Cogito, ergo sum. “I think, therefore I am.”

Cogito is a philosophy journal centered solely on publishing the philosophical research and work of high school students. As there is an astonishing lack of philosophy journals that accept pieces from high school students, Sophia Panigrahi and Sebastian Zuba strive to create the opportunity for pixel students to publish their work! The Cogito team consists of Sophia Panigrahi and Sebastian Zuba as the editors-in-chief of Cogito and the advisory board, made up of Dr. Morgan Wallhagen, Dr. Joshua Beattie, Dr. Micah Tillman, and Ms. Rebecca Shields, who help guide the bigger-picture decisions Cogito makes. Supported by several OHS staff and teachers, the two passionate juniors have spared no effort into the making of Cogito. 

What makes Cogito so special is that it creates a space solely dedicated to providing high school students who are interested in philosophy with the opportunity to expand their philosophical knowledge. Whether they are interested in publishing a piece they are passionate about or simply want to learn more about philosophy, Cogito is a unique place in that it is focused on high school students and their love of philosophy.

In the making of Cogito, Sophia and Sebastian had the difficulty of making others aware of this wonderful project. On this issue, they have commented that although “it was initially difficult to spread the word about Cogito, we have been very lucky in the support of Cogito that has come from our amazing and encouraging OHS instructors. We would like to take a moment to thank our Advisory Board, made up of OHS staff, for their encouragement as we have created Cogito!”

Students can involve themselves by going to the website, www.cogitojournal.org, following the submission guidelines, and submitting to the journal. Any queries about Cogito or on participation can be directed to [email protected]. As the deadline to submit has passed, the Cogito team and board will focus on those who have submitted. The release of the first edition is planned to be in late March!

Cogito is a fantastic opportunity to easily publish your papers, born of the desire to be published and also to foster love of philosophy. And as the editors-in-chief point out, “OHS is unique in its emphasis on philosophy, through the Core curriculum, and we believe the high-quality papers that students write deserve to have their own official home!”