home" is not just about a physical space; it also involves emotional and psychological belonging. The French philosopher Gaston Bachelard once said, "Our soul is a dwelling." What does this mean? How does our concept of home relate to our inner world? What is your ideal "home"? These are the topics we will discuss in February. However, perhaps one morning you suddenly feel tired of home and long to leave, to go somewhere else. Therefore, the March salon will explore philosophy and travel. Is our life a journey? Can travel bring us new wisdom? Or do we always end up discovering the same thing—ourselves? In March, we will reflect on the journeys that have most influenced us, whether it's a personal "Story of the Sahara" or a small incident at the market that changed your life.
The "Wonsa Philosophy Salon" is completely free. We warmly invite everyone to come, become a philosopher, share ideas and experiences, and help make Tainan the philosophy capital of Taiwan!
07/25 (Sat) Chimpanzee Philosophy? What Animals Can Teach Us About Ourselves.
Event Details
- 2026-07-25 — 涴莎藝術展演中心醉美空間