They think, therefore they are producing a video about the study of philosophy

Two seniors, partners behind the camera since the age of 7, aim their work at high school students

by Kristen Cole

Coke or Pepsi? Choosing a beverage may not be one of life’s major decisions, but two Brown students are using the example to explain a heady philosophical concept to teenagers.

The 25-minute tape is both an independent study project and a business venture for the two philosophy concentrators from Montreal who hope it will be used in classrooms to spark discussion.

While high school classes such as pre-calculus and biology prepare teenagers for the type of coursework they will encounter in college, philosophy is not always offered at the high school level. Unless a student independently researches the subject, he or she might never know what it entails and therefore might shy from college courses on philosophy, said Batalion.

"We came from a high school where the focus was mainly on math and science and there was really nothing on philosophy," said Saibil. "We want to tell students what philosophy is about."

Philosophical concepts are often naturally on the minds of teenagers, an age when exploring the meaning of life is typical, said Batalion, 21. "Adolescence is a period of questioning."

The pair decided to define philosophy in the video, which is being shot this month, and boil down its four main branches: values, ethics and morality; metaphysics or reality and experience; epistemology or knowledge; logic and critical thinking.

To determine how to approach the project, Batalion and Saibil surveyed teachers and organized focus groups with local high school students.

Their finished product will not include interviews with the top thinkers in the field, who would likely be unknown to the audience, said Saibil. Instead, teenagers will act out examples from life that illustrate philosophical concepts. The soundtrack will include music that teenagers listen to; the narrator is a freestyle rap artist from the Feinstein High School.

Batalion and Saibil have been making videos together since they were 7. Their first piece was a 47-minute narrative about a fictional aspiring politician named Max La Bouche (Max the Mouth). Another was a how-to video about playing basketball.

Although they have been wielding a camera for their own entertainment for years, they hope this video will find its way onto library shelves in high schools to entertain others. If it is a success, they intend to parlay it into a series of videos for high school students about college-level subjects.

The pair received support from Christopher Amirault in the Department of Education and Paul Armstrong, dean of the College.

"It seemed to me the idea of trying to make philosophy more understandable, entertaining, and fun was a good one," said Armstrong, whose office is funding project costs that include production, packaging, and shipping of the videos.

The video is among several projects the friends want to complete before graduation.

"There were a bunch of things we just had to do before we left Brown and this is one of those things," said Saibil. "We’re never going to have 35 people working on an idea of ours after we graduate unless we have tons of money."