First Essay Round 2025/2026 and SPO Weekend

The First Essay Round of the Swiss Philosophy Olympiad 2025/2026 took place between October 7 and November 16, 2025. We invited over 160 students to participate in the First Essay Round and submit an essay to one of the following topics: 

1. Is altruism possible?
2. What is a picture?
3. “What is familiar and well known as such is not really known for the very reason that it is familiar and well known.” (Hegel, The Phenomenology of Spirit)
4. “All government in essence (...) is tyranny. It matters not whether it is government by divine right or majority rule. In every instance its aim is the absolute subordination of the individual.” (Emma Goldman, Anarchism and other essays)

This year participants had the opportunity to join a videocall during the First Essay Round. In this call they received general tips on essay writing and an explanation of the evaluation criteria. This videocall was done both in German and in French.  

Additionally, we organized two other videocalls for anyone interested. The first call was about creating an overview of philosophy. Since there are always some participants that do not have any background in philosophy. his was meant to help them orient themselves and perhaps also support them in writing their essay by identifying which discipline of philosophy the essays questions belong to. The second meeting was aimed at participants interested in studying philosophy at university. Former participants and volunteers who are currently studying philosophy at university, including international ones, offered to answer questions.

Out of all the invited participants 112 submitted an essay. Whereas the essay topic 1 was, with a total of 65 submissions, by far the most popular. 25 participants submitted an essay to Goldmans quote, the fourth topic. Least popular were the second and third topic, with 13 submissions for the first and 9 submissions for the latter. At the end of this article, you will find a list of the authors which were selected for the semifinals.

The anonymous evaluation of the essay by a jury of volunteers (high school teachers, university students and former finalists), was part of the SPO Weekend. The SPO Weekend took place on November 22/23. A total of 21 volunteers got together in Kulturmühle Lützenflüh in the canton of Bern to evaluate essays – but not only. We used the weekend to exchange ideas and enjoy happy time together, whether that meant having philosophical discussions or enjoying the fresh air outside. A big thanks goes to our kitchen team, which prepared the much-needed brain food. Our kitchen team in action:

We we were served delicious lentil bolognese, curry with rice, and potatoes with salad.

Evaluating essays is fun, but also tiring.

Sometimes taking a break and playing with friends is exactly what you need to recharge.

The list of the authors which were selected for the semifinals on Thursday, 15 January, in alphabetical order: