"Conversations New York"

To assure your place and receive updates, please register with one click (no need to print out and bring the ticket): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/you-the-ethicist-re-scheduled-tickets-57052693141 · You know right from wrong – RIGHT?! · But you’ve noticed how often (other) people make the WRONG choice? · So you understand how important it is to make your own moral choices thoughtfully and with integrity! OK, here’s your chance to become “The Ethicist” – as per the column with that title each Sunday in the New York Times Magazine. “The Ethicist” responds to moral quandaries submitted by readers. At this session , we will together tackle 2 or 3 of the ethical dilemmas discussed recently in that column – including ones on LOVE, of course! Let’s see how, by thinking TOGETHER, we can address real-world ethical challenges, as we discuss: WHAT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO?! Please come to share your experiences, knowledge, and insights! Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, 6:15 sharp – 8:00 We gather at 6:00 for socializing, fun, bonus hand-outs, etc. to start at 6:15 sharp please. Bring Your Own Food and Drink if You Like. Take-Out Can Be Purchased on the 3rd floor. Ronald Gross Co-chair, University Seminar on Innovation COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY http://universityseminars.columbia.edu/[masked] (E-mail preferred) E-MAIL: [masked] WEBSITES: www.conversationsnewyork.com www.SocratesWay.com

https://vimeo.com/36128360 Your room is reserved!Here are some next steps: The community manager at WeWork 135 E 57th St will email you shortly with additional instructions. Please schedule your Meetup and set WeWork 135 E 57th St (Room 15B) as your location and March 26, 2019, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM as your reserved time.

Sebastian Junger, the author of Tribe, recently gave a talk at Columbia about the human need to gather, associate with others and form solid bonds with one another. Let's continue this conversation to understand our need to belong and discuss solutions to adapt our nature to the demands of modern society. Suggested questions and starting points -- What in our psychology and physiology creates that need to belong? -- What importance belonging or identifying to a group has in forming our own identity? -- How do we balance the need of personal survival and the commitment to the group -- Do we need a war or a disaster to become selfless and generous or can we create this state of mind on a regular basis? -- How can we maintain strong bonds within a group/tribe while avoiding discrimination toward those who do not belong to our group or tribe? In this 2-hour discussion, we will explore this topic, sharing points of views. Looking forward to a rewarding conversation with you all. Bring guests and friends. Great thanks to WeWork, who generously lend us the room for our informal gathering

Most of us appear to take the meaning of democracy for granted, and consequently we tend to end-up in a confused state (of talking past each other) when deeply embedded in our political discussions. At this our latest of many other political-philosophical meet-ups, a short eight and a half (8-1/2) minute video from 1988 entitled Noam Chomsky on Democracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljaXy1t0I44 will be shown to provocatively generate a deep, but lively discussion on the subject. In addition, a series of proposed democracy assumptions (to be questioned/challenged of course) has been provided below in an effort to help us anchor our common understanding of democracy. Although we may not come to full agreement as to what democracy is and means, we should at least be clear on what we, as individuals, mean by the use of the term. In any case, let us honestly do our best to come closer on our meaning of democracy, in the name of Platonic truth seeking. Looking forward to seeing you there! SOME DEMOCRACY ASSUMPTIONS Democracy assumes the right of all social members to equally participate in determining the community’s future. Democracy assumes a higher degree of cooperation among community members (consensus building) over a competitive, winner-take-all approach to decision making. Democracy assumes a full set of rights that protects the minority from the majority. Democracy assumes equal opportunity for all members of the community. Democracy assumes the individual and social equality of all members of the community. Democracy assumes rule-of-law based on the above assumptions.