The 2025 Aristotle Contest Winners Revealed

Yiwen (Molly) Mao, Sophie Zhang, and Diksha Mehta–they emerged victorious, but “competition was exceptionally tough this year” in the 2025 Aristotle Contest edition, says Jim John, the Department of Philosophy’s high school coordinator and lead of the Aristotle Contest adjudicating committee. Rising above the crowd in a highly competitive field, the three can feel particularly proud of their accomplishments in the high school philosophy essay-writing competition the Department of Philosophy at U of T has co-sponsored in its present format with the Ontario Philosophy Teachers’ Association since 2018. Learn a little more about the winners below.

First Place

Yiwen (Molly) Mao, “The Myth of Inherent Filial Obligation” (Oakville Trafalgar High School, Oakville, ON)

Description: This essay argues that the fact that a child is born to their parents doesn’t suffice for the child to have a moral obligation to care for them in their old age. Any such moral obligation, the argument goes, must be based in the existence of a reciprocal relationship between the child and their parents in which the child comes to lovingly commit to the long-term support of their parents. A highlight of this essay was the sophisticated way in which it responded to a number of very challenging objections.

Getting to Know Yiwen

Second Place

Sophie Zhang, “Reclaiming Truth: The Ethical Imperative to Fact-Check before Sharing on Social Media” (Havergal College, Toronto, ON)

Description: This piece defends the claim that individual social media users are morally obligated to do whatever fact-checking they can before posting content on social media. The source of this obligation is two-fold: first, that one is morally prohibited from causing the kind of harm that, it is argued, false information could cause, and, second, that one is morally obligated to promote in society at large a “culture of truth and rationality.” A standout feature of this essay was its probing discussion of what a culture of truth and rationality would involve and of why we should want to promote such a thing.

Getting to Know Sophie

Third Place

Diksha Mehta, “Before You Share: The Ethics of Truth in a Society of Screens” (W. H. Croxford High School, Airdrie, AB)

Description: This work also contends that individual social media users are morally obligated to fact-check before sharing content. The obligation stems, according to the argument, from our duties to minimize harm and, intriguingly, to do what we can to promote the well-being of what the paper argues is an emerging “digital society.” The paper ends with an exploration of whether a duty to fact-check might constitute a troubling requirement to self-censor, concluding that fact-checking, done properly, would enhance, not detract from, freedom of expression. This essay distinguished itself by its careful discussion of what it would be for individuals to have moral obligations, not to other individuals, but to society at large.

Getting to Know Diksha

What was your favorite part about participating in this year’s Aristotle Contest?
My favorite part was being able to express my ideas about truth and responsibility in our digital world. I believe that for youth today, social media is an inseparable part of our lives, but too often, we don’t always recognize where influence ends and integrity begins; we don’t fully understand its boundaries. Writing this essay helped me reflect on where those boundaries lie, and what responsibility truly means online.

What did you find the hardest?
The hardest part was getting started, trying to bridge the gap between ancient philosophies and something as contemporary and complex as social media. But that challenge actually turned out to be valuable, because it helped me see how social media mirrors a real society, with its own norms, voices, and responsibilities, functioning as a kind of “digital society.”

Describe yourself in three sentences.

I’m a first-generation Grade 11 student from Airdrie, Alberta, with a love for big ideas and meaningful conversations. I’m passionate about engaging in discussions on societal and global issues, questioning the world around me, and using my voice to shape a more equitable society. In my free time, I enjoy experimenting with baking, rewatching Legally Blonde, indulging in all kinds of foods, and hunting for the perfect shopping finds!

Any mentors or guides you’d like to call out?

n.a.

What are you up to now and what’s next for you?
I’m currently involved in leadership initiatives focused on education, youth advocacy, and social impact. Some of my notable activities include serving as a member of the Airdrie Board of Youth Affairs, where I work to amplify youth voices and advocate for young people in my city, I am also the co-chair of my school division’s Middle School Leadership Conference. I also write to advocate for immigrant and marginalized communities. My article “Healthy Starts: Why Newcomer Families Need Newcomer-Responsive Maternal Care in Canada” was published by the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health, and I serve as an outreach executive for the non-profit Girls to the Power of Math. Looking ahead, I hope to continue developing my leadership and advocacy skills, contribute to policy discussions on youth and immigrant issues, expand my writing and voice to reach wider audiences, and create initiatives that empower young people to have a real impact in their communities.

Honorable Mentions

Diego Castillo Schwartz, “Beneficence: The Extent of Filial Duty” (East York Collegiate Institute East York, ON)

Sofia Cina, “The Line between Love and Duty: The Moral Obligation of Children to Their Parents” (St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic High School, Richmond Hill, ON)

Isabella Galut, “The Ethical Obligation to Fact-Check” (Loretto College School, Toronto, ON)

Kriya Gosine, “From Retweets to Responsibility: The Moral Imperative of Verifying Information” (Abbey Park High School, Oakville, ON)

Andi Guo, Untitled (University of Toronto Schools, Toronto, ON)

Kaitlyn Hou, “The Digital Age of Agency: Epistemic Harm and the Responsibility to Fact-Check” (Abbey Park High School, Oakville, ON)

Qizhang Nat Liang, “The Constant Pursuit of Truth in the Era of Lies” (St. George’s School, Vancouver, BC)

Ranvir Singh Nahar, “On the Moral Impermissibility of Spreading False Information” (Mayfield Secondary School, Caledon East, ON)

Madeline Watters, “The Orchard and the Orchardist: On Filial Duty and the Fruit of Moral Soil” (Donald A. Wilson Secondary School, Whitby, ON)

A special thanks to Anita Angelini for her generous sponsorship of the Aristotle Contest.