Two wounded as philosophers’ conference ends in brawl

A real battle of wits has occurred at a philosophy conference in the House of Scientists in central Moscow, leaving two people wounded.

“We heard about a major fight at about 12:30. A number of police units were immediately sent to the site,” a source in the police told the Interfax news agency on Monday.

When the police arrived at the scene they found out that the fight occurred during The International Philosophical Forum. Two people were injured during the brawl. They received all the necessary treatment at the site and were not hospitalized.

Also on Monday, the Russian media reported that the fight had little to do with arguments over the meaning of life. The incident’s instigator turned out to be a former Moscow State University student, who was withdrawn from the Philosophy Department a couple of years ago.

A witness told Interfax that the man attacked the Philosophical Department dean, Vladimir Mironov, during a scientific conference.

He had earlier tried to break into the Philosophy Department office and “argue” with Mironov, the same source said. The source did not elaborate on the reason behind the man’s vitriol towards his former dean.