Our objectives are:
- to encourage philosophical debate between professional and non-professional philosophers in a non-technical way
- to provide a forum for an active exchange of ideas and information
- to give guidance and information concerning courses as well as relevant literature in philosophy
- to inspire people to develop their interest in philosophy
We organize:
- monthly lectures at Kant's Cave (London)
- monthly Film Club meetings and discussions (London)
- fortnightly Midnight Philosophy discussions (online)
- monthly Political Animals discussion (online)
- Philosophical Walks every three weeks (London area)
We take an active interest in philosophical education on all levels, including adult education.
You are also welcome to have a look at the Wikipedia page about us.
| Who is PFA? Anja Steinbauer, Co-Founder and President Anja attended school (Gymnasium Corveystrasse) in Hamburg, Germany. She studied Sinology, History and Philosophy at the universities of Hamburg, Taipei (National Taiwan Normal University) and London (SOAS and King’s College). Her PhD thesis was about the 20th C Confucian philosopher Tang Junyi. Anja has taught philosophy at all levels and to a diverse range of audiences: she used to be subject coordinator for philosophy at City University, she-co wrote the syllabus for and taught the UK’s first Access to Philosophy course, and she has taught in adult education as well as sixth form A level and IB students. Anja is the co-founder (with Andrew Dodsworth in 1997) and president of Philosophy For All (pfalondon.org), co-founder of the London School of Philosophy (londonschoolofphilosophy.org) and a member of the editorial team of Philosophy Now magazine (philosophynow.org). She was one of the two hosts of Philosophy Now Radio (Resonnance FM) and also organises London’s biannual philosophy festival, the Philosophy Now Festival, which involves 37 philosophy events in a single day and is attended by about 2,000 people. She is the author of three books and numerous articles. Alexandra Konoplyanik, Secretary Alexandra grew up in Moscow, Russia and originally graduated in Management from the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. She spent almost a decade working in investment banks and executive search in Moscow and London before taking a degree in philosophy and public policy from the London School of Economics (LSE). Since then, Alexandra has been teaching philosophy in multiple schools in London and Moscow and facilitating philosophy discussions with children and adults in broader education, community, public sphere etc, as well as doing philosophical consulting for business. Alexandra is a certified philosophical counsellor with the American Philosophical Practitioners Association. Further info: https://alexandrakonoplyanik.com/ Andrew Dodsworth, Co-Founder and former Secretary Andrew's bio coming soon |
On the first Monday* of every month the PFA meets at Kant's Cave at 7.30 pm for a lecture, debate and social evening. This usually takes place in the upstairs bar at the Two Chairmen, 39 Dartmouth Street, SW1H 9BP.
Kant's Cave is on Zoom also, for people who don't live in London or prefer to join the meeting that way; click on the title of the lecture and you will be taken to our Meetup page, and you can join the lecture from there.
* When the first Monday falls on a bank holiday, Kant's Cave will be on Tuesday.
Photograph of Two Chairmen, Dartmouth Street, Westminster © Copyright Andrew Abbott and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.
Kant's Cave lectures 2024-25
The Royal Institute of Philosophy's Local Partners Programme
In 2025 the Film Club will be held on every third WEDNESDAY of the month at the Café of St. Hilda's East Community Centre, 18 Club Row, London E2 7EY. The nearest station (just a few minutes walk) is Shoreditch High Street (Overground). The screening starts at 7 pm and we need to vacate the building by 9:30pm. We offer complimentary light refreshments during the event.
This year’s films all revolve around the theme of “journey” – plenty of opportunity for philosophical exploration!
2025 Films
Date - Film - Year - Director - Runtime
15 Jan - The Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson, 2007) - book to attend for free
19 Feb - Moby Dick (John Huston, 1956) - book to attend for free
19 Mar - Io Capitano (Matteo Garrone, 2023) - book to attend for free
16 Apr - O Brother where art Thou (Coen Brothers, 2000) - book to attend for free
21 May - Thelma and Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991) - book to attend for free
18 Jun - Nomadland (Chloé Zhao, 2020) - book to attend for free
16 July - The Life of Pi (Ang Lee, 2012) - book to attend for free
Aug *** No film club - summer break ***
17 Sep - The Train of Salt and Sugar (Licínio Azevedo, 2016) - book to attend for free
15 Oct - Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders, 1984) - book to attend for free
19 Nov - Aguirre, the Wrath of God (Werner Herzog, 1972) - book to attend for free
Dec *** No film club - too close to Christmas ***
The Royal Institute of Philosophy's Local Partners Programme
Midnight Philosophy by Candlelight
Meet up fortnightly on Thursday with Anja and other philosophers at midnight (UK time) for a candlelit hour of thinking about life, the universe and everything. All meetings are free, light a candle and join us on Zoom! Come in from 23:45, event starts at midnight. See you then!
Click on one of the links below to go to our Meetup page (if you're not a member of Meetup you will have to join, but it's free) and sign up for the event.
