Gerd Achenbach (Germany) is the first philosopher who inputs the concept of “philosophical practice” into scientific circulation, in addition, he is the most authoritative representative of such a trend of philosophical practice as “philosophical counseling.” His ideas are summarized in a variety of books and articles on this subject. Founder of the International Society of Philosophical Practice (IGPP), member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Society for the Study and Advancement of Applied Philosophy (Germany), as well as the founder and permanent leader of a cluster of university courses in philosophical practice at the University of Vienna (Austria).
Lou Marinoff (USA) is a writer, professor of philosophy, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of City College of New York (USA). He is the founder of the American Association of Practitioners Philosophers (APPA). In many ways it was thanks to him that the movement of philosophical practice became popular. A huge role in this played his best-selling book Plato, not prozac! Applying philosophy to everyday problems (1999), translated into many languages of the world. He is one of the most recognizable and readable authors in the world. Thanks to his efforts, as well as the efforts of another philosopher-practitioner from the US Ran Lahav, in 1994 the first international conference on philosophical practice was held.
Ran Lahav (USA) has been working in the field of philosophical practice for more than 20 years. As a practicing philosopher, he conducts courses in philosophical practice at the university, publishes articles and books on this subject, develops new methods of philosophical practice (“Deep Philosophy”, “Philosophical Companionship”), which he successfully uses in individual and group work. Ran Lahav created the world’s first university course on philosophical counseling, which for fifteen years taught at the University of Haifa in Israel. Over the years, Ran Lahav has recorded interviews with practicing philosophers from around the world. He collected a rich collection of these videos. In 2014, Ran Lahav, along with his colleague from Peru, Carmen Zavala, founded the Agora website (www.philopractice.org), the site of on-line meetings of practicing philosophers from all over the world.
Walter Kohan (Brazil) is professor of philosophy of education at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Author of the book Philosophy and Childhood. Critical Perspectives and Affirmative Practices (2014), in which he views philosophizing as an important factor in the development of children. He is an active advocate of the practice of philosophizing with children, is one of the leaders of the International Council for Philosophical Research with Children (ICPIC), the editor of the journal Childhood & Philosophy, the project “Encyclopedia of Childhood”.
Oscar Brenifier (France) – philosopher-practitioner, for many years working on the concept of “practical philosophy.” He is one of the main promoters of philosophical practice in the world, conducting philosophical cafes, philosophical seminars with children and adults. He actively develops his own method of individual and group philosophical consultations, conducts master classes on assessment and development of intellectual competences in various organizations. He is also known as the author of the collection of philosophical books for children (PhiloZenfants-collection), translated into more than 25 languages.
Canadian philosopher-practitioner Peter Raabe has received international recognition as one of the leading experts in the use of philosophy in the prevention and treatment of many mental illnesses. He is also a talented journalist, held many seminars on philosophical counseling in many countries around the world. Popularity among philosophers-consultants brought to him his book Women in Philosophical Counselling: The Anima of Thought in Action (2015).
Spanish philosopher-practitioner Felix García Morion, whose work in the field of philosophical practice is inextricably linked with the theme “Philosophy for children.” He is the president of many international organizations that coordinate work on philosophizing with children: the Center for Philosophy for Children (Spain), the International Council for Philosophical Research with Children (ICPIC), the European Foundation for the Promotion of Philosophy with Children. He is also the scientific editor of such authoritative international journals as Thinking, The Journal of Philosophy for Children, Diálogo Filosófico, Childhood & Philosophy.