Philosophy is deeply rooted in conversations, in dialogues and discussions about what reality is, how we should live our lives, what mind and brain are. Philosophy is more than an academic discipline. It is a way to engage with our wonder, mystery, confusion, our will to understand. By engaging with other minds, we can discover new questions, explore ideas, scrutinize arguments, and maybe come one step closer to truth and meaning. To Socrates, practicing philosophy meant conversing with his students, which lay the foundation of Western philosophy.
Few others embraced this perspective as deeply as the French philosophers Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre. In the first half of the 20th century, they turned the Café de Flore in Paris into a mecca for literary meetings, philosophical debates, and artistic daydreams. The Café Philosophique was born. Drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes, they enjoyed lively conversations among themselves and other guests. Here, they learned about phenomenology, a new set of ideas on the philosophical study of experience and consciousness emerging at the time. This lead de Beauvoir and Sartre to develop Existentialism through their daily visits to the café.
In the tradition of de Beauvoir and Sartre, the Dondrite Education Committee would like to host a weekly virtual Café (Neuro-) Philosophique. Everyone is warmly invited to engage in open conversations about Neurophilosophy, consciousness, the ethics of artificial intelligence, free will, and everything else you are curious about. Thereby, we would like to complement the Neurophilosophy course, which explores fascinating topics and presents compelling ideas, but leaves little possibility to practice philosophy, that is to converse with others. Through our coffee chats, philosophy will become more alive and our shared wisdom will be enlarged by cultivating new ideas and deliberating arguments. Last but not least, you might also find further inspiration for your essay.
To find a date that suits as many interested people as possible, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/bE7jX2X1uAt2vNY2A
Grab a cup of coffee or tea, bring some cookies, and see you at the first Café meeting to philosophize together!
Your Education Committee | PK
