Candle Conference workshops
Philosopher and theologian Dr Peter Vardy, founder of Candle Conferences, led a series of thought-provoking workshops for St Benedict's academic scholars in the Helikon Centre on January 16th.
'Can war ever be just?' 'What is the Fibonacci Sequence?' 'Does life have meaning?' 'What is reality?' Scholars from year 7 to the Sixth Form grappled with these questions and many more, as Dr Peter Vardy challenged them to think in different ways - about existence, language, reason, mind and values - as he presented them with a variety of views, scenarios, abstract art and philosophical views.
I thought it was very interesting, especially the idea that we live in a world where the truth is apparently subjective; opinions and facts are possibly closer together than in the past. The argument that life has no meaning is particularly fascinating, as it makes you wonder whether anything has a purpose, or if everything is completely arbitrary, even life itself."
It made me question the worth of truth, or the worth of what someone else considers to be truth. I found out that for some people, truth has no meaning and I enjoyed seeing this through various pieces of seemingly meaningless art that meant so much more to some people, depending on how you look at it."
I loved it! All through the session, I was doubting and questioning myself (which is what philosophy is all about). My view has now changed and I learnt a lot. I speak for us all when I say: I'd love to do it again."