Sophie Wood
Running for: President
I'd like to put myself forward for Philsoc President because I genuinely love the society and want to ensure it keeps running smoothly. I know I'm organised enough to stay on top of all the admin necessary and I care so much about the little community that's been built here so I'm happy to put in the work to maintain this inclusive (if slightly pretentious) environment.

I'd really just like to continue what this years committee started to set up, obviously continuing the weekly talks but also getting a head start on new reading groups so they can start early in the term, perhaps staggering them so that people have the option of signing up to groups with varying levels of commitment, with different groups tackling different books. I've also semi-regularly attended coffee mornings this year and I'd consider varying the locations perhaps on a fortnightly basis so that people that live in different parts of Bristol can come.

I have done a couple of Philsoc talks myself this year and so I can really appreciate the benefits of getting beyond the course content and delving into different areas of philosophy, which I think the society is very supportive of. This experience also means I can support others with developing their own talks which is the main focus of the society.

Thank you for reading :)

Carter Hollywood
Running for: Vice President / Secretary
Philosophy Students rejoice, for change has come at last. A new tyranny can begin by your hands, all that's needed is one simple vote.

I pledge to
- Ban discussion of Heidegger in any public spaces for mental health purposes
- Every person who votes for me will receive a free jpg of Camus - the objectively hottest philosopher
- Endorse Kantism as the one true ethical system

I look forward to your vote.


Ella Andow
Running for: Secretary / Treasurer
Hi all. I am applying to be the secretary and treasurer of philosophy society because I want to have a part in keeping this group thriving the way it has over the last year. I highly value this society and all of its members and I believe that next year can be even better if we all put in the work.

Weez Melhuish
Running for: Vice President / Secretary / Treasurer / Equalities Officer / Media Representative / Engagement Officer
Hello PhilSoc members, I'm Weez and if you've ever been along to one of our meetings then you will recognise me as current acting President for PhilSoc 2023/24.

Throughout the year I've been busy behind the scenes keeping the PhilSoc engine running: booking speakers, booking venues, planning events and collabs, handling communications and social media, making (most of) the graphics each week, networking with other societies and the Philosophy faculty, and just generally making sure we have a fun and safe place we can all go to scratch our heads, get inspired and nerd out over some wild ideas.

My friends and the rest of the current committee members can vouch for the level of commitment I've put into growing our little society into what it is this year, and judging by the consistently high turnout each week, I'm guessing you've all been enjoying all that we've managed to accomplish so far!

Despite this (and maybe also in virtue of this), for the coming year I'm stepping down from the President's role to ensure I can focus on my final year of studies, and let someone else have a go at the helm. However, I'd still like to be involved in the running of the society, and me being part of next year's committee means we can make it a smooth handover, using all the experience, knowledge and contacts I've gained to uphold the strong ethos and character of the society, and hopefully make it even better.

From the bottom of my heart I thank you all for making PhilSoc such a delight to be part of, and I can't wait to see what's in store for us next <3

Alex Walton
Running for: Secretary / Treasurer
I'm applying for a position on the committee because I would like for PhilSoc to continue running as smoothly as it has been. The society is an important place for people to share their thoughts about a topic through a talk, and also a place where people can come into contact with content not taught by the Philosophy course at Bristol. This kind of extra-curricular engagement with philosophy is crucial for developing your own ideas, and I'd like to make sure these features of the society are continued. I also think that with the momentum from this year PhilSoc has the means to offer more, such as trips to philosophically interesting locations and well-organised reading groups.

As committee secretary, I'll aim to keep the society organised, effectively prioritise different points of consideration, and enable effective communication between committee/society members.

Jacob Morris
Running for: Secretary / Treasurer / Engagement Officer
My main purpose in running to be on the committee of the philosophy society is to ensure its continuation. For me, philsoc has been one of the best parts about university. I absolutely love everyone who attends and I love the space provided to explore new and exciting ideas. In my time at Bristol, I think that the society has been amazingly run. The weekly talks are a fantastic way to meet new people and learn some interesting philosophy that you may have not had the chance to learn in class. I have made wonderful friends, learned some amazing things and listened to great speakers talk about a wide range of topics. I would love for the students and philsoc members of the future to have the opportunity to experience all of the great experiences I have had. I think that I can use my skills to help further the growth of the society and attract even more people into the community. My goals for the society would be to continue the weekly talks and coffee mornings and increase the amount we advertise them around campus (perhaps with flyers, or going into lectures to tell people to come along). I would also love to see another philsoc trip (similar to the 2023 trip). This might require us to raise more funds, and this would be something I’d be happy to look into (sponsorships, grants, fundraising etc). Ultimately, I would love to discuss new ideas to ensure the flourishing of the society with other members of the society and, (if I get elected), other members of the committee. Thanks for reading :)

Scarlett Willis
Running for: Vice President / Secretary / Equalities Officer / Media Representative / Engagement Officer
I would love the chance to be on the PhilSoc committee, in any capacity. I've greatly appreciated attending the society as a member, as I've found PhilSoc to be a welcoming and friendly environment, and I'd like to continue giving students this space to discuss philosophy outside of the more formal university environment. In particular, I would want to carry on with the current society's initiative to introduce reading groups, and after doing a PhilSoc talk this year I want to make sure that the committee continues to value and encourage student ideas and research. I would also like to introduce some new kinds of socials throughout the year, like informal debate/discussion nights, and writing sessions. I am as organised as you can be for a philosophy student - after being on the Animal Law committee this year I know what it's like to plan events and run sessions, and this is something I could bring to PhilSoc. Thanks for reading!

Lucy Murdoch
Running for: Media Representative / Engagement Officer
My name is Lucy Murdoch and I am a first year philosophy student and I would love to be a part of the philosophy society committee for next year. I am applying for the roles of Media representative and engagement officer. I have an avid passion for philosophy but more importantly I’m passionate about increasing both the visibility and reputation of the subject and subsequently the society. I believe philosophy is in a unique disciplinary position. Literature and history have been intertwined with philosophy since its dawn as we all known, but even STEM subjects such as maths or physics due to the works of Descartes, Leibniz, Pythagoras etc are often inextricably backed up by philosophical thinking and ideas. Even broader than this, the creativity found in philosophy is a kin to that in art or music. This situates us as a society nicely to grow and expand our interdisciplinary relations: we have the chance to plan meetings, talks and socials with other societies that are both fun and educational in the sense of widening our ways of thinking about our subjects. Essentially, I would push for a development of the society to allow it to flourish in relation to the extensive yet communal feel of the UOB society climate. However, I also feel it important to not lose the intimate and down to earth core of the society, and to maintain the philosophical discussion that this society has done so well to preserve. I have three main ideas to achieving this goal. Firstly, I would create and manage a Philsoc Instagram page. Instagram is the easiest and best way to increase visibility as it can provide a snapshot of who we are as a society and what we stand for. I also think it would make us for relatable and therefore approachable for any new philosophers looking to join. Secondly, an increase in socials, paying special attention to joint socials with the societies of the subjects I mentioned earlier. This could be as simple as a philosophy and literature pub quiz, or a pub crawl where we all dress as the Socratic philosophers, or even an art philosophy event where we draw different philosophical concepts or notions. Despite two out of three of my ideas there involving pubs, I would like to stress that I would intend for our social calendar to be more productive and insightful than just pub nights and I believe this circles back to my earlier point of great broadness of the subjects which allows us to do really anything. A session on spirituality for example would be really interesting, or a bake-off using recipes from different eras of philosophy to see which foods inspired our favourite great minds. Socials such as these paired with the insightful events you already have down like the thought-provoking talks and discussions will lead to a balanced social calendar which will increase the visibility but more importantly the enrichment of our society. Finally, I would put more resources into the first few months of the academic year to attract and keep new members. The fresher’s fair is a great way to properly get our names out there and the first social is then necessary for keeping engagement high. I would put lots of planning time into ensuring that our fair stand did the best to highlight who we are and our philosophy as a society to make it clear our interest in both thought-provoking discussions and debates AND fun socials. This would be followed by a philosophy themed first social (I’m thinking ancient Greece for the fun factor). I believe all of these combined will help to elevate the society to a level even greater than it is now, and it is why I hope you will consider me for a place on the committee.

Grace Duffy
Running for: Engagement Officer
Firstly, as I am positive every member of this society is, I am very passionate about Philosophy, and I think it’s important for all students at Bristol University to have a space to share this passion. Therefore, my main mission would be to ensure philosophy society is an accessible space for all students.

Joining societies such as Philosophy society can be very intimidating due to social pressures and fear of not meeting academic expectations. This problem can be particularly present in first years, who have less experience in the studying the subject. For this reason I would like to add a Family scheme to Philosophy society, in order to help students feel comfortable joining Philosophy society and have more experienced students to turn to for advice.

In addition, I would aim to arrange more activities such as pub crawls and study sessions. I believe encouraging students to join the society through activities which are focused on socialising, rather than an academic setting, may make the society less intimidating and more appealing to some students.

I would also like to work with other societies to arrange joint social activities. This would allow for Philosophy society to be more inviting to joint honours students and those who do not study Philosophy but do take an interest in the subject. This would also provide an opportunity for those in Philosophy society to make friends which allow for discussions about other disciplines relating to philosophy.

Furthermore, I would aim to work with the media representatives to advertise events through Instagram, which I have noticed is popular among other societies and is an effective way of advertising and encouraging students to attend society activities.

In conclusion, I would like the opportunity to be the engagement officer for philosophy society as I would like to ensure it is the most accessible and welcoming it can be for students to join by: introducing a family scheme, arranging more socially based events (including with other societies) and advertising events through more platforms.