University Philosophical Society
The Dublin University Philosophical Society (commonly known as The Phil) is a student debating and paper-reading society in Trinity College, Dublin. It has been in Trinity College continuously since 1853. As the Dublin Philosophical Society existed from 1683 through 1731, the Phil claims to be the oldest such society in the world, though this claim is disputed by members of Trinity's other major debating society. The Phil is currently situated in the Graduates' Memorial Building of Trinity College, which it shares with the College Historical Society. Traditionally a paper-reading society, it now largely organises debates, though it still occasionally invites students and guests to read papers.
History
In 1683, future Irish politician and and philosopher William Molyneaux and others founded the Dublin Philosophical Society in Trinity College, Dublin. The society, intended to be an equivalent in Dublin of the Royal Society, conducted paper-readings and scientific inquiry. Members of this society included George Berkeley, Jonathan Swift and Oliver Goldsmith. As well as in Trinity College, it met in diverse places around Dublin, notably near a Freemason's lodge on Crow Street. This led to speculation that many members were Freemasons or sympathisers; these claims were denied by the Society's members. Possibly as a result of such associations, the Society faced College and Government opposition, and frequently shut down and re-started. It was finally ejected from the College in 1731 after a public duel between two of its council members and the College's Junior Dean, in which the Dean was killed. One of its former members then formed the Dublin Society for Improving Husbandry, Manufactures and Other Useful Arts, which acquired Kildare House as a meeting-place. In 1820, the Dublin Society became the Royal Dublin Society.
In 1843, the present society was founded to cater for those Trinity College students too young to join other societies in Dublin (at the time, the College Historical Society only allowed students of Senior Sophister (fourth year) and above to join). This became the Dublin University Philosophical Society in 1845 when it was recognized by the college. Many of the subjects discussed were quite heavy, and the society did not appeal very strongly to its target audience. In 1853, the Undergraduate Philosophical Society was founded, with the Provost of the College as its Senior Patron. In 1860, the Dublin University Philosophical Society dissolved, and the Undergraduate Philosophical Society changed its name to the University Philosophical Society. Among the notable events held in its early years was the demonstration of an early telephone by Stephen Yeates in 1865.
Some of the society's notable past members include authors Bram Stoker and Oliver St. John Gogarty, former Irish President Mary Robinson, former Ugandan Supreme Court Chief Justice Udo Udoma and Nobel Laureates Ernest Walton and Samuel Beckett. In terms of its original purpose, the Phil is the oldest paper-reading society in the world, and the largest in Ireland.
Disputes and Dating
The Phil's age is a subject of controversy to this day. Most sources state that it dates from 1683 and the foundation of the Dublin Philosophical Society. However, this claim is disputed by various sources, most notably members of the Trinity College Historical Society, which itself claims to be the oldest debating society in the world. They assert that a 122-year gap is too long for the two societies to be considered one society, and that the Dublin Philosophical Society has no links with the University Philosophical Society. Supporters of the DPS/UPS thesis Some supporters of the Phil's claims also accept that the Historical Society has been a debating society for the longer period, since they believe the Phil originally served as a paper-reading and scientific society, with no debates in the modern style.
The Trinity College Calendar lists two dates, 1684 and 1853, as foundation dates of the society. However, the Calendar's policy on these matters is regarded as inconsistent by some college historians. The society's "sessions" (year-long terms in which it holds meetings) were originally dated from 1853, a policy which continued until the 1960s. Since then, the society dates its sessions from the earlier date. The date on its insignia is 1853. The Society celebrates centenaries of both the 1853 foundation of the UPS and the 1683 foundation of the DPS.
Debating
The Phil has has a strong competitive debating record of late, especially in the Irish Mace and international Observer Mace and John Smith Memorial Mace competitions. The society's internal debating competitions are the Maiden Speaker's Competition, for first-time speakers in college, and the satirically-titled Margaret Thatcher Memorial Debating Competition, a series of impromptu debates. External competitions include an intervarsity debating competition, the Claire Stewart Trinity IV - Dean Swift Intervarsity, in association with the Hist, and also a secondary schools' public speaking competition, the Phil Speaks.
Guests
During its long history, the Society has recorded the presence of many remarkable guests, among them Frederick Engels, Karl Popper, and Bertrand Russell.
In more recent years guests have included John Kenneth Galbraith, Mary Robinson, The Edge of U2, Peter Sutherland, George Galloway, Howard Marks, Germaine Greer, Spike Milligan, Ron Jeremy, Vivienne Westwood, David Irving, and Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson.
Guests of the 2004/05 session included US Senator John McCain, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach John Bruton, pornographic actor Ron Jeremy, "FHM High Street Honey" Kayleigh Pearson, Formula One driver Eddie Irvine, IMF vice-president Anne Krueger, Ambassador Bill Harrop and musician and political campaigner Bob Geldof. The inaugural meeting of the session featured Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Northern Irish politician John Hume, and former Taoisigh Albert Reynolds and Garret FitzGerald.
Controversies
The Society has been involved in several controversies. The dating issue (see above) is one. A more serious affair occured on the evening when Austrian politician Jorg Haider was due to address the society in the Graduate Memorial Building (GMB) in late 2002. The meeting was threatened with attack by the Irish "Anti-Fascist Alliance", a violent far-left group notorious for attacking debating societies, and their policy of allowing "no platform" to those whose opinions it disagrees with. The meeting was eventually held in a private theatre elsewhere in Dublin. Nevertheless, the Anti-Fascist Alliance broke windows in the GMB, in the belief that Phil Council members were hiding inside.
Other guests to generate controversy were models Kayleigh Pearson and Gena Lee Nolin, who were opposed by College feminist groups, and Islamist Anjem Choudary. Over Choudry's invitation, the former Irish Taoiseach John Bruton threatened to withdraw from a Phil debate later that year. Choudary's invitation was eventually dropped.
Notable Former Presidents and Members
- John Pentland Mahaffy
- Oscar Wilde
- Bram Stoker
- Samuel Beckett
- Ernest Walton
- Mary Robinson
- Senator David Norris
Other notable former council members include Irish journalists Paul Gillespie and Ruth McAvinia, and broadcaster Colm O'Mongáin.
The current President is Andrew Campbell, a former Secretary and Vice-President of the society.