Midnight Philosophy 2024/2025
31 Oct 24 - Horror
14 Nov 24 - Film
28 Nov 24 - Evidence
12 Dec 24 - Mythologies
26 Dec 24 - Toys
9 Jan 25 - Time Travel
23 Jan 25 - Secrecy
6 Feb 25- Function
20 Feb 25 - Collecting
6 Mar 25 - Betrayal
20 Mar 25 - Entropy
3 Apr 25 - The Stranger
17 Apr 25 - Text
1 May 25 - Climate Change
15 May 25 - Wrestling
29 May 25 - Patriotism
12 Jun 25 - Flirtation
26 Jun 25 - Method
10 Jul 25 - Cannibalism
24 Jul 25 - Literature
7 Aug 25 - Games
21 Aug 25 - Punishment
4 Sep 25 - Agency
18 Sep 25 - Social Forms
2 Oct 25 - Zeno’s Paradoxes
16 Oct 25 - Vermin
30 Oct 25 - Ghosts… again
13 Nov 25 - Experience
27 Nov 25 - Language Games
11 Dec 25 - Urban Life
25 Dec 25 - (cancelled)
Political Animals
PFA POLITICAL ANIMALS returns, now on Zoom at 7.30 pm each second Monday of the month.
Join us for a short presentation, followed by friendly but serious discussion. Click on one of the links below to go to our Meetup page (if you're not a member of Meetup you will have to join, but it's free) and sign up for the event.
Meetings 2024/2025
12 Aug - Rights 4: Human Rights - Contemporary Discussions 1
9 Sep - Rights 5: Human Rights - Contemporary Discussions 2
14 Oct - Justice 1: Utilitarianism
11 Nov - Justice 2: John Rawls
9 Dec - Justice 3: Martha Nussbaum
13 Jan 25 - Georg Simmel on Society
10 Feb 25 - Karl Popper on Society
10 Mar 25 - Plato on Lies in Politics
14 Apr 25 - Hannah Arendt on Lies in Politics
12 May 25 - Karl Marx on Ideology
9 Jun 25 - Herbert Marcuse on Ideology
14 Jul 25 - Bastille Day: The French Revolution Today
11 Aug 25 - Hannah Arendt on Totalitarianism
8 Sep 25 - Karl Popper on Totalitarianism
13 Oct 25 - (cancelled)
10 Nov 25 - Max Weber on Domination
15 Dec 25 - Ian Shapiro on Non-Domination
Philosophical walks
"People who understand Plato say that the Florentines misunderstood him, and that their philosophy is most unsound. But in one respect at all events they used him rightly. Through him they recaptured for the world one of the secrets of ancient Greece - the secret of civilized conversation. The Middle Ages had separated serious discussion from daily life, confining it to the study and the lecture room and the hall of disputation. Florence, like Athens, summoned it into the open air, and bade it take its chance against birds and trees, evolve, if it could, from a dinner or a game of fives, yield, if it must, to a dance or to a song."
E M Forster: Gemistus Pletho
This is the idea behind our "philosophical walks". They aren't ambulatory lectures or structured discussions, simply walks during which philosophical discussion can take place due to the common interest of the walkers. Or not, if you'd rather just look at the scenery. The pace is unhurried and there is a stop for lunch in a pub. Boots are advisable, but if you don't mind getting them muddy, trainers should be adequate. Dogs are welcome as far as I am concerned, but you should check if the pub for lunch takes the same view.
Please click on the Doodle poll link in the page for the walk to let us know if you are coming. If the link isn't active, it's because the train times have not been confirmed.
If you want further information about any of the walks, email Andrew Dodsworth at andrew@isoband.org or phone 07904 286774.
2024 Walks
Date - Route - Miles - Railway station - Journey time
Sat 5 Oct - Woldingham to Oxted - 6½ miles - Victoria - 35 mins
MON 4 Nov - Wimbledon Park to New Malden - District Line - various
TUE 3 Dec - Cockfosters to Crews Hill - Piccadilly Line - various
Sat 1 Feb - Radlett to Borehamwood to Elstree - 4½ miles - St Pancras - 30 mins
A hilly walk in Surrey farmland and woodland. There will be a meal break after about three and a half miles at the Botley Hill Farmhouse. The walk, including the meal stop, should take around four and a half hours. You can download a map and elevation profile here.
Meet at Woldingham station at 0956, or on the 0920 East Grinstead train from platform 15* at Victoria. This train can also be boarded at Clapham Junction (0927) East Croydon (0940) and Sanderstead (0945). If travelling by train, buy a cheap day return ticket to Oxted, which is the farther station from London.
If you are planning to come on this walk, please click on this SurveyMonkey poll link to let us know - this will not be taken as a binding commitment, but does help by letting us know roughly how many people to expect (and where to expect them).
For more information about this or any other PFA walk, phone me on 07904 286774, or email me at andrew@isoband.org
* Platforms are as given on Railtrack website, but may be subject to change.
A fairly flat walk in London. There is not a meal stop on this walk, which should take around two and a half hours. You can download a map and elevation profile here.
Meet at Wimbledon Park (on the District line) station at 1330.
