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6 April 2017 Abingdon News Philosophy of Mind In January we welcomed back Professor John Cottingham - a world leading scholar on René Descartes - to deliver a lecture on the Philosophy of Mind to a group of sixth formers and GCSE pupils keen to study Philosophy at A-level. Lego Challenge Six third year students took on tough competition in the First Lego League Animal Allies Challenge, improving throughout the competition and returning with lots of new ideas. During the Michaelmas term, the boys built lego models including the Mindstorms Lego robot which they learnt how to program. Thirty three students and four staff braved rain and cold to ​sleep rough on the school campus, raising awareness of the challenges of homelessness, as well as money for Oxford Homeless Pathways. No tents, no comforts, just cardboard and a sleeping bag. The boys slept outside the music school, many outside the café and some in the bag racks round the back of Big School. Although not a pleasant experience, with rain and temperatures of 4 degrees, it was certainly a memorable one, with one student commenting, “It was a real eye opener into the lives of the homeless and made me appreciate how lucky we are to have a roof over our heads and a warm bed.” The event raised over £1000 for Oxford Homeless Pathways. Abingdon Sleeps Rough Sixth former James Hogge continued his impressive record in the National Cipher Challenge, run by the University of Southampton Mathematics Department. James picked up the second prize and £800 for the second successive year. Breaking the Code Having won their regional heat of the French debating competition, Harry Donoghue and Ben Hutchison (Lower 6th) went to the Institut Français in London to take part in the final of the ‘Joutes Oratoires’.