Undergraduate Philosophy Society

Have you ever thought about what it means to be human in our vast universe? Or whether there is a purpose to human existence? Or whether there is such a thing as an objective moral code, or how we ought to live our lives? Do you find yourself awake late at night, or drifting off from time to time looking out a window, wondering if you have free will? what is real? how your mind interacts with your body? or how we know whether some statement about the world is true or not?!?!!!

So have we! We’re the Undergraduate Philosophy Society of Purdue (UGPS)—a club for students who want to philosophize about life’s big questions!

About the UGPS

The Undergraduate Philosophy Society at Purdue is open to all undergraduates on campus, whether or not you are a Philosophy major, or have even taken a philosophy course before! We especially encourage PHIL majors and minors to attend.

Our club aims to give members a sense of community—one in which they can feel free to share their thoughts and opinions, and to agree or respectfully disagree with those of others. Do you have questions based on:

traditional or contemporary philosophical issues?
philosophical topics and thoughts of personal interest?
concepts being introduced in a PHIL course you are taking?
your general curiosity about life?

Then join us! Based on our own experiences in the UGPS, we know that by engaging in lively debate, our members develop clarity and rigor in their thinking, as well as the tools and mental frameworks for confronting the various problems life throws our way—whether they be philosophical or practical in nature. We hope that members will leave our sessions with a deeper understanding and appreciation of philosophy, and with more friends with which they can discuss these topics outside of the club!

Our Meetings

We typically gather on Thursday evenings, 7PM at ABE B073. More information about our callouts and meeting times can be found by following us on Instagram.

While having philosophical discussions with fellow enthusiasts is the essence of our club, it is not the only thing that we do! We also invite guest speakers from the PHIL department to share their work and lead discussions, coordinate social activities both on and off campus, and—based on member interest and our commitment to the broader community—we will help develop volunteer opportunities for our interested members. Have other ideas for the club? Come join us! We are always looking to expand our range of activities.

UGPS Leadership & Contact Info

Though we typically make decisions through a democratic voting process, we also have several administrative positions for members who want to be involved in decision-making and developing future opportunities for the club.

Current UGPS President

Davis Trujillo (Senior in Biochemistry with minors in Biology and Spanish)

Elliot Brajkovich (Junior in Biochemistry and Chemistry, and Philosophy)

Current UGPS Vice President

Andrew Perfetti (Junior in Molecular Biology)

Current UGPS Treasurer

Logan Carleton

Current APF Submitter

John Danner (Senior in Business Management)

Faculty/Staff Advisor

Samantha Ooley (Academic Program Manager // Philosophy)

Social Media Coordinator: Open - Interested? Let us know!

Current UGPS Secretary: Open - Interested? Let us know!

For more information, e-mail the UGPS at: pugphilosophysociety@gmail.com