What we’re about
We're a community that practices and discusses philosophy, being free and open to all levels and backgrounds. We offer seminars, a variety of discussion formats, and the occasional lecture / guest speaker.
Many meetings will have fewer RSVPs than people who actually attend. This is because overtime people stop making use of Meetup.com and instead communicate with their groups via Discord, Slack, Zoom, E-mail, or similar You can think of the list of events hosted on this Meetup as advertisements for groups seeking new participants.
Our philosophy offerings are organized and facilitated by volunteers. If you have a philosophy offering - or an offering that compliments the study of philosophy, such as in literature, the sciences, and so on - that you'd like to advertise through this Meetup, please contact the organizer. We're grateful to those who want to enrich Seattle with study and discussion!
Participants must speak, write, and act in a considerate, professional, and respectful manner, and be prepared for the meetings that they attend, having reviewed the materials to the degree necessary to participate. If you haven't reviewed the materials but still wish to attend an event, please consult the event facilitator regarding the best manner for you to be present.
We look forward to studying philosophy together!
Upcoming events
533
•OnlineFTI: Is Lobbying good or bad? Can we make it better?
OnlineLobbying plays a powerful role in shaping public policy, yet opinions about its impact vary widely. Some view it as an essential channel for individuals and organizations to make their voices heard, while others worry it gives disproportionate influence to those with greater resources.
Join the Free Thinker Institute for a thoughtful, curiosity-driven exploration of this complex topic. Together, we’ll examine what lobbying is, how it works in practice, and the different ways it can promote—or hinder—the public good.
In line with the Five Intentions, this event invites open dialogue, collaborative learning, and a deeper understanding of how systems of influence can be improved for everyone. Participants will consider questions such as:
- When does lobbying support democracy, and when might it undermine it?
- How do different groups—large or small—use lobbying to advance their missions?
- What reforms or innovations could make the process more transparent, equitable, or empowering?
Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or simply seeking clarity, this conversation is designed to welcome diverse perspectives while encouraging shared insight and constructive engagement. Join us as we explore how influence works—and how it could work better for a more collaborative, equitable world.
Peter will do a presentation about Lobbying, after which Garrett will make a short presentation about a proposal to make lobbying good for everyone: Absolute transparency. Garrett is the first to propose this form of radical transparency in lobbying: All communications between lobbyists and government officials should be fully visible to the public at large.
The hope is this transparency will prevent unethical laws from being put into law because of the paid influence of lobbyists, and lobbying can go back to its original intent: To help guide government to make decisions that will be good for citizens by treating businesses fairly.
A little about our host:
Garrett is a programmer turned award-winning software inventor turned entrepreneur (http://platerate.com/) is his company. His hobby is writing and discussing practical philosophy, and he does life coaching on request to help people live happy, moral lives. He is also the executive director of The Free Thinker Institute (http://freethinkerinstitute.org/), which aims to create a community that helps members increase happiness and decrease harm for themselves and those they can influence.
Format: Lecture and discussion
Note: social time for our community 15 minutes before the presentation.
To get familiar with our past events, feel free to check out our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmixGB9GdrptyEWovEj80zg
After registering via zoom, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We publish our event recordings on our Youtube channel to offer our help to anyone who would like to but can’t attend the meeting, so we need to give this clause. If you don’t want to be recorded, just remain on mute and keep your video off.
Here’s our legal notice:
For valuable consideration received, by joining this event I hereby grant Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns, the irrevocable and unrestricted right to use and publish any and all Zoom recordings for trade, advertising and any other commercial purpose, and to alter the same without any restriction. I hereby release Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns from all claims and liability related to said video recordings.12 attendees
•OnlinePLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS BELOW FOR PHILOSOPHY OF VALUE WEEKLY EVENT - VARIOUS
Online# You cannot RSVP here. Please go to the PHILOSOPHY OF VALUE link below for meeting description and instructions
PHILOSOPHY OF VALUE WEEKLY EVENT - VARIOUS
# https://www.meetup.com/philosophy-of-value-workshops/3 attendees
Past events
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