Well, maybe you should. Philosophy wasn't originally about dry hair-splitting, it was an effort to discover the right way to live your life, every day, in the real world.

I recently rediscovered Stoicism, a philosophy which was at the height of it's popularity perhaps 18 centuries ago in the weeks after I got laid off from my job of ten years, and I've learned (and relearned a lot of things)—not perfectly, but every day is a new day.

I'm learning how to want what I have, rather than needing to have what I want. I'm learning what's actually important, rather than only apparently so.

Chris Phillips' book "Socrates Café" describes his work at setting up informal gatherings around the world where people from different backgrounds get together and exchange thoughtful ideas and experiences while embracing the Socratic Method. The groups model their discussions from the Phillips' book.

Today, there are over 600 ongoing gatherings around the globe coordinated by hundreds of volunteers who share the common goal of making a more inclusive world. You can learn more about the "Socrates Café" movement on the site of the Society for Philosophical Inquiry, at

http://www.philosopher.org/en/Socrates_Cafe.html

I'd very much like to start such a group in the Santa Cruz county area. Won't you join me?

Join us and be the first to know when new Meetups are scheduled
Log in with Facebook to find out
By creating a Meetup account, you agree to the Terms of Service

Who Cares About Philosophy?

Join and suggest a new Meetup

Recent Meetups

  • February 7 at 7:00 PM, 4 Aspiring Human Beings attended

    Santa Cruz Socrates Café Meetup
    This is a tentatively-scheduled first meeting of the Santa Cruz Socrates Café. My suggestion is either The White Raven in Felton, or Lulu Carpenter's at The Octagon, in... Learn more
  • January 3 at 7:00 PM, 6 Aspiring Human Beings attended

    Santa Cruz Socrates Café Meetup
    This is a tentatively-scheduled first meeting of the Santa Cruz Socrates Café. My suggestion is either The White Raven in Felton, or Lulu Carpenter's at The Octagon, in... Learn more
  • December 6, 2011 at 7:00 PM, 3 Aspiring Human Beings attended

    Santa Cruz Socrates Café Meetup
    This is a tentatively-scheduled first meeting of the Santa Cruz Socrates Café. My suggestion is either The White Raven in Felton, or Lulu Carpenter's at The Octagon, in... Learn more
  • October 4, 2011 at 7:00 PM, 2 Aspiring Human Beings attended

    Santa Cruz Socrates Café Meetup
    This is a tentatively-scheduled first meeting of the Santa Cruz Socrates Café. My suggestion is either The White Raven in Felton, or Lulu Carpenter's at The Octagon, in... Learn more
  • September 6, 2011 at 7:00 PM, 3 Aspiring Human Beings attended

    Santa Cruz Socrates Café Meetup
    This is a tentatively-scheduled first meeting of the Santa Cruz Socrates Café. My suggestion is either The White Raven in Felton, or Lulu Carpenter's at The Octagon, in... Learn more
See all past Meetups

What's new

 
Santa Cruz Socrates Café http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/4/a/e/global_20661678.jpeg
Founded Jan 8, 2011
20110108

Offer a perk for our members and get exposure.

Offer a perk →
Other nearby
Meetups
Why these groups?
x

The Meetup Groups shown here are topically similar to Santa Cruz Socrates Café.

Groups are more likely to be displayed here if they:

  • have a Meetup scheduled
  • have a high rating
  • have a group photo
  • are "public" and not "private"
  • have shown they are likely to stick around (older than 30 days)
Find more Meetup Groups
near Santa Cruz

Log in

  • Not registered with us yet?
or

Log in to Meetup with your Facebook account.

Log in using Facebook

Sign up

or

Join this Meetup Group even quicker with your Facebook account.

Sign up using Facebook
By clicking the "Sign up using Facebook" or "Sign up" buttons above, you agree to Meetup's Terms of Service