Philosophy Club
- April 13 · 2:00 PM
-
This location is shown only to members
What: Doing Philosophy Better (see below)
When: 1st Saturday of each month, from 2pm – 5pm
(3 hours, including a break)
Where: Justin & Tammy's house in Richardson [*BYOD&S]
How: Readings discussed in-depth amongst the group. No tests, no lecture… we help teach each other in a spirit of learning.
Readings will sometimes be available online, but at other times will require the members of the group to purchase papers or books.
Meeting Topic & Reading List For April
Most scientists believe that there are unobservable entities in the world. These entities are unobservable in the sense that they cannot be seen, touched, heard, tasted or smelled, but scientists believe they are still very real. Think of electrons or radiowaves, for example. This is also the position of scientific realists.
Scientific antirealists interpret scientific theories of the unobservable to be at best useful fictions. These fictions may help us conceptualize the data and even make predictions, but we still don't have access to (and hence the ability to know about) the unobservable world as it really is.
This month we will discuss this debate in the philosophy of science and how it has progressed in recent years. As usual, the textbook will illustrate points made in the debate using the science of Immunology. And, of course, participants from all points of view are welcome.
We will be reading from the textbook: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science by Robert Klee found here:
as well as an anthology Scientific Inquiry found here:
http://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Inquiry-Readings-Philosophy-Science/dp/0195119762/ref=pd_sim_b_2
Readings: Textbook: Chapter 10
Anthology: Chapter 5 pp 40-44. All of Section 6 pp 313-351.
[*BYOD&S] "Bring Your Own Drink & Snack". 
You might get thirsty or hungry — feel free to bring whatever (non-alcoholic) drinks and snacks you'd like (preferably something shareable with the group).
— A note to those with cat-related allergies: Justin and Tammy have cats — one of whom will be rather happy to mingle with all the nice people who came to see him....
>^. . ^<
In a post on Common Sense Atheism, "How to Do Philosophy Better", Luke Muehlhauser summarizes an essay by Paul Graham. In that essay, Graham proposes the following:
Here's an intriguing possibility. Perhaps we should do what Aristotle meant to do, instead of what he did. The goal he announces in the Metaphysics seems one worth pursuing: to discover the most general truths. That sounds good. But instead of trying to discover them because they're useless, let's try to discover them because they're useful.
— Paul Graham, "How to Do Philosophy"
-
-
-
Sally Ritchie
So wish I could make it, but I will be baby sitting my new granddaughter on that day...
March 24
-
Justin
Folks, I've posted details for the philosophy panel discussion on religion in society that inspired us to reschedule this Phil Club meeting. If you can make it, it should be fun, and it'd be great to have more freethinkers in the crowd. Details here: http://meetup.fofdallas.org/eve...
March 24
-
Justin
Hi Teresa, welcome to the group! If you send me a private message with an email address, I can send you an electronic copy of some of the readings for this month. (I can understand not wanting to order the books when we're nearly finished with them!)
March 24
-
Teresa Williams
I am new and this will be my first "meetup" meeting of any kind. I'm very quiet by nature and my circumstances are such that do not have access to the materials (long story) but I would love to come and listen. It sounds like it will be fun.
March 18
-
Justin
Please note this meeting has been rescheduled a week later than its original date, to avoid conflicting with the Dallas Area Philosophical Society's panel discussion on the role religion should play in society. So if you still want some philosophy on April 6th, we hope you'll go to that discussion at 1pm at Brookhaven College in Farmer's Branch -- I'll post details on that when I have them.
March 16
-
13 attended
-
Freethinkers
1,233 -
Group reviews
104 -
Upcoming Meetups
24 -
Past Meetups
684 -
Our calendar
-
Suggested Contribution
-
$30.00 or more welcome at anytime
This covers: Gathering location rental, Meetup, Domain/hosting, Printing, Monthly activities
Payment is accepted using:
- PayPal
Refunds are not offered for this Meetup.
People in thisMeetup are also in:
Join or login to comment.