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Do we really choose our actions, or are we shaped by forces far beyond our control? We often think of free will as the power to make our own decisions and direct our lives. But if we are physical beings in a world governed by cause and effect, what kind of freedom is actually possible? At our next Curiosity Café, we’ll explore one of philosophy’s most fascinating and consequential questions: what is free will? Together, we’ll examine some of the major ways philosophers have tried to answer it. Is freedom compatible with determinism? Are we only free when no one is coercing us? Or does genuine freedom require that we somehow break free from the chain of prior causes altogether? From there, we’ll dive into one of the most famous thought experiments in philosophy — Frankfurt’s case of Jones and Black — which challenges the idea that freedom always requires the ability to do otherwise. What does it really mean to choose freely? And what kind of control do we need in order to be morally responsible? In our second hour, we’ll turn to the ethical and political stakes of the debate. How should we think about responsibility in cases involving brain injury or mental illness? When someone’s capacity for control is impaired, does that reduce their blameworthiness? And if free will is more limited than we tend to assume, what does that mean for punishment, justice, and moral responsibility? Finally, we’ll ask what is really at stake in holding on to the idea of free will. Is it essential to moral responsibility? Can we preserve accountability without it? And how might our legal, political, and social institutions look different depending on how we answer these questions? Join co-moderators Ken Boyd and Marybel Menzies to reflect, question, and engage with others as we explore one of the deepest questions about what it means to be human — whether or not we are free. **Space is limited!** **Please obtain a “Pay-What-You-Can” ticket from Curiosity Café at [this link (click here)](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/curiosity-cafe-free-will-tickets-1986181200437) to attend this event. You need a ticket to be admitted.** See the above link for more info about tickets and other options including a limited number of free tickets. Come and hang out with us, grab food, and read through our handout from 6-6:30pm. Our structured discussion will run from 6:30-8:30pm with a 10 minute break in the middle. Hope to see you there! ***__________________________________________________________________*** This event is brought to you by [Being and Becoming](https://beingnbecoming.org/), a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us. By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Find out more about Being and Becoming [here](https://beingnbecoming.org/). About the Curiosity Café Series: For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to join us at our Curiosity Cafés and are wondering what they’re all about: every two weeks, we invite members of our community to come out to the Madison Avenue Pub to engage in a collaborative exploration of our chosen topic. Through these events, we aim to build our community of people who like to think deeply about life’s big questions, and provide each other with some philosophical tools to dig deeper into whatever it is we are most curious about.

**Bible & Beer Series!** Ignite! Young Adult Ministry (ages 18–39) **Tuesday, Apr 7** \| 7:00 p\.m\. \- 9:30 p\.m\. **St. Patrick’s Church – 137 McCaul Street** (Enter through the front Church doors) **Followed by a social at Sin & Redemption** Come be a part of Bible and Beer, a monthly conversation series for young adults (18 - 39) diving into scripture, life, and the real questions that shape our faith journey. This month, we welcome **Andrea Di Giovanni**, **Doctoral Candidate at the University of Regis St. Michael’s College, Toronto,** as our guest speaker, offering a reflection on the upcoming Sunday readings. Expect though-provoking insights, small group conversations, and plenty of time to unwind with others over a pint (or your choice of drink - mine is tea) at **Sin & Redemption Pub** just across the street. **Register, and get your tickets here: [https://bit.ly/BibleAndBeer_April2026](https://bit.ly/BibleAndBeer_April2026)**

