Why the Practice of Philosophy Is So Appealing

At a time of polarized debates on social media, philosophy cafés are attracting a growing audience in French-speaking Switzerland. What does this trend say about our times? As president of the Café-philo Association, I’ve drawn three conclusions from my experience.

The Café-philo Association offers forums for philosophical discussion in five cities in French-speaking Switzerland. Open to everyone, these meetings are inspired by the first concept of its kind, which originated in Paris in the 1990s. The concept is simple: about twenty participants, a moderator, a question chosen collectively at the start of the session, and about an hour and a half of discussion.

Quelques règles viennent structurer les échanges. D’abord, les participants ne prennent la parole que lorsque le modérateur la leur donne, y compris dans le cas où ils sont directement interpelés. L’idée n’est pas de débattre en duel ni de rÃ