Festival of Philosophy - Theme: A care for tomorrow

Philosophy has often thought of itself at its purest when it disconnected itself from the world around it. For his metaphysical meditations, Descartes locked himself in a room to find inspiration in his hearth. Yet we might ask whether there is not more to be gained if philosophy starts from everyday experience. What questions does philosophy ask when it draws inspiration from what we share, instead of turning away from it? Perhaps there is more philosophy than we think in our life-necessary but often all too fragile relationships to others, nature and ourselves. In this case, philosophical reflection can draw strength from the care we already convey to the world.

This year's Festival of Philosophy takes a closer look at healthcare in its various forms. Lauded philosopher Jean-Pierre Dupuy kicks off with a lecture about the fragility of nuclear peace, using fragments of the movie Oppenheimer. Frank Vandenbroucke enters a conversation with Erik Schokkaert on the balance between freedom and solidarity in the light of the most pressing challenges of our social security. Tommy Wieringa makes a plea for courage in a world where it seems we no longer dare to think ahead. Jeannette Pols talks about the ethical assumptions that caregivers put into daily practice. And what about our death care, which could not escape strict regulation during the Covid lockdowns? Katia Vanhemelryck and Nele Buyst shed light on the formative role of funeral rites for our sense of community. Professor emeritus Antoon Vandevelde talks about “old age” and questions Simone de Beauvoir's pessimistic analyses of it in her book La Vieillesse. Finally, we ask how to bear a caring role for the non-human. Paco Calvo, author of Planta Sapiens (2023), traces the latest scientific research on the emotional world of plants to a philosophical reflection on our relationship to nature.

For the evening programme of this edition, you can choose between Oerhert, a poetic musical listening performance on physicality and femininity (in Dutch), or Camille Ghekiere's documentary Les Dames Blanches, an ode to compassion and connection in our too often apathetic world.