Events and Training
Events are at the heart of what we do at the Malaysian Philosophy Society.
Led by leading luminaries locally and internationally, all our practical philosophy events are designed to translate philosophy’s core teachings into practical insights and skills, to help people lead more fulfilling lives in Malaysia and beyond.
Our Past Events
Philojourney: A Philosophical Journaling Workshop
Philojourney is a transformative 30-day journaling program on the theme of “Simplicity” to promote decluttering, embracing the fundamentals and looking inwards in the fast-paced world we live in.
Reflective Reads:
Book #1: The Burnout Society
Book #2: Hiking with Nietzsche
Book #3: When Breath Becomes Air
On a bi-monthly basis, we dive deep into popular philosophical books/texts through this philosophy book club, facilitated by philosophically trained moderators and experts.
Kritikos: Malaysia's First Philosophy Programme for High Schoolers (2021)
A Partnership between MyPhilSoc, Persatuan Pendidikan Falsafah Dan Pemikiran Malaysia (PPFPM), Malaysian Relief Agency (MRA) and Kritikos Malaysia. We co-created Malaysia's first philosophy inquiry programme for high schoolers. During the 6-week programme, students from multi-cultural background inquire into the nature of knowledge, religion, politics, morality, and real-world societal issues. The programme aims to provide an alternative to the local education system and show that Philosophy has an irreplaceable role in changing the society for the better.
Mastering Mindset: Harnessing the Power of Logic in Everyday Life
We explored the possibilities of Logic, an important subfield in Philosophy, by exploring how we can apply Logic into our daily lives. The session also dived into the contrast between logic and emotions in the human response.
A successful cross-continental collaboration with the Monash Philosophy Society, Australia
International Think Big Summit 2022: Imagined Universes [Worlds We Could Live In]
At the International Think Big Summit 2022, we joined forces with world’s top luminaries and changemakers, to explore the philosophy of the “might be” rather than the “is”, in doing so we hoped to fire everyone’s imagination to envision a better and brighter future for all in various aspects of life.
Ketua of Tomorrow: A Critical Thinking Workshop for Future Leaders
With the rise in complexity of the issues surrounding the everyday lives of Malaysians, time and again evidence has shown that many Malaysian leaders have failed to employ strategic solutions to the problems the rakyat face.
This workshop explored one of the core skills essential for great leadership - critical thinking, using argument mapping.
International Think Big Summit 2021 Breaking the Silence: Of Taboos and Pantang Larangs
We sought to address these issues and spark unfettered conversations about all things taboo in Malaysia, topics that often go unspoken or unheard of in our community.
We invited our audience to rethink societal and cultural norms in the process of seeking for greater truths!
Can't Be Bothered:
Are We All Climate Deniers?
Speaker: Eugene Chislenko, co-founder of Philosophers for Sustainability
Unlike most ongoing discussions on climate change, we took a deep dive into the topic of denial. We guided our audience to revisit their cognitive systems for signs of denialism, explored the logic and reasoning behind deniers, as well as how denialism leads to difficult ethical dilemmas and decision-making in everyday life.
Rethinking the Digital Space (Metaverse) through a Non-Digital Means: Philosophy
Discussion Held at MOZFEST 2022
We explored many important topics that surround the new world of internet, including the possibility of knowledge and the relevancy of morality in the Metaverse, and kind of life we should strive for in Virtual Reality.
Why We Are Trapped in Our Work: On Philosophy and Psychology of Career Fulfilment
We often feel trapped at work and remain unsatisfied after years of working. Drawing insights from Stoicism and Existential psychology, we explored the root causes of our dissatisfaction and discover ways we can better navigate through career decisions.
Existentialism and Modern Love:
On Loving Authentically
Getting into a relationship is not easy nowadays. With dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and the more controversial Sugarbook, it’s getting even harder to make deep, authentic connections.
In this event, we covered timeless wisdom from thinkers including Sartre, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and more on the topic of building authentic romantic relationships in the modern era.
Can Money Ever Buy You Happiness? What It Means to Live a Good Life
We never seem to be able to find desirable answers to questions like “How should I live?”, “What constitutes a good life?”, “What's the role of money in living a good life?”
In this discussion, we brought together the perspectives of behavioural economics and moral philosophy to explore what it means to live a good life, and whether living a good life involves wealth.
COVID-19 Vaccine:
A Multidisciplinary Discussion
As the pandemic stretches on into the new phase where the Vaccines have been invented, questions about distribution, geopolitics, safety and ethics arose. Joining us on board were experts from the fields of public health, bioethics, political economy and moral philosophy, as we explore the issues surrounding COVID-19 Vaccines.
Are We Born Selfish or Altruistic? A Conversation During the Pandemic
The pandemic has demonstrated the ugly side of human nature - selfish behaviours including stock piling essentials, refusal to wear masks and panic buying are prevalent. This live public discourse explored the topic of human nature and the nuances that underlie this topic.
COVID-19: Exploring State Power Through A Pandemic
The COVID-19 crisis justified governments to exert autocratic power through law and enforcement to curb the public health crisis.
We explored the existence of social construction in the world today and how it has changed post the pandemic through the lens of bio politics.
Revisiting the Meaning of Life:
Confronting COVID-19 with Albert Camus
When facing unbearable hardships in life, one may question the meaning of life.
This event explored the views of existentialists, nihilists and absurdists to open up new perspectives and potentially helping people to rediscover their inner compasses to cope with the loss of direction and meaning in life.
