The new Philosophy Club at Edina High School is no stranger to interesting discussion about abstract ideas. Advised by mathematics teacher Mr. Lenz, the club discusses topics that range from multiverses to the question of “what is real?”

Founders Lainey Patzloff and Sarah Bryan, juniors at EHS, started the club because they were yearning for an outlet to discuss these big ideas. “I know that a lot of teenagers think about these things but they don’t have a space to talk about them, and I wanted to provide that,” Bryan said.

One of the main goals is to provide a space for discussing various ideas in an open and casual environment. The founders emphasize its laid-back nature while still discussing pressing issues and important philosophical concepts. Members of the club benefit from a varied and open-minded discussion.

“It helps with thinking deeper about things, and in school when you write essays it really challenges you to ask more questions. Having a more open mindset can help you in any setting and help you become a better person,” Patzloff said.

Philosophy Club focuses on passionate discussion but still remains non-partisan. “We don’t want it to be a political club even though philosophy can become intertwined with ideology. A lot of politics is rooted in philosophy but we try to stay away from that and discuss other things,” Bryan said. The club has the unique ability to supply students with a break from a polarizing climate.

Often Philosophy Club tries to integrate relevant themes like holidays or current events in their discussions. “We have a topic of the week and we just talk about that big topic for the whole meeting. We try to tie it into stuff going on, like on Halloween we talked about life and death,” Patzloff said.

The Philosophy Club is a way for students of various backgrounds to discuss thought-provoking topics in a welcoming setting. The club meets after school every Wednesday and is open to all students who wish to become involved in a thoughtful discussion.