RIYADH — The second Riyadh Philosophy Conference has ended with over 2700 people packing the King Fahd National Library hall to hear 70 speakers from around the globe discuss themes on science and philosophy that had never been addressed before.

Khalid Alsameti, General Manager for Literature, from the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission in the Ministry of Culture, thanked the attendees and speakers who participated in vigorous and passionate dialogues over the past three days. He said: “While this is the end of our conference, it is the beginning of new connections and the continuation of others. It is just a chapter of a longer story that has not been told yet, so we look forward to welcoming you back next year, where we will, once again, celebrate the importance of philosophical thought, for us as individuals, and for our world in general.”

Workshops, panels and plenary discussions included audiences hearing about the ethical and practical considerations involved in space exploration. These included everything from why humanity should explore space and the legal ramifications of space exploration and ownership, to the type of rocket required to take humans to Mars.

Plenary sessions on the main stage saw a 300 in-person audience, with one million more people participating through livestream.

College students also participated in the fascinating two-day debate in the Reading Between the Lines competition. Students from Saudi Arabia debated on philosophical themes including whether the moral apprehension of the development of artificial intelligence is exaggerated, and if there should be legal restrictions on the beauty industry, as a result of the moral risk.

The Philosophical Camp also opened outside the King Fahad Library, creating an outdoor space for members of the public to engage in philosophical discussions. Over 100 attendees gathered at each Philosophical Café session, where international speakers were present to informally discuss and debate thoughts with attendees, demonstrating the intellectual curiosity of participants from Saudi Arabia and abroad.

The Riyadh Philosophy Conference is an annual event, organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission of the Ministry of Culture.