President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins. President Higgins has cautioned against new forms of intolerance in an address at the Young Philosopher Awards 2021.
Mr Higgins said that “replacing” old forms of intolerance with new ones does not signify “the creation of a progressive or more open, broadminded or democratic society”.
Philosophy can lead to “wisdom and respect,” and an understanding of alternative viewpoints when broadly taught, Mr Higgins said.
“Your generation will be central to the crafting of a post-Covid world. What will be the role of universities, of free thoughts, in that world? How important your role is and will be.”
500 students submitted projects to the awards, or 200 projects between them, which examined and reflected upon “contemporary issues such as how to create a sense of belonging in our society; in what ways can we work together to combat intolerance and to protect our environment; how can we use technology ethically, while remaining responsible and respectful of the rights of others” and “what shape and form will our society take in a post-Covid world”.
However, the issues of classical philosophy were also there, the president noted.
Mr Higgins referenced Aristotle, who “has stated that philosophy begins with wonder”.
“Philosophy, in other words, is rooted in our human disposition to ask questions. If we lose or neglect that capacity to question, to critically evaluate, we can all too easily drift down a precarious road leading to a society where citizens become passive observers rather than active shapers of its evolving structure and form.”