**.... Do you *dread* speaking in front of others? .... Need to *present* an important meeting? .... Is it time to *enhance* your communication skills?** **Meeting Theme: 'Impact with Body Language'** Purposeful body movement in public speaking enhances clarity and connection. By mastering gestures, posture, and eye contact, you can reinforce your message and engage your audience more effectively. Generate a great amount of emotion and interest through the use of non-verbal communication, Effective gestures for emphasizing and clarifying your words include: * Eye contact, * Moving around the stage with purpose, * Facial expression to reflect emotions, and * Managing uncontrolled mannerisms. Gain new insights and benefit from the information provided by Toastmasters Speechcraft program. Join our meeting and experience the hands-on “how-to” instruction in public speaking. If you are an experienced Toastmaster or a guest exploring Toastmasters, you will acquire a new way of communicating your thoughts with increased clarity and impact. Each ‘discovery’ meeting will provide valuable tips to boost your confidence on stage. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and learn from experienced speakers. **What is the Toastmasters Speechcraft Discovery meeting?** You will: * gain insights into principles and strategies from expert speakers, * hear speeches and learn from evaluations given by advanced Toastmasters, * experience what happens at a real Toastmasters meeting, * get familiar with the Toastmasters Speechcraft program and resources, * discover the benefits of Toastmasters Speechcraft for personal and club growth. **Register NOW for any FREE Discovery meeting.** **Discovery Meeting:** Tuesday, Apr 7 7:00PM to 8:30PM Doors open 6:45PM **Have a question, contact organizer:** Phoenixtmvppr@gmail.com **Sponsor:** Phoenix-Toronto Toastmasters Club Phoenix-Toronto Toastmasters empowers individuals to master the communication skills that drive personal achievement and confidence. Through practice and peer feedback, you will rapidly develop presentation abilities, persuasive influence, and leadership presence. Accelerate your audience impact and transform your trajectory with skills that will help you grow your opportunities. **Speechcraft Discovery Series** **Week 1 – Tuesday, Feb 3, 2026** ‘How to Choose a Topic’ **Week 2 – Tuesday, Mar 3, 2026** ‘How to Organize a Speech’ **Week 3 – Tuesday, Mar 17, 2026** ‘Know Your Speech Purpose’ **Week 4 – Tuesday, Apr 7, 2026** ‘How to Impact with Body Language’ **Week 5 – Tuesday, Apr 21, 2026** ‘How to Use Vocal Variety’ **Week 6 – Tuesday, May5, 2026** ‘How to Create Images with Powerful Words’ **Week 7 – Tuesday, Jun 2, 2026** ‘Research Your Topic to Elevate Your Credibility’ **Week 8 – Tuesday, Jun 16, 2026** ‘Evaluate to Elevate’

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/toronto-ON/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott

Lose 10lbs in 5 WEEKS and Win Prizes ! Topics will include Metabolism, Carbohydrate addiction, digestive health, label reading, dining out, heart health and many more. $ 50 to Join the Challenge includes: - Weekly Weigh In, Accountability and Motivation - 40 Min nutrition class - Voucher for 'Healthy Meal' - Personalized Meal Plan - Lose 1 - 3lbs a week. To register for your spot: www.ShapingUpCanada.com

Join us for a night of fun and mingling with other young professional singles in Toronto at our exclusive speed dating event! Whether you're looking for friendship, a potential partner, or just a fun night out meeting new people, this event is for men 35-45 and women 30-40 (Special for WOMEN - Bring Your Bestie at 50% OFF). SOLD OUT FOR MEN. Our speed dating sessions are designed to give you the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals through a series of short, one-on-one conversations. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to expand your social circle and maybe even find that special someone. Our events are hosted by experienced professionals from 25Dates.com, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all participants. Grab your tickets now as spots fill up quickly and make sure to bring your A-game for a night of speed dating like no other! \*\*IN Order to actuallly reserve a spot, you must do so directly at: https://www.25dates.com

A diffuse harm hurts many people a little; a concentrated harm hurts one person a lot. Other things equal, diffuse harm seems less bad than its concentrated counterpart. For example, shortening a billion happy lives by a second each seems less bad than shortening one happy life by a billion seconds (\~30 years). But this attractive thought is surprisingly difficult to maintain. Although many problems for such a view are known, a particularly vivid difficulty arises in cases that involve a sequence of social positions, each very similar to the last, such as the Fortuna’s Wheel scenario. In such cases, it follows, from rather minimal assumptions, that diffuse harm is just as bad as its relevantly similar concentrated counterpart. In response, some may wonder whether the parity of diffuse and concentrated harms holds only in these special sequential cases. But it can be argued that the approximate parity of diffuse and concentrated harms extends well beyond such cases. Specifically, it can be argued that in many realistic cases, a diffuse harm will bring about an outcome approximately as bad as a relevantly similar concentrated harm. Diffuse harm is easily underestimated. Zach Barnett https://philosophy.nd.edu/people/faculty/zach-barnett/ Assistant Professor Department of Philosophy University of Notre Dame **About the Speaker:** Zach received his PhD from Brown University in 2018. He joined Notre Dame in 2023, moving from the National University of Singapore, where he taught for five years. Zach mainly studies ethics, practical rationality, and epistemology, and he hopes that his work is convincing, surprising, and easy to understand. Current research interests include collective action problems, aggregation and risk, and followability of norms. His representative publications include "Rational Moral Ignorance" (2021) in *Philosophy and Phenomenological Research*, "Why You Should Vote to Change the Outcome" (2020) in *Philosophy & Public Affairs,* "Philosophy Without Belief" (2019) in *Mind*, and "No Free Lunch: The Significance of Tiny Contributions" (2018) in *Analysis*. **\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*** This is a talk with audience Q&A presented by the University of Toronto's Centre for Ethics that is free to attend and open to the public. The talk will also be streamed online with live chat here [to be posted]. About the Centre for Ethics (http://