Philosophy because the world matters

"Philosophy Because the World Matters" is a reproduction of a series of drawings accompanied by an explanatory text explaining the specific context out of which the drawings arose - they documented and responded to philosophy discussion workshops that I ran for recovering drug addicts at HMP Lancaster Castle ( c. 1999-2002). My concern was a valorisation of philosophy as a practice of thinking able to activate an individual's relationship making to 'having a life' and, in turn, to allow the unfolding self-illumination (qua onto-ethical capacity) that resulted to effect a constructive world-thinking and hence world-building with others. The style of the sessions was influenced by my experience of David Bohm's 'Dialogue' and my interest in Paulo Freire's notion of "critical consciousness.' I made a drawing after most sessions, copies of which were distributed to participants to enable further reflection and to honour their discoveries.