Schools Day
The Festival exists to give complex, uncomfortable questions a public forum. This day gives students the skills to be part of that conversation – not just once, but across a lifetime.
Critical thinking isn’t a soft skill. It’s the foundation of everything.
Over four hours, students learn one simple conversational move and use it all day: building on others’ arguments instead of just opposing them. That move unlocks real discussion – the kind where minds actually change. Students take a position, learn to argue it well, test it against philosophers from The Ethics Centre, and then turn those same skills onto a live question about AI and the future.
The only win on the day is a changed mind – someone else’s or your own.
Students also move through the Festival site, taking in VR experience The World Came Flooding In and HEAP as part of the day.
Designed for Years 9–11 students who are curious, opinionated and not afraid to be wrong. It sits naturally alongside Philosophy and Ethics, Society and Culture, English Advanced, and Debating – but the skills it builds go well beyond any subject.
Friday 21 August, 10am – 2pm
Carriageworks, Sydney
$25 per student, teachers free
BYO lunch
To book or find out more: schools@festivalofdangerousideas.com
Aubrey Blanche
Aubrey Blanche is, at heart, a deep thinker who refuses to believe that we cannot choose to build a world better than the one we’ve inherited. Her academic studies have always focused on understanding the causes of harm to the most vulnerable, and have included research on terrorism, defense contracting and military strategy, and the impact of AI applications on queer and disabled users. She spent more than 13 years in multinational technology companies advising on issues of organisational responsibility before joining The Ethics Centre as Director of Ethical Advisory & Strategic Partnerships. She is an advisor to global organisations seeking to scale in an ethical way, with an emphasis on equitable talent practices, justice-aligned ESG approaches, and responsible AI governance. She is a regular writer and speaker on issues of ethics in business, finance, and technology and a masters student in AI Ethics and Society at the University of Cambridge.
Tim Dean
Tim Dean is a public philosopher, speaker and writer. He has a Doctorate in philosophy from UNSW Sydney on the evolution of morality and specialises in public philosophy, ethics and critical thinking. He is an Honorary Associate at the University of Sydney and the author of How We Became Human. He is also an experienced science writer and editor and has worked for outlets such as The Conversation and edited magazines including Cosmos and Australian Life Scientist. He is the recipient of the Australasian Association of Philosophy Media Professionals’ Award for his work on philosophy in the public sphere. He is currently Senior Philosopher and Manos Chair in Ethics at The Ethics Centre.
Daniel Finlay
Daniel Finlay is a philosopher and writer working at The Ethics Centre to bring ethics to younger people in a way that is impactful, relatable and fun. He has completed an Honours degree in philosophy from the University of Sydney and enjoys reading, video games and music.
Cory Doctorow [CAN/UK]
Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, activist and journalist. He is the author of dozens of books, most recently Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It (nonfiction); and the novel Picks and Shovels. His latest book is The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI, coming in June 2026. Born in Toronto, Canada, he lives in Los Angeles and London.
We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation - the custodians of the country on which we meet - and acknowledge their Elders, past and present.
The views and opinions expressed by the Festival participants are not necessarily the views of The Ethics Centre and our partners.