Events
We typically meet at 11:15 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month, but please check the events list below for the latest time and location information.
| Use these quick links to jump to more info below |
| Next meeting and readings | |
| Current theme (PDF) | |
| Prior themes | |
| List of prior meetings |
| ★ OUR NEXT MEETING |
| When: | Saturday, November 9, 2024, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topic: |
Jeffrey Rosen. The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2024. – Chapter 1, “Order: Twelve Virtues and the Pursuit of Happiness” – Chapter 2, “Temperance: Ben Franklin’s Quest for Moral Perfection” |
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| Readings: | We will focus on these readings (PDF). | |
| Meetup: | The best way to stay informed about our events and connect with other participants is via Meetup. (1) First, create your account on Meetup.com (it’s free). (2) Then connect to (i.e., “join”) our Meetup group page. (Look for the red “Join this group” button.) |
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| Notes: | You can bring your own (non-alcoholic) drink. Please see our Covid policy. | |
| More Upcoming Meetings |
| When: | Saturday, December 14, 2024, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, January 11, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, February 8, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, March 8, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, April 12, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, May 10, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, June 14, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, July 12, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, August 9, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, October 11, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, November 8, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| When: | Saturday, December 13, 2025, 11:15 a.m. | |
| Where: | Writers & Books, 740 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14607 [ map link ] | |
| Topics: | TBD | |
| Readings: | Reading list: TBD. | |
| Meetup: | Fyi, here is our Meetup group page. | |
| THEMES |
| Our current proposed theme(s) |
| (1) | Primary theme: history of philosophy & world philosophies | ||
| Over the course of the year, we will read texts across the history of world philosophies, from ancient Greece, India and China onward to the present day. Obviously, we won’t be able to cover the entire history of philosophy comprehensively, but we hope to explore many of the highlights. We will also seek out readings that reflect more diversity, in terms of geography, cultural traditions and gender, than is traditionally included in Western surveys. | |||
| Here’s a link to an outline of this current theme (PDF). | |||
| (2) | Secondary theme? | ||
| Some meetings may also allow time for a secondary theme, which will be determined by the group in advance. In some cases, the readings for the secondary theme might overlap or coincide with the readings for the primary theme (which would be convenient!). | |||
| If we find that juggling two themes is too difficult to manage, we might stick to single-theme meetings. |
| Prior theme(s) |
| (1) | [ placeholder ] | ||
| [ placeholder ] | |||
| (2) | [ placeholder ] | ||
| [ placeholder ] |
| PRIOR MEETINGS |
| When: | Saturday, April 9, 2022 | |
| Topics: | (a) Intro to Philosophy Cafe, and (b) “What is philosophy?” | |
| When: | Saturday, May 14, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies The Pre-Socratics |
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| When: | Saturday, June 11, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Socrates and Plato |
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| When: | Saturday, July 9, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Ethics Traditions of India |
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| When: | Saturday, August 13, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Chinese Ethics Traditions |
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| When: | Saturday, September 10, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Ancient Greek Ethics – Socrates – Plato – Aristotle |
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| When: | Saturday, October 8, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Medieval Christian, Jewish and Islamic Ethics – Part I – The Talmud – Augustine – Al-Farabi – Maimonides |
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| When: | Saturday, November 12, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Medieval Christian, Jewish and Islamic Ethics – Part II – Aquinas – St. Catherine of Siena – Christine de Pizan – St. Teresa of Avila |
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| When: | Saturday, December 10, 2022 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Ethics in Modern Philosophy – Princess Elizabeth – Hume – Kant – Madame de Stael |
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| When: | Saturday, January 14, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Ethics in African Traditions – Ethiopian Enlightenment: Zera Yacob – Communitarian Utilitarianism of the Akan: Kwame Gyekye – East African Islamic Ethics: Kai Kresse |
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| When: | Saturday, February 11, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Philosophy of Mind and Self — Self in Indian Philosophy – The Upanishads – Hinduism (Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga) – Indian Buddhism (No-Self, Bundle Self, and Impermanence) |
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| When: | Saturday, March 11, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies The Self in Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism – Xuanzang: Doctrine of Consciousness-Only; – Tibetan Buddhism: Self as Transcendent; – Zen Buddhism: Self as Empty. |
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| When: | Saturday, April 8, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Ancient Greek Philosophy of Mind – Plato: The Eternal, Tripartite Soul. Selections from Phaedo and Phaedrus; – Aristotle on the Self and Human Function. Selections from De Anima. |
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| When: | Saturday, May 13, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Mind and Body in Early Modern Philosophy – Descartes’ Dualism of Mind and Body. Selections from Meditations on First Philosophy; – Princess Elizabeth’s Critique of Descartes’ Dualism. Selections from Letters; – Locke on Criteria of Personal Identity. Selections from Essay Concerning Human Understanding; – Hume: The Constructed Self. Selections from Treatise of Human Nature. |
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| When: | Saturday, June 10, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies African Philosophy of Mind – Amo’s Critique of Descartes. Selections from The Apatheia of the Human Mind; – The Akan Conception of Mind and Self. Selections from Kwasi Wiredu, The Concept of Mind; – N. K. Dzobo. Selections from The Image of Man in Africa; – African Perspectives on Personal Identity. Selections from Leke Adeofe, Personal Identity in African Metaphysics. |
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| When: | Saturday, July 8, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Epistemology: Indian Theories of Knowledge – From the Nyaya Sutra, and Commentary by Vatsyayana; – Nagarjuna’s Skeptical Regress, from Averting the Arguments; – Gangesha, from The Jewel of Thought about Epistemology. |
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| When: | Saturday, August 12, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Epistemology: Chinese Theories of Knowledge – Daoist Skepticism: from the Zhuangzi; – Empiricism of Wang Chong: from Balanced Enquiries. |
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| When: | Saturday, September 9, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Epistemology: Ancient Greek Theories of Knowledge – Plato’s Internalism: from “Meno” and “Theaetetus” – Aristotle on Thought and Inference: from “On the Soul” – [ OPTIONAL bonus reading: Sextus Empiricus’s Skepticism: from “Outlines of Pyrrhonism” ] |
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| When: | Saturday, October 14, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Epistemology: Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Theories of Knowledge – Philo of Alexandria: from “On Drunkenness” – Augustine: from “Answer to Skeptics” and “The City of God” – Avicenna (Ibn Sina): from “A Treatise on Logic,” “The Book of Healing,” and “On the Soul” |
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| When: | Saturday, November 11, 2023 | |
| Topics: | History of Philosophy / World Philosophies Epistemology: Modern Theories of Knowledge – Descartes’ Foundationalism: from “Meditations on First Philosophy” – Locke’s Empiricism: from “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” – Leibniz’s Rationalism: from “New Essays Concerning Human Understanding” – Hume’s Empiricism: from “An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding” |
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| When: | Saturday, December 9, 2023 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Epistemology ] World Philosophies, ch. 17: “Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American Theories of Knowledge” Selections from: – Francisco Sanches’s Skepticism: That Nothing Is Known – Miguel de Unamuno’s Contextualism: The Tragic Sense of Life |
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| When: | Saturday, January 13, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Metaphysics ] World Philosophies, ch. 18: “Classical Indian Metaphysics” Selections from: – Classical Indian Realist Ontology: Kanada – Vaisheshika Sutras – Hindu Idealism: Shankara – Brahmasutra Commentary – Buddhist Realism: Dignaga – Investigation of the Object of Awareness – Jainist Perspectivism: Vadi Devasuri – Ornament Illuminating the Means and Principles of Awareness |
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| When: | Saturday, February 10, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Metaphysics ] World Philosophies, ch. 19: “Ancient Greek Metaphysics” Selections from: – Plato – Republic – Aristotle – Categories – Aristotle – Metaphysics – Aristotle – Physics |
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| When: | Saturday, March 9, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Metaphysics ] World Philosophies, ch. 20: “Metaphysics in Early Modern Philosophy” Selections from: – Rene Descartes – Meditations on First Philosophy – John Locke – An Essay Concerning Human Understanding – George Berkeley – Three Dialogues Between Hylas and Philonous – George Berkeley – Principles of Human Knowledge – David Hume – A Treatise of Human Nature |
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| When: | Saturday, April 13, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Metaphysics ] World Philosophies, ch. 21 (Part 1, pp. 476-491): “Metaphysics in Kant and Post-Kantian Philosophy (Part 1)” Selections from: – Immanuel Kant – Critique of Pure Reason – G.W.F. Hegel – Phenomenology of Mind – [ stop at p. 491 ] |
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| When: | Saturday, May 11, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Metaphysics ] World Philosophies, ch. 21 (Part 2, pp. 491-506): “Metaphysics in Kant and Post-Kantian Philosophy (Part 2)” Selections from: – Charles Sanders Peirce: How to Make Our Ideas Clear – Friedrich Nietzsche: Human, All Too Human and The Cheerful Science – Bertrand Russell: Problems of Philosophy |
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| When: | Saturday, June 8, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Metaphysics ] World Philosophies, ch. 22: “Spanish and Latin American Metaphysics” Selections from: – Peter of Spain: Tractatus – José Ortega Y Gasset: The Modern Theme – Jorge Luis Borges: Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius |
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| When: | Saturday, July 13, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Philosophical Theology ] World Philosophies, ch. 23: “Classical Christian Theology” Selections from: – Augustine: Confessions and Enchiridion – Anselm: Proslogion – St. Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica – Julian of Norwich: Revelations of Divine Love |
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| When: | Saturday, August 10, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Philosophical Theology ] World Philosophies, ch. 24: “Medieval Islamic Theology” Selections from: – Avicenna: On the Nature of God – Averroes: The Incoherence of the Incoherence – Al-Ghazali: The Incoherence of the Philosophers – Rabi’a al-‘Adawiyya: Readings from the Mystics of Islam |
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| When: | Saturday, September 14, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Philosophical Theology ] World Philosophies, Ch. 25 (Part 1, pp. 562-578) “Modern Theology” Selections from: – Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy – Pascal: Thoughts [ Stop at top of p. 578 ] |
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| When: | Saturday, October 12, 2024 | |
| Topics: |
[ Theme: History of Philosophy > Philosophical Theology ] World Philosophies, Ch. 25 (Part 2, pp. 578-593) “Modern Theology” Selections from: – Leibniz: Theodicy – Paley: Natural Theology – Hume: Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion |
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[ Under construction. More info coming. ]