Metaphysical Society

The Metaphyscial Society (or "Metafizz") is a student society whose purpose is to allow students to discuss philosophical issues in an informal setting. It should not be confused with the Philosophical Society (also called "The Phil"), which is a general debating society and not particularly philosophical in orientation.

The Metafizz usually meets on Tuesdays at 7:30 during the academic year in room 5012. Generally a member of the society will give a short paper to be followed by a discussioin (accompanied by the usual refreshments). After this (usually about 9pm or so) the discussion is continued in a more informal manner at a local pub. There are typically a nubmer of guest speakers from Ireland and the U.K. every year, and the occasional film is screened.

Membership is open to annyone affiliated with the college, undergraduates, postgraduates and staff alike, and can be obtained at any meeting of the society, or during Freshers' Week.

The society maintains its own ever–growing library of philosophical texts, which the members are welcome to borrow. This can prove to be a very useful resource, as the Trinity library's holdings, especially around essay submission and exam time, can become overstretched.

For up–to–date information and contact details please visit their website. There is also a notice board just outside the Philosophy Department office (room 5009).

 

The Society: A Brief History

The early years…

The society was founded in 1929 under the guidance of A.A. Luce. In its early years students read papers to the society for the purpose of having them disucssed by their peers. The society's activities also included debates, discussions and Question Times. The last were pannel discussions on topics of philosophical interest, such as "Is war inevitable?", "Is the rose red in the dark?" or "Is philosophy the talk of idle old men to ignorant youth?" Guest speakers were also invited, and the society was addressed by such eminent figures as C.E.M. Joad, Erwin Schrvdinger, Gilber Ryle, J.L. Austin, John Mackie, Anthony Flew and Bernard Williams. Academic gowns were compulsory at meetings, but the proceedings could not have been excessively formal, ss one early report on the society's activities tells us that the society purchased "a liberal supply of the best Donegal poitín".

…to more recently…

The society seems to have been less active in the 1980's and early 90's, but it underwent something of a renaissance from 1997 onwards. A new addition to the society's activities was the philosophy café. The members of the society meet once a week, or so, to discuss a topic of philosophical interest, which is briefly introduced by one person. Some topics from last year included: "Good God or God Awful" (the relationship between religion and morality), "The Mind's ‘I’" (the nature of personal identity), and "Me Myself and I" (egoism and altruism)—academic gowns were no longer compulsory. By this time the society no longer supplied poitín, coffee and wine became the refreshments of choice. Guest speakers to the society during this time included: the philosopher Robert Solomon and the physicist Julian Barbour. The society also organised excursions to places of philosophical interest, such as Thomastown, Co. kilkenny, the birthplace of George Berkeley, and Wittgenstein's cottage in Galway.

…to the present

The above was true until a few years ago. The society has now regressed somewhat to its original format: a member of the society will give a short paper to the assembled group; this is then discussed over the usual wine for about an hour. The group then tends to end up in the pub for further discussion. Recent guest speakers include: David Paineau (King's College London), Professor Brendan Kennelly (Trinity College Dublin), Professor Max Velmans (Goldsmith's College Dublin) and Dr. John Hayes (Limerick). Members of the department will sometimes give a longer paper, long-time supporters include: Dr. Dan Watts (now in Essex), Dr. Richard Gray (now in Cardiff) and Dr. Brian Garvey (now in Lancaster). Professor Emeritus William Lyons is also to be commended for his encouragement of the society during his tenure.

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