Around 20 people gathered in a circle of chairs at the downtown Eugene Public Library. They came together to tackle a common question: What is empathy?
This is a Community Philosophy Circle, held every second Wednesday of the month starting at 6 p.m. Lane Community College professor Caroline Lundquist facilitates the events, alongside retired educator Paul Bodin.
The pair have been holding library discussions like these on-and-off since 2017, covering a variety of topics. They say it’s part of an ongoing effort to make philosophical discussion welcoming to more people.
“For over 100 years now, the thought has been that the philosopher is the sage on the stage, and they talk at people,” said Lundquist. “And if people do philosophy, maybe it's them sitting in a coffee shop, disagreeing with each other and showing off who's smartest.”
Bodin said in truth, anyone can contribute meaningful ideas, including children. Lundquist said the library events continue a long history of conversational philosophy.
“I always imagine people sitting around a campfire, telling stories and sharing experiences and asking questions that matter to them all, in order to live better together in communities,” said Lundquist. “And that's what public philosophy is.”
As last month's participants discussed empathy, they also spoke about their lives, covering their experiences with disability to their relationships with family.
“Everybody likes to think about the way things are, and sometimes out loud,” attendee Matthew Bildsprecher told KLCC. “This is an enjoyable way to express ourselves, build community and talk out our differences.”
Bodin said the facilitator's role is to make sure everyone's voice is heard, while keeping disagreements respectful. He said having a space like this is vital right now.
"This is an election year—a lot of people are afraid to talk to each other," said Bodin. "So I think people really are hungry for that kind of non-threatening collaborative discourse, even around controversial topics."
The organizers' next session, titled “What Does It Mean To Be a Child Today,” will be held March 13.
