Philosothon: A Philosophy Hackathon – Call for Participants

Hey Philosophy Students!

Ever wanted more chances to dive into extended philosophical discussions with your peers? Tired of philosophy being just you, alone with your books and papers? The Philosophy of Technology Group invites you to join our experimental Philosothon – a one-day intensive philosophical collaboration event happening April 26-27, 2025.

What is a Philosothon?

Think of it as a philosophy hackathon – but instead of coding, we're creating philosophical arguments. You'll team up with fellow students to tackle a compelling philosophical theme related to technology. You'll develop ideas together, create a written piece, and present your thinking to a panel of graduate student judges. It's philosophy as a team sport!

Why Participate?

• Break out of solitary philosophical work – Philosophy courses rarely give us the chance to think collaboratively. Here's your opportunity!
• Engage with ideas at the intersection of philosophy and technology – Explore themes like consciousness and AI, digital commons, algorithmic governance, or technological mediation
• Experience philosophy as a creative, generative practice – Not just analyzing others' ideas, but building something together
• Connect with other philosophy students you might not meet in your courses
• Get feedback on your ideas in a low-stakes, supportive environment from graduate students

How to Apply

This is a small trial event limited to 15-30 participants. Simply fill out the sign-up form by Thursday, April 24th at midnight. We'll ask about your interests, experience level, and preferences for teammates and topics. If more people apply than we can accommodate, we'll aim for a diverse mix of participants.

UPDATE: Extending online registrations until 8AM morning of. Try to get them in the night before, but we will try to find you a team if you come between 8:30-9:00AM.

Questions?

Reach out to logan.rooks@mail.utoronto.ca with any questions.

Join us in reimagining how philosophy can be practiced!

Logan Rooks
PCU Tech and Society Liaison
Philosophy of Technology Group

• Algorithmic Aesthetics: Beauty in the Age of Machine Creation
• Algorithmic Governance: Authority Without Autonomy?
• Attention Economies: The Commodification of Consciousness
• Cyborg Futures: Enhancement, Embodiment, and Posthumanism
• Digital Commons: Rethinking Property in Information Space
• Digital Doppelgangers: Identity and Authenticity Online
• Digital Ethics: Beyond Utilitarian Frameworks
• Digital Intimacy: Technology, Connection, and the Transformation of Interpersonal Relations
• Extended Perception: Technology and Phenomenological Experience
• Meaningful Futures: Meaning in a World Dominated by AI
• Military-Industrial Futurism: War, Capital, and the Shaping of AI Trajectories
• Minds and Machines: Consciousness Beyond the Human
• Technological Singularity: Philosophical Implications of Superintelligence
• The Algorithmic Panopticon: Surveillance, Privacy, and Power

• Design Philosophy: From Metaphysics to Material Reality
• Digital Commons and Information Capitalism
• Generative AI Art: Creativity, Authorship, and Aesthetics
• Language Models as Philosophical Objects
• Reinforcement Learning: The Technical Foundations of AGI
• Technology as Tool vs Master: Beyond Instrumentalism
• The Attention Economy: Technical Mechanisms and Philosophical Implications
• Thinking Through Technical Systems: A Philosophical Approach