| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Coordinator: | |
| Group email: | Practical Philosophy group |
| When: | On Wednesday afternoons 2:30 pm-4:30 pm 2nd & 4th 2.30 - 4.30pm |
| Venue: | Sale Moor Community Centre |
An informal group to debate philosophical issues.
Meets at the Sale Community Centre. (Norris Road) 2.30 to 4.30 pm. 2nd and 4th Wednesdays in the month.
Objectives of the group.
To encourage active discussion of topics.
No previous knowledge of philosophy needed.
It is not 'about philosophy' or teaching philosophy.
Even less about the history of philosophy.
Typical subjects to be discussed.
What does it mean to 'know' ?
Is there a basis for morality ?
Right or wrong, good or bad.
Truth, fact, myth, legend and falsehood.
Hopefully, topics will be decided in advance by Group Members.
You can come to the topics you are interested in.
Group leader Mike Bolton
Please email Mike Bolton for more information.
Please note: Important change of times.
Apologies to all who came on Wednesday for Practical Philosophy at 1.30 pm and found the room was ‘occupied’ by another group. The room became available to us (Sale u3a) at 2.30 pm, not at 1.30 pm as advertised. 2.30 pm will from now become the official start time for our group, finishing at 4.00pm for those who wish to get away and 4.30 for those staying for tea / coffee. Below is a resend of the timetable for this term with the new time.
Autumn Term 2025. The topic is “Justice’’
We will discuss just what we mean by ‘Justice’. This will include the history of the idea of Justice and the different meanings of the word (in English). How is it different to Ethics / Morality? What is its relationship with ‘Law’?
September 10th What is it we are discussing? What do we mean by ‘Justice’? Is it different to different people? Does it have a meaning – at least one that can be defined? If yes, can we define it ?
September 24th Is it possible to develop a method of determining if a Law accords with Justice – as we have defined it ? Possible in principle if not actually in practice. Are the courts (and police) responsible for Justice or the Law? What about juries ?
October 8th Can you have a Law that is not ‘Just’ if you have a ‘democratic’ government? The ‘will of the people’ or the ‘will of a majority’. What do we mean by ‘the will of the people’ anyway.
October 22rd Should ‘Unjust’ Laws be opposed ? ( or at least challenged) Do they seem unjust (only) to you? What if they contravene the ICJ (or the ICHR). Do International courts or Conventions have any ‘weight’ relative to ‘domestic’ law even if they have nothing to uphold them ?
November 12th What if a Law is not in accordance with your ‘religion’ ? Can you have a ‘religion based’ state making laws ? Is such a state, by definition Unjust’? (Is religion itself Unjust ?)
November 26th What is the relationship between Justice and Ethics – if any? What do we mean by ‘natural law’. Is there a connection with convention here?
December 10th Can we come up with a way of determining whether a Law is Just (or not) ? If so, what is it? How should laws be created in the first place?
There will be no meeting on December 24th as it is Christmas Eve and the first meeting in January will be January 14th 2026.
We will be holding these meetings at Sale Community Centre on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month in the smaller hall. Start at 2.30 pm. Note: Change of time.
Think about a topic for the Spring term.