If you are planning to come on this walk, please click on this SurveyMonkey poll link to let us know - this will not be taken as a binding commitment, but does help by letting us know roughly how many people to expect (and where to expect them).
For more information about this or any other PFA walk, phone me on 07904 286774, or email me at andrew@isoband.org
A fairly bumpy walk in London, i.e. there are no big hills, but a lot of up and down. There is a meal stop on this walk, at the Robin Hood, after three and a half miles. The whole walk should take around four and a half hours including the stop for lunch. You can download a map and elevation profile here.
Meet at Cockfosters (on the Piccadilly line) station at 1000.
If you are planning to come on this walk, please click on this SurveyMonkey poll link to let us know - this will not be taken as a binding commitment, but does help by letting us know roughly how many people to expect (and where to expect them).
For more information about this or any other PFA walk, phone me on 07904 286774, or email me at andrew@isoband.org
A fairly flat walk on the outskirt of London. There is a meal stop on this walk, at the Waggon & Horses, after just over three miles. The whole walk should take around three hours including the stop for lunch. You can download a map and elevation profile here.
Meet on the St Pancras train from Platform B (it's upstairs) at 1003. This train can also be boarded at Kentish Town (1008) and West Hampstead Thameslink (1013).
If you are planning to come on this walk, please click on this SurveyMonkey poll link to let us know - this will not be taken as a binding commitment, but does help by letting us know roughly how many people to expect (and where to expect them).
For more information about this or any other PFA walk, phone me on 07904 286774, or email me at andrew@isoband.org
Useful Links
Since 2003, Philosophy For All has had a US chapter based in the twin cities of Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota. Founded by Dr Mark Chekola, it meets monthly at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo.
If you would like to discuss opening a new local PFA chapter, get in touch with us at secretary@pfalondon.org.
Arts & Letters Daily
A sort of thinking person's Reader's Digest, carries (unabridged) reviews, articles and essays from journals around the world.
Café Philo at The Institut français du Royaume-Uni
Open to everyone interested in discussing philosophical issues in an informal setting (in English or French), the Institut’s Café Philo meets every Saturday in London.
Critical Thinking Circle
Online courses organised by John Holroyd, a PFA member of long standing:
- Buddhism and Buddhist Philosophy
- Being Ideological Today
Forum for European Philosophy
Runs a varied programme of philosophy and inter disciplinary events in the UK.
The Journal of Modern Wisdom
"The Journal collects together new essays by leading public thinkers and
younger voices from across the fields of philosophy, well-being studies,
psychology, sociology and economics, combining deep philosophical insights
with practical advice on how we can all live wisely and well. Each of the
essays is written in an accessible as opposed to an academic style, and the
Journal is beautifully illustrated throughout. It has no political
predisposition, but rather is intended to provoke and encourage discussion
about the aspects of life that ought to matter most to us all."
London School of Philosophy
An independent adult education college located in London, United Kingdom. It offers part-time non-degree courses on a wide range of topics within philosophy.
Mary Ward Centre
Adult education centre in Bloomsbury with a wide range of philosophy courses
Pathways school of philosophy
Online courses run by the International Society for Philosophers.
Philosophical Films
Useful collection of reviews and notes on films that could be considered to have some philosophical content- we've leaned heavily on it for the PFA film club.
Philosophy discussion groups
List of philosophy discussion groups around the UK
Philosophy Education Resource Guide
A guide with eight separate sections comprising 40+ individual resources. Browse this guide for general resources – including free online philosophy courses – study resources, teaching resources and much more.
The Philosophy Foundation
UK Charity doing philosophy in schools with children from nursery to A Level and with adults in the community, and in business. Teacher training in P4C and enquiry based learning.
Philosophy Now
A news-stand magazine for everyone interested in ideas. The website has a useful calendar and an online forum.
Pinner Philosophy Group
Local group based around Harrow which meets weekly for philosophical discussion.
The Royal Institute of Philosophy
Founded in 1925, TRIP is a charitable organisation that holds and funds lectures and events on philosophical topics. It publishes two journals and offers grant programmes as part of its mission to share philosophical speculation as widely as practicable. PFA London is a current Local Partner of TRIP.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
A freely available online philosophy resource published and maintained by Stanford University, encompassing both an online encyclopedia of philosophy and peer-reviewed original publication. Each entry is written and maintained by an expert in the field, including professors from many academic institutions worldwide.
Joining and supporting PFA
Privacy Policy
Philosophy for All is a London-based group whose main activities are monthly lectures on philosophical issues and film screenings followed by discussions of philosophical issues raised by the film.
PFA collects and holds personal information about members. This consists of name, contact details, and membership duration. In addition, records are maintained of subscription payments and copies of any presentations given.
Any member wishing to verify the personal information held by PFA should apply to the Secretary, and let him know if you require any of your personal data to be removed. Personal data will not be passed to any third parties without your consent. You may be added to our email list at your request without becoming a financial member, and you can be removed again at your request at any time.
Contact us
secretary@pfalondon.org
