Philosophers & Gamblers

This is our series on Donald Robertson’s book “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor”. We will learn about the life of Marcus Aurelius and his philosophy practice. As usual on Friday nights, we will cover the book in-depth; see schedule below.
SCHEDULE
8-08-2025 Chap. 1
8-15-2025 Chap. 1 continued
8-22-2025 Chap. 2
8-29-2025 Chap. 2 continued
9-05-2025 Chap. 3
9-12-2025 Chap. 3 continued
9-19-2025 Chap. 4
9-26-2025 Chap. 4 continued
10-03-2025 Chap. 5
10-10-2025 Chap. 5 continued
10-17-2025 Chap. 6
10-24-2025 Chap. 6 continued
10-31-2025 Chap. 7
11-07-2025 Chap. 7 continued
11-14-2025 Chap. 8 (just 1 part)
11-21-2025 Finale
READING MATERIALS
The book is available on Amazon and other booksellers. Various formats are available: audio, paperback, Kindle. Reading in advance is optional; StoicDan will collect highlights from each part of the book in an outline for the meeting.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F9YYR62
Time
Meeting time (USA):
7:00PM Eastern
6:00PM Central
5:00PM Mountain
4:00PM Pacific
For our international friends,
Please convert time with the free tool
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
Zoom Info
CLICK TO START MEETING - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86559843870
If you don't have a computer with camera or mic, then you can attend by telephone. Dial one of these numbers and add meeting ID 865 5984 3870#
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
In general, Stoicism teaches us how to handle difficult people and events, how to avoid anger and worry, and overall to use moderation in life. We will discuss how Stoic practice can lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Our group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations on Stoicism and how it relates to science, culture, philosophy, history, other belief systems, and pop culture (books and movies). If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree". The long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. Our group does NOT discuss religion or politics.
This event is free and open to the public.
Events inPhilosophyPsychology
Self-Help & Self-ImprovementMarcus AureliusStoicism

This is our series on Donald Robertson’s book “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor”. We will learn about the life of Marcus Aurelius and his philosophy practice. As usual on Friday nights, we will cover the book in-depth; see schedule below.
SCHEDULE
8-08-2025 Chap. 1
8-15-2025 Chap. 1 continued
8-22-2025 Chap. 2
8-29-2025 Chap. 2 continued
9-05-2025 Chap. 3
9-12-2025 Chap. 3 continued
9-19-2025 Chap. 4
9-26-2025 Chap. 4 continued
10-03-2025 Chap. 5
10-10-2025 Chap. 5 continued
10-17-2025 Chap. 6
10-24-2025 Chap. 6 continued
10-31-2025 Chap. 7
11-07-2025 Chap. 7 continued
11-14-2025 Chap. 8 (just 1 part)
11-21-2025 Finale
READING MATERIALS
The book is available on Amazon and other booksellers. Various formats are available: audio, paperback, Kindle. Reading in advance is optional; StoicDan will collect highlights from each part of the book in an outline for the meeting.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F9YYR62
Time
Meeting time (USA):
7:00PM Eastern
6:00PM Central
5:00PM Mountain
4:00PM Pacific
For our international friends,
Please convert time with the free tool
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
Zoom Info
CLICK TO START MEETING - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86559843870
If you don't have a computer with camera or mic, then you can attend by telephone. Dial one of these numbers and add meeting ID 865 5984 3870#
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
In general, Stoicism teaches us how to handle difficult people and events, how to avoid anger and worry, and overall to use moderation in life. We will discuss how Stoic practice can lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Our group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations on Stoicism and how it relates to science, culture, philosophy, history, other belief systems, and pop culture (books and movies). If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree". The long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. Our group does NOT discuss religion or politics.
This event is free and open to the public.
Events inPhilosophyPsychology
Self-Help & Self-ImprovementMarcus AureliusStoicism

John Noack (Carl Jung Society) will present the topic and lead the discussion:

"THE LINGUISTIC ORIGINS OF TERRESTRIAL LEGENDS AND CELESTIAL MYTHS."

Three Mythological Realms and Rationales:
(from John Noack on SoFiA's Facebook Sofiatalk page).
[1] Ancient Mythology.
The comment has been made on one of our Zoom session that some participants tend to focus mainly on the Christian or Biblical aspects of Legends and Myths. If this comment includes me, my response would be that, during the 1970s, I was able to study Mesopotamian legends, myths, religions, languages and the Sumerian and Akkadian cuneiform script from an academic and critical perspective, during my Middle Eastern Studies course at Melbourne University. From 1975 onwards, as a member of the Carl Jung Society, I was able to observe how Carl Jung’s Depth-psychology explored a source and origin of myths to be within the archetypal human psyche. At the same time, I was aware that the Hebrew and Christian Bible mentioned in Genesis 11:31 that the Jewish ancestor Abraham originally came from “Ur of the Chaldeans”, which is in Lower Mesopotamia and that in Joshua 24:14-15, Abraham and his family had revered or worshipped the deities of this region between the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates.
[2] Three Realms.
In relation to analysing mythology, I have explored the interactions between the relevant “Three Realms” of the (1) Mental, (2) the Mythological and (3) the Material; and also the “Three Rationales” or explanatory principles of the {1} Positivistic, {2} Psychical and {3} Practical perspectives and methodologies. The interactions and flows between the “Three Realms” of the early humans have included (3) the existence and experiences of early humans in their material and natural World and Environment; (1) their mental responses to and their supernatural and theistic explanations of the features, events and beings in their World; and (2) their imagined mythical and legendary narratives.
Their myths were often based on the celestial constellations and their embellished oral and written legends were based on earlier events such as the verified Ice Ages, including the Younger Dryas in about 10,000 BCE and extensive flooding during glacial melting. However, there were also periods of productivity and of very good weather, which appear to have given rise to the Mesopotamian myth of Adam and Eve in their equally idyllic “Garden of Eden”, a legendary myth with a core of fact, which was later borrowed by the Hebrews for their Tanakh and then adopted by Christianity.
[3] Three Rationales.
The “Three Rationales” or methodologies for the analysis of myths include {1} the Positivistic, which is based on experience, on critical evaluation and on its scientific status and factual truthfulness; {2} the Psychical, which involves the human psyche’s literary, archetypally-based symbols; its projection outwards of its legendary and mythical narratives and its metaphorical theology and its anagogical spiritual sustenance; and {3} the Practical applications and appropriations of the cultural, ethical, aesthetical and other ethological customs, values and practices.
[4] Re-mythologization.
It appears to me that on their surface level, myths are not empirically or objectively true or factual and that they are in need of “de-mythologizing”. However, on a sub-surface, symbolical, metaphorical and allegorical level, myths can be “re-mythologized”, in order to express the human instincts, impulses, images and life-situations, which are experienced, expressed and projected outwards from the archetypal psyche. Like fictional parables, they can be explored for their deeper meanings, messages and applications. Although the more prominent concept of “myth”, which is in common use today, tends to stress a negative, fictitious and obsolete evaluation, perhaps it is now the right time to also affirm the positive and constructive uses and applications of the Realm of Mythology.

Wikipedia on Myth and Mythology

~The Agnostics Group discusses the pros and cons of Agnosticism.
They welcome ALL viewpoints, including criticism of Agnosticism~

Agnostics Group Facebook

The ZOOM Link will appear for those who RSVP.
Meeting ID: 812 2168 5611 - - Passcode: 500656

NOTE: 7pm Friday in California is now 2pm Saturday in Melbourne, Australia.

Existentialist Society's Website - - YouTube - - Weekly Zoom Meetups