For our special summer event, The Philosopher’s Yard invites you to a unique Philosophy Cinema screening of The Man from Earth. This classic film follows a retiring university professor who reveals to his colleagues that he is an immortal caveman. What unfolds is a captivating story that forces us to confront deep questions in how we understand truth, knowledge and time.

In this session, we will turn our attention to Stoicism: What can Stoicism teach us about living well in an uncertain world? How can Stoic practices help us navigate stress, setbacks, and difficult emotions? Is Stoicism still relevant today, and what can it offer modern life?

In this session, we will turn our attention to Identity and Difference: Can we celebrate difference without deepening division? Is national identity something inherited, chosen, or constantly reinvented? What does it mean to belong in a multicultural society?

What does it mean to live alongside artificial intelligence? Should we embrace it, resist it, or reshape it?

A summary of our May 2026 event, which explored how AI is transforming our lives - featuring two thought-provoking talks and interactive breakout discussions.

The Philosophers’ Yard partners with ‘Being Brummie’ on a special Salon Session exploring politics and populism after the local elections

We turned our attention to Spiritual Evolution: When you hear the word “consciousness”, what does it mean to you? How open do you feel society is today to conversations about consciousness and spiritual development? How can individuals contribute to a collective shift in consciousness within society?

In this session, we turned our attention to Health Inequalities. What factors most strongly shape how healthy someone is? Is health influenced more by personal choices or by the social conditions we live in? How do factors such as income, education, geographic location, gender, or race affect the level and quality of healthcare people receive? And have you ever felt dismissed, unheard, or misunderstood in a healthcare setting?

In this session, we turned our attention to Justice & Fairness: How would you define justice and fairness? Does being fair always mean treating everyone the same, or is it sometimes fairer to help some people more than others? When you hear the word justice, what does it mean to you in everyday life? Should upbringing or luck affect what someone is entitled to or how they are treated? How would we set up society if we wanted no one to be treated unfairly or unjustly?

What does it mean to belong—and who decides?

A summary of a memorable evening exploring the promises and pitfalls of nationalism, with two fascinating talks, interactive breakout sessions, and live poetry from Birmingham Poet Laureate Ayan Aden.

In this session, we turned our attention to Mental Health: When you hear the phrase “mental wellbeing,” what’s the first idea, metaphor, or image that comes to mind? What is one small habit or practice that helps you feel better during a stressful week?

In this session, we turned our attention to Samurai Philosophy: When you think about samurai what images or concepts spring to mind? How are they portrayed in the media and popular culture? In your culture, what’s the modern equivalent of “living by a code”? And other questions

The return of our ground-breaking course teaching transformative practices that will allow you to be more reflective, connected, and thoughtful — both with others and with your own ideas.

The return of our ground-breaking four-part course teaching transformative practices that will allow you to be more reflective, connected, and thoughtful — both with others and with your own ideas.

What is education for? Exams? Citizenship? Flourishing?

Revisit the talks exploring what education is—and what it could be (to be uploaded Nov 2025).

In this session, we will turn our attention to one of the most fundamental questions in political philosophy: the relationship between political authority and individual responsibility. What should the individual do when political authority becomes incompetent?

In this meetup, Tom Peel shared insights drawn from Iain McGilchrist’s ideas on the hemispheres of the brain.

In this meetup, we explored classic philosophical puzzles like the Ship of Theseus, the Trolley Problem, and Mary’s Room.

This meetup featured a talk from educator Lawna Tapper, who explored the significance of the narratives and perspectives that we hold about our lives.

In this session, we discussed thought-provoking questions about Existentialism and Absurdism: How can we make our own meaning? What should we do when things don't make sense? How can we enjoy life despite it all?

A ground-breaking four-part course teaching transformative practices that foster beneficial conversations, thought, and engagement.

A ground-breaking four-part course teaching transformative practices that foster beneficial conversations, thought, and engagement.

This event featured talks from Sam Braham on the “Meaning Crisis,” Revd Dr. Carver Anderson on life’s fragility and sacredness, and Professor Michael Hand on why inquiry into the meaning of life should be included in the school curriculum. Featuring a live performance by poet M. L. Walsh.

A ground-breaking four-part course teaching transformative practices that foster beneficial conversations, thought, and engagement.

A ground-breaking four-part course teaching transformative practices that foster beneficial conversations, thought, and engagement.

Our meetup on inclusivity & disability featured a talk from Philosophy of Disability PhD student, Susie Clark.

Join us for a fascinating evening of learning and discussion as we explore Astrology.

This gathering is an open invitation to people of all backgrounds to explore the topic of Anti-Racism alongside the Birmingham Race Impact Group.

Meetups are an opportunity to find like-minded people interested in deep conversations! This meetup is a follow-up to our event capitalism

A fascinating evening of learning and discussion as we explore capitalism and financial well-being.