Testimonials

Here are some testimonials by members of the public, teachers, and students who attended our events!

Participants share what they learnt after attending a workshop on whether accessing internet is a human right in our digital societies led by Merten Reglitz who showed The Tortoise and the Hare (April 2025):

• "I wouldn’t have thought there was such a strong argument for internet as a human right."

• "I learnt that the internet should be accessed as part of human rights for people."

• "It was useful to suggest action people could take to support, bring about solutions and regulation, to improve internet as a resource."

Participants share what they learnt after attending a workshop on whether perfumes are art led by Chiara Brozzo who showed The Ants and the Butterfly video (March 2025):

• "Considering the function of perfume with the perfume that was created to evoke a reaction rather than an enjoyable scent."

• "Hearing technical explanations of the merits of older perfumes was interesting and helped me to think of them in a new way rather than finding that they smell 'old'."

• "This has broadened my view of art. I never considered perfumes as art."

Participants in a webinar on conspiracy theories comment on what they have learnt (March 2025):

• "I haven't stopped thinking about the ways playing video games predisposes us to look for meaning - so fascinating!"

• "Conspiracy theories must be explored from various perspectives in order to better study and understand them, then its negative label should disappear. Believing in conspiracy theories is not (often) pathological or bizarre, it’s a way of making sense of the world."

• "How easy it is to become a conspiracy theorist, especially having fallen into that bubble of confirmation bias. How people look for meaning where there is often none - the compelling story, the obvious pattern, the good vs evil narrative, etc."

• "I hadn't considered conspiratorial thinking in light of homologous reasoning or interpretive processes (teleological reasoning in game play, religious experience), especially where the content is quite different (game play). That was eye opening."

• "That maybe conspiracy theories are widely spread because there is no other way for people to be listened except by their group of conspiracy theorists. Conspiracy theories should be more considered and theorists not labeled as strange, mentally ill, etc."

• "Conspiracy theorists should not be categorised as stupid, as mentioned all of us probably hold at least one conspiracy theory. Interventions can help prevent people fall down the rabbit hole, but it has to come from an empathetic approach."

University lecturer who facilitated a game of Fake Plots! in the classroom (February 2025):

• "The kit is great! It tied in nicely with previous lectures on the topic, students enjoyed applying the strategies, and we ended with a discussion of how governments can address this type of online conspiracism."

• "There was a lot of reflection afterwards on recognising how easy it is to go down an internet rabbit hole and fall into conspiracy theory traps." 

Year 12 and 13 students from Oakgrove School, Milton Keynes participated in a session on studying Philosophy at University including our Personal Identity Game (December 2024). Here are some of the comments from our students:

• "Enjoyed it and would do it again."

• "Enjoyable and intuitive, I’d like to see what a proper Philosophy lecture entails."

• "Outstanding. I learnt lots."

• "Loved the activities and found everyone so friendly and welcoming."

"It was the best part of the day as it was so interesting and linked into so much of our current learning. I loved the passion and way the professors talked about their subjects."

Student at Birmingham Metropolitan College who participated in Laura D'Olimpio's concept game on art and Lisa Bortolotti's personal identity game (November 2024):

"The two guest speakers from the University of Birmingham were absolutely fantastic.

Which, as a language student, my fixation on the way they spoke had come through, they managed to be so commanding and knowledgeable in their speech and mannerisms, whilst never making themselves come across as alienating to the students who attended. Which, as someone who has never studied philosophy prior, (attending for the experience of it), I never felt overwhelmed nor patronised by them, they managed to bridge the educational gap and make each student feel welcomed and not threatened by their expertise in the subject. 

The atmosphere was highly informative and they managed to blend education with interaction and a healthy dosage of fun, to keep the pupils engaged and to keep them comfortable with the topics at hand, regardless of whether or not they had any prior experience with philosophy."

Sixth form student at St George's School, Ascot: 

"We attended fantastic workshops with Professor Lisa Bortolotti from the University of Birmingham, who lectures in Philosophy and Psychology. Professor Bortolotti met with members of the Sixth Form, Year 11 and Year 10. This experience widened our learning and knowledge, as we engaged in a Sixth Form discussion of epistemic injustice. In addition to developing our ideas beyond the A level course, we also heard about life as a Philosophy or Psychology undergraduate. At the end of the Sixth Form talk, I knew that Philosophy is definitely the route for me." (October 2024).

Teacher who attended a workshop at the University of Birmingham with a group of Year 12 A level students from Birmingham Metropolitan College: 

"The students had the opportunity to hear from several academics on topics such as how to argue, the importance of the Internet and epistemic injustice in healthcare. The topics were varied and well-pitched to engage the students, and even those who lack confidence were discussing and contributing ideas. The use of the Philosophy Garden videos was particularly effective in making complex concepts accessible to students. When epistemic injustice in mental health was discussed I could see they were especially engaged in how this philosophy related to their own lives. We also had a fascinating session on conspiracy theories, including the chance to experience how fast fake news can be spread on social media in a practical activity. Many students see Russell Group universities, especially philosophy courses, as intimidating or out of reach. To have this workshop where we were welcomed, students were encouraged to contribute, and they could see the relevance of philosophy in contemporary society, was invaluable. We would like to do it again!" (June 2024)

A year-12 student from Birmingham Metropolitan College who attended a workshop:

"Attending Professor Lisa Bortolotti’s talk was an enlightening and thought-provoking experience. Her use of Aesop’s fables provided a comprehensive foundation for philosophical ideas, which allowed us students to engage in more complex discussions and challenge our preconceptions. The discussion informed me about how philosophical concepts can influence real-world interactions, while maintaining a level of simplicity that I felt was accessible as an A-level philosophy student. The Q&A session fostered exciting interaction, encouraging us to think critically and apply philosophical reasoning in everyday contexts. Overall, it was an insightful experience that broadened my understanding of philosophy and its relevance." (June 2024)

Student attending a Masterclass at the University of Birmingham, led by Kathleen Murphy-Hollies:

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to attend this Masterclass and have learnt a variety of information I never knew before. This Masterclass has developed my interest in conspiracy theories and I am curious to find out more." (March 2024)

Qualitative comments in a survey completed by members of the public who attended our screening entitled "In the mind of a conspiracy theorist" (March 2024). The question was "How has your attitude changed as a result of the screening and the discussion?":

• "It made me think that conspiracy theories are not necessarily false, but we need to understand the process of accepting them."

• "It made me consider broadening the scope of what might count as a conspiracy theory. How the mechanisms affect much of everyday thinking."

• "It has made me understand the thought process of conspiracy theorists better. It has also introduced more complexity to the term ‘conspiracy theory’ that i didn’t know much about before." 

• "I understand there’s more of an emotional / affective aspect."

• "Conspiracy theories should be de-stigmatised".