GUIDELINES FOR INTRODUCERS

OF HKPC (KOWLOON BRANCH) DISCUSSIONS

I. Why were you invited to introduce this topic?

A. Basic criterion: The HKPC Executive Committee has decided that introducers must have been present at a minimum of two meetings prior to the meeting when they introduce a topic. That is, the meeting you will be introducing should be at least your third HKPC meeting.

B. Interest: In all likelihood the main reason we thought of asking you is that you showed some special interest in the topic when we discussed it at an earlier meeting. We want the introductions to be interesting, so we invite people who show interest in the topic!

C. Expertise: Don't worry if you have no special knowledge or experience in the area you have been asked to introduce. This is not a requirement. Of course, if you do have some expertise in this area, you should feel free to share that with us; but keep in mind that this was probably not our reason for inviting you to introduce the topic. The HKPC is not a forum for "experts" to teach the "truth" to "novices". So if you are an expert in the area, please think of other participants as your equals for the purposes of the discussion that will follow your introduction.

II. Preparation

A. Point of view: What point of view you present in your introduction is, of course, entirely up to you. You can even choose not to present a point of view if you wish, though in that case you should say something about why you do not have a point of view to defend. In most cases, an introduction that persuasively defends a clear point of view provokes a more interesting discussion than one that merely shares personal reflections about the topic and/or your own reasons for being interested in it.

B. Research: You do not need to do a huge amount of research on your topic, especially because this could make your presentation so weighty that some participants may find it too difficult to understand. But you should try to do some reading, or at least some careful thinking, about the topic beforehand. If possible, try to find out what at least one past philosopher thought about the topic you are introducing. A few short quotations from a well-known philosopher can spice up an introduction nicely.

C. Handouts: If you wish, you can make a handout to distribute to participants during your introduction. However, there is no requirement to do this, and many introducers do not. If you do make such a handout, try to keep it simple. Think of it as a way of making your key points more clear and/or of giving participants access to more details than you could present during your introduction. But please do not make a handout that requires participants to do a task, answer questions (as in a quiz) or anything of that sort. Any materials distributed should be used strictly to support your introduction. If you do prepare a handout and/or a summary of your introduction, please send a copy to the moderator several days before the meeting.

III. Presentation

A. Timing: Your introduction should be about ten minutes long, give or take five minutes. An introduction that is too short may not give people a clear enough idea of what the topic is really about; one that is too long may become boring or too comprehensive, leaving little to discuss. If you have spoken for 13 or 14 minutes and show no signs of finishing soon, the moderator will probably give you a brief reminder to wrap up your introduction. If you are still not finished when 15 minutes have gone by, you can expect to be interrupted again and asked to conclude in one or two sentences. Please follow the moderator's instructions!

B. Content: Remember that this is a philosophical discussion, so it will be very helpful if you can make some basic distinctions, suggest some definitions of key terms, and if possible (i.e., if you know any), mention one or more current or classical philosophical theories that relate to your topic. You can also share your views on a more personal level, but try not to make the whole introduction just a series of personal remarks. You should present reasons and/or arguments to back up your views as much as possible.

C. Form: If a large group turns up for the meeting, be sure to speak loudly enough so that everyone can hear you. Don't mumble or make side comments under your breath. Try to make eye contact with other participants as much as possible. You'll probably want to have some notes to remind you of what you intend to say; but most of your presentation should not be read directly from these notes, as this tends to be less interesting for the listeners. We don’t want participants to fall asleep or (even worse) leave as a result of a boring introduction!

IV. Afterwards

A. Respecting the moderator: Remember that throughout the entire meeting the moderator is in charge, not you. After your introduction, the moderator will lead a brief time of questions for clarification. Be prepared for the likelihood that some of these questions will challenge some of the claims you have made; if so, try to respond by providing additional reasons to support your position. After this initial question time, you should think of yourself as one of the ordinary participants in the discussion. Of course, if your introduction was very clear and thought provoking, then your ideas may continue to be the focus of the discussion throughout the evening. But at the same time, you should not expect all of the discussion to centre around your ideas. The moderator is very likely to encourage participants to consider and/or express alternative points of view as well. The moderator may or may not choose to offer you the opportunity to give a closing statement. Be ready for this; but it will be up to the moderator to decide whether or not such a "final word" is needed.

B. Follow up discussion: The HKPC sponsors an email discussion group, intended mainly for those who wish to continue discussing the previous meeting's topic. Since you introduced the topic, it would probably be a good idea for you to subscribe to that list (if you are not already on it), at least for the few weeks following the meeting in question. That way you can respond to anyone who chooses to discuss your ideas further. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe hkpc" to: majordomo@listserver.hkbu.edu.hk. Please remember to be as polite in your email exchanges as we seek to be in our face-to-face meetings.

C. Handout/summary posting: If you would like to have your handout (if any) or a formal summary of your introduction posted on the web site of the Kowloon Branch, then you should email a copy of the text to stevepq@hkbu.edu.hk within one week following the meeting. However, this is not a requirement and many introducers do not bother with this formality.