INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHICAL PRACTICES
PHILOSOPHICAL READING COURSE (Summer 2026):
Part 1: A Philosophy in Aphorisms
Part 2: Philosophy & Society
We invite you to an intellectual journey where we will discuss with philosophers through their texts and learn to understand
them, as well as ourselves and our own ideas.
Dates: May 23rd - August 1st, 2026
When: Saturdays, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Paris time)
PHILOSOPHICAL READING COURSE (Summer 2026):
Part 1: A Philosophy in Aphorisms
Part 2: Philosophy & Society
We invite you to an intellectual journey where we will discuss with philosophers through their texts and learn to understand
them, as well as ourselves and our own ideas.
Dates: May 23rd - August 1st, 2026
When: Saturdays, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Paris time)
“
This course will be split in 2 parts:
Part 1: A Philosophy in Aphorisms (5 sessions)
Part 2: Philosophy & Society (5 sessions)
The structure of the workshops will be the same during the 2 parts of the course. In each workshop we will work on an extract from a text of a philosopher. During the workshops we will practice different competencies like interpretation, argumentation, questioning, problematization and conceptualization. But most of all, we will work on our understanding of ideas, trough reading and discussing, and on the beauty of ideas and thinking.
The idea is to get involved in a text, not because it is important, a "must read", or for some goal other than the joy of engaging in the thoughts of the philosophers that came before us. Here we will have the opportunity of closely examining certain passages, looking for the main concepts, questioning the author, problematising ideas, making arguments for our own ideas, and so on. And as we do this together we will have the added benefit of learning from each other as well as having our own mistakes or problems pointed out to us.
No previous philosophical knowledge, academic or other, is needed in order to participate in the workshops. The only requirement is that you are willing to engage with others and with the text, and to be available to what is happening in the discussion.
Part 1: A Philosophy in Aphorisms (5 sessions)
Part 2: Philosophy & Society (5 sessions)
The structure of the workshops will be the same during the 2 parts of the course. In each workshop we will work on an extract from a text of a philosopher. During the workshops we will practice different competencies like interpretation, argumentation, questioning, problematization and conceptualization. But most of all, we will work on our understanding of ideas, trough reading and discussing, and on the beauty of ideas and thinking.
The idea is to get involved in a text, not because it is important, a "must read", or for some goal other than the joy of engaging in the thoughts of the philosophers that came before us. Here we will have the opportunity of closely examining certain passages, looking for the main concepts, questioning the author, problematising ideas, making arguments for our own ideas, and so on. And as we do this together we will have the added benefit of learning from each other as well as having our own mistakes or problems pointed out to us.
No previous philosophical knowledge, academic or other, is needed in order to participate in the workshops. The only requirement is that you are willing to engage with others and with the text, and to be available to what is happening in the discussion.
PART 1: WITH MATHIAS TISTELGREN
Mathias Tistelgren is a philosophical practitioner and a high school philosophy teacher. He holds master's degrees in both philosophy and literature and likes to use texts as a tool for philosophical discussions. He trains philosophical practitioners, gives workshops and philosophical consultations.
The history of philosophy can be seen as a series of fragments as well as a history of the great system builders. In Mathias’ part of the course we will focus on those philosophers who expressed themselves in short succinct fragments, maxims, aphorisms. Authors such as Marcus Aurelius, Pascal and Nietzsche shared their thoughts not as great cathedrals of structural construction but in snippets of insights, sometimes contradicting what they wrote just the day before. They are quickly read. Sometimes clear, sometimes cryptic, always challenging, forcing us to read and re-read what at first glance looked obvious. They inspire us to pick up the pen and start writing ourselves, not daunted by heavy tomes of erudite penmanship. And just as writers of aphorisms put their own soul into their words of wisdom, their readers expose themselves in their different interpretations and understandings.
Mathias Tistelgren is a philosophical practitioner and a high school philosophy teacher. He holds master's degrees in both philosophy and literature and likes to use texts as a tool for philosophical discussions. He trains philosophical practitioners, gives workshops and philosophical consultations.
The history of philosophy can be seen as a series of fragments as well as a history of the great system builders. In Mathias’ part of the course we will focus on those philosophers who expressed themselves in short succinct fragments, maxims, aphorisms. Authors such as Marcus Aurelius, Pascal and Nietzsche shared their thoughts not as great cathedrals of structural construction but in snippets of insights, sometimes contradicting what they wrote just the day before. They are quickly read. Sometimes clear, sometimes cryptic, always challenging, forcing us to read and re-read what at first glance looked obvious. They inspire us to pick up the pen and start writing ourselves, not daunted by heavy tomes of erudite penmanship. And just as writers of aphorisms put their own soul into their words of wisdom, their readers expose themselves in their different interpretations and understandings.
PART 2: WITH ISABELLE MILLON
Isabelle Millon is a philosophy-practitioner, co-founder of the Institute of Philosophical Practices, a researcher and author of books for teenagers and adults. For more than twenty years, she has been working on the development of critical thinking as philosophical practice, holding workshops and seminars all over the world, training mainly people involved in educational, social, political and cultural domains.
Throughout history, philosophers have engaged with societal issues: justice, violence, identity, obedience... In recent decades, however, philosophy has increasingly turned its attention toward themes more commonly associated with sociology and contemporary social analysis. This is not merely a change of subject, but a transformation in the way philosophy operates: thinking is no longer limited to abstract frameworks alone, but engages more directly with concrete situations, lived experiences, and real-world cases as material for reflection and analysis.
Across five sessions, Isabelle will invite participants to explore texts ranging from the 18th century to the present day, showing how philosophy continuously redefines its relationship to social reality.
Isabelle Millon is a philosophy-practitioner, co-founder of the Institute of Philosophical Practices, a researcher and author of books for teenagers and adults. For more than twenty years, she has been working on the development of critical thinking as philosophical practice, holding workshops and seminars all over the world, training mainly people involved in educational, social, political and cultural domains.
Throughout history, philosophers have engaged with societal issues: justice, violence, identity, obedience... In recent decades, however, philosophy has increasingly turned its attention toward themes more commonly associated with sociology and contemporary social analysis. This is not merely a change of subject, but a transformation in the way philosophy operates: thinking is no longer limited to abstract frameworks alone, but engages more directly with concrete situations, lived experiences, and real-world cases as material for reflection and analysis.
Across five sessions, Isabelle will invite participants to explore texts ranging from the 18th century to the present day, showing how philosophy continuously redefines its relationship to social reality.
Dates: May 23rd - August 1st, 2026
When: Saturdays, 10 AM -12 PM (Paris time)
No session on June 13th
Quantity: 10 sessions of 2 hours
Level: All levels
For whom: Anyone interested in philosophical reading
Price: 300€
When: Saturdays, 10 AM -12 PM (Paris time)
No session on June 13th
Quantity: 10 sessions of 2 hours
Level: All levels
For whom: Anyone interested in philosophical reading
Price: 300€
About the course:
A philosophical reading course is a process of not only discovering new ideas and views on life, but also an opportunity to understand yourself and see your own difficulties and problems in thinking. We do not seek to gain knowledge, but to learn to stay in a process of thinking and dialoguing! We will slow down to see a lot in little. During each lesson we will work on an extract of a text.
A philosophical reading course is a process of not only discovering new ideas and views on life, but also an opportunity to understand yourself and see your own difficulties and problems in thinking. We do not seek to gain knowledge, but to learn to stay in a process of thinking and dialoguing! We will slow down to see a lot in little. During each lesson we will work on an extract of a text.
Philosophical texts are a good way not only to fill yourself with new meanings, but also to develop your thinking skills: That is why during the workshops, the moderator asks a lot of questions and brings your attention to mistakes in interpretation. He will teach you different tools for working with a text. Be prepared not only to observe, but also for active work in order to practice:
WHAT WE WILL PRACTICE:
thinking flexibility,
focus,
ability to maintain a global understanding of a text,
clarity,
interpretation of the world through different paradigms of philosophers,
ability to transmit abstract into concrete and vice versa.
WHAT WE WILL PRACTICE:
thinking flexibility,
focus,
ability to maintain a global understanding of a text,
clarity,
interpretation of the world through different paradigms of philosophers,
ability to transmit abstract into concrete and vice versa.
Results from this course
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Pleasure from understanding a difficult textAnalyzing the texts of philosophers, you will see that any text, regardless of its complexity, can be understood. And by observing your facilitator, you will see how you can gain understanding of what seemed incomprehensible -
Expansion of your world visionIn 10 meetings you will build your own perception of all the 10 texts and the main ideas in their works. This will allow you to expand the boundaries of your thinking -
Ability to read slowly and deeplyYou will see how you can discover new meanings by working only on one fragment and even one sentence -
New way of meditationSlow reading is a way to meditate and calm your mind down. While working on philosophical texts, you will develop concentration -
Ability to see yourself and others through a textYou will see what difficulties you face and what they tell about your thinking. Working with a text is a way to understand yourself and others -
Ability to think abstractlyBy working with abstract categories you will gain a better understanding of concrete and simple things
PHILOSOPHICAL READING COURSE
Starting Saturday May 23st, 2026
10 AM -12 PM Paris time
10 AM -12 PM Paris time
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See contact information below.
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Contact
We will be happy to answer your questions.
Phone/WhatsApp/Telegram: +33 7 68 42 82 08
Mail: institutdepra.philo@gmail.com
Phone/WhatsApp/Telegram: +33 7 68 42 82 08
Mail: institutdepra.philo@gmail.com
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