Who are we?

PhilSoc is one of the most active academic societies within the university, with many members studying a variety of subjects – some totally unconnected to an academic pursuit of Philosophy.

Always check our social media accounts for the latest news on society events and feel free to DM us with any questions. We use Instagram for event releases and other important stuff, so definitely follow us there! We also use Twitter for regular updates on things like where you can find us at an event. We're always happy to answer you :)

What are our aims?

• Community – To provide a friendly environment for students to bond over their shared interest in philosophy, no matter what subject they study.
• Passion – To enable everyone with a passion for philosophy of some kind, to contribute something concrete to a community of like-minded people.
• Balance – To maintain a balance between the academic and the social side of philosophy in a very relaxed and informal setting.

What do we do?

Socials

Every week we alternate between running an academic event – Philosophy on Tap – and a non-academic social. Our 'Phil on Tap' talks are held at The Ship in Exeter’s city centre where a guest speaker (or a member) will deliver a talk on a philosophical topic, from Philosophy and Science Fiction. to My Brain Made Me Do It, The Philosophy of Mythology, and Was Socrates Gay? This is a great way to interact with philosophy in a relaxed setting, whether you study the subject or not!

The non-academic socials include Boozy Bowling, Pub Crawls, the Firehouse Pub Quiz, the Board Game Bar, Family Socials, and day trips to Exmouth beach! We also are planning to host joint socials with other academic societies. At the end of each term we will have our entertaining dinners starting with the Winter Ball this December! On top of all this we release new stash every term – including sweatshirts, fleeces, jackets… the list goes on!

Salon

This year we are launching a brand new informal event, called Salon. Once a week, every week during term, our President and as many members of committee that can make it will book a space somewhere on Streatham campus and be there for around two hours - for members to come and question or chat to! The hope is that this will encourage cross-year interaction, and provide a space for people to come and discuss essays, welfare concerns, general university issues, and other academic pursuits. Updates on where this will be held each week will go out on Twitter, but it is a drop-in event, to serve the needs of members.

Notion

PhilSoc has its own magazine, Notion, in the form of a WordPress, where PhilSoc members can showcase their passion for philosophy and submit entries to be published! (don’t worry – there’s no minimum requirement for submissions!) You can put forward essays, responses to Philosophy on Tap talks, and other philosophy-inspired creative pieces like artwork and videos, all which are published online. 

Sport

To truly maintain a balance between academic and non-academic activities, we also have intramural mixed Netball and Football teams. Every week these sports teams will play in matches against other societies in an informal, fun way! This also promotes the sense of community within PhilSoc that we strive towards! We have two Sports Captains who are each responsible for a team, to really make sure you have a connection to the committee at every event.  All our intramural sports are played at the Streatham Sports Centre, but updates on exactly where will go out on Twitter.

“After joining in my first term, PhilSoc quickly became the centre of my first year experience. It provides the perfect welcoming environment - not only to grow your love of philosophy, but also to make new friends, engage with new ideas, and (of course) get discounted drinks :)” - Jess, 1st Year 2021-22.