1st ICPP: Vancouver, Canada, July 8-12, 1994

Organizers: Ran Lahav & Lou Marinoff

BIO OF RAN LAHAV

Ran Lahav has been internationally active in the field of philosophical practice since 1992. He grew up in Israel, and then moved to the USA and received in 1989 his PhD in philosophy and Master's in Psychology from the University of Michigan. He taught philosophy at several universities in Israel and the USA, and gave the first university course in the world on philosophical counseling at Haifa University in Israel, which he taught for over ten years. In 1994 he envisioned and co-organized the First International Conference on Philosophical Counseling. He has given numerous workshops and presentations around the world, and has published books and articles on philosophy and philosophical practice, as well as novels and spirituality books in English and Hebrew.

BIO OF LOU MARINOFF

Lou Marinoff—a Commonwealth Scholar originally from Canada—is Professor of Philosophy and Asian Studies at The City College of New York, founding President of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association (APPA), and Editor of APPA's Journal. He began counseling clients at the University of British Columbia in 1991, and co-organized the First International Conference on Philosophical Practice at UBC in 1994. Lou has authored several international bestsellers—notably Plato Not Prozac, translated into twenty-seven languages—that apply philosophy to the resolution of everyday problems. The New York Times Magazine called him “the world’s most successful marketer of philosophical counseling.” Lou collaborates with global organizations that contribute to building cultures of peace, prosperity and harmony – Biovision (Lyon), Ducere (Canberra), Festival of Thinkers (Abu Dhabi), Horasis (Zurich), Soka Gakkai International (Tokyo), Strategic Foresight Institute (Mumbai), and the World Economic Forum (Davos).

The 1st ICPP in Vancouver

Background & Summary

In 1993, Ran Lahav approached Lou Marinoff and proposed that they co-organize the first ICPP. The two were already well-acquainted, since Lou had contributed a chapter to the seminal anthology edited by Ran and Maria Tillmanns, namely Essays on Philosophical Counseling (published in 1995). Ran had met many of the leading practitioners in America, Canada, Europe, Israel, and Scandinavia, while Lou had access to funding and a venue, via his position at the University of British Columbia. So their collaboration was ideal. Ran organized the program, which can be downloaded below, while Lou raised funds from UBC's Center for Applied Ethics and Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The event itself was a great success, featuring nineteen speakers and/or workshop leaders from America, Canada, Germany, Holland, Israel, Norway, and South Africa. A total of ninety-two participants registered for the four-day conference. Beyond this, the first ICPP was a watershed event. As this international community of practitioners gathered for the first time, a realization dawned that they were pioneering a global movement in its nascent phase. As this movement gained traction, it spread to many more countries, spawning sequel conferences. Thus the ICPP continued as an informal institution, an inclusive tradition, and a meeting place for furthering philosophical practice.

-- A group photo, taken by Lou Marinoff. Not everyone is in the photo, because some workshops were still taking place. In the front row, we can see Anders Lindseth, Ora Gruengard, Ida Jongsma, Ran Lahav, Lydia Amir, and Vaughana Feary, among others.

-- A photo of Lou Marinoff making some announcements. Behind him we can see (the late) Jean Mechanic, Ran Lahav, and Lydia Amir.