EPSA’s first annual session will bring 25 high school students from around the state to the UA Little Rock campus for five days of philosophical fun and community, at no cost to the participants!
When & Where:
June 24 – June 28, at UA Little Rock campus.
Cost:
Free!
Who Should Apply:
Students interested in philosophy and ethics who are entering 10th through 12th grades at any high school in the state of Arkansas, and homeschooled students in that same age group, are encouraged to apply! No prior study of philosophy or ethics is required.
How to Apply:
The application deadline was March 15, 2024. Applications are no longer being accepted.
Notification timeline:
Participation is limited to 25 students. We will prioritize participation from as many high schools/regions in Arkansas as possible. Participants will be notified that they are accepted or waitlisted to EPSA in early April.
Details:
This program—the only one of its kind in Arkansas—invites rising 10th through 12th graders who are curious about ethics and philosophy and who like to think deeply about important issues.
Our inaugural theme will be “Ethics and Technology.” Participants will explore a variety of topics, which might include: artificial intelligence, virtual reality, social media, fake news, nuclear weapons, predictive policing, surveillance capitalism, driverless cars, grief tech, organ transplants, and genetic technologies.
We will engage in lively seminars in the morning, small-group activities in the afternoon, and films and games in the evening, all of which will culminate in a small-scale Ethics Bowl at the end of the week. Under the guidance of experienced college faculty and high school teachers, students will consider a variety of philosophical concepts, encounter diverse points of view, develop skills in argument analysis and construction, and practice civil discourse and disagreement on the ethical questions technology raises. Participants will leave EPSA with a deeper understanding of the topics covered, as well as the tools to start an Ethics Bowl Team or Philosophy Club at their own schools or in their communities.
This project is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, by a grant from the American Philosophical Association, a grant from the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization, and by the UA Little Rock College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education.
