Cognitive Functions: MBTI Personalities

South Park got its fame from a small skit where there was a line that went something like: “And what’s Christmas about?” “Presents!” one of the characters answered. That’s what a lot of people think these days. But as thoughtful people, let’s take a look at what the spirit of Christmas is really about. What did Christ try to teach the world about 2000 years ago, and have we “gotten the message?”

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.

In philosophy this is called epistemology - The study of what constitutes knowledge, eg how can we know something is or is not true. I will reveal a high level overview of my perspective here: I don’t think we should believe we know anything with absolute certainty - To do us shuts us down to the possibility we may be wrong. We should learn things with a certainty level that its true. For example, that earth is an oblate spheroid and not flat, we can say with 99.9999% certainty, but let’s not call it 100%. Other things like whether time can flow backwards, we have much less certainty around because there isn’t a clear consensus on this alleged fact (FWIW, I think its inaccurate, I think time only moves in one direction).

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.

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.

Join us for an engaging session on a style of dialogue that strengthens communities, deepens relationships, and opens the door to real problem-solving. This gathering explores the empathic Socratic method—a way of interacting that places curiosity, humility, and genuine listening at the center of every conversation.

Rather than falling into the trap of the “logic hammer”—the instinct to prove someone wrong with rapid-fire arguments—we’ll focus on a more powerful alternative: understanding how someone arrived at their perspective, especially when we disagree with it. We learn far more from uncovering the pathway behind another person’s belief than we ever do by declaring “you’re wrong, I’m right.”

Together, we’ll practice asking clarifying questions, listening for values rather than just conclusions, and responding in ways that increase trust instead of tension. Participants will walk away with practical conversational tools they can use in families, workplaces, and community spaces to reduce conflict and increase connection.

If you’re looking to strengthen your ability to navigate disagreements, build consensus, and create shared understanding—this event was made for you.

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.