Dr. Wolfgang Smith, whose work has inspired the creation of the Philos-Sophia Initiative Foundation, explains: “There exists at present a glaring discrepancy between what the discipline known as ‘philosophy’ was in ancient times, and what it has come to be in our day.” Indeed, the word itself is so badly injured that we have taken it upon ourselves to resuscitate it: It is with good reason that we are not the Philosophy but the Philos-Sophia Initiative! The need for true philos-sophia — an idiom in ancient Greek meaning love of wisdom — is pronounced in our time, “and has in fact only been exacerbated by the pseudo-philosophical doctrines that have usurped its place.” To counter this trend, the Initiative was founded “to promote the restitution of authentic philosophy.”
Meeting this challenge, of course, requires a practical point of origin. Therefore, as per the directive of Dr. Smith, the first priority of the Foundation shall be “an outreach to the young designed to discover and promote philosophic talent wherever it may be found.” We seek out the gifted young minds of today that they might become the intellectual and academic leaders of tomorrow.
It is with great pleasure, then, that John Trevor Berger (PSIF Director of Philosophical Outreach) announces the inaugural PHILOS-SOPHIA ESSAY CONTEST.
Application is open to all students high-school age and younger, and the author of the winning essay will be the recipient of a PSIF Fellowship which includes a $5,000 scholarship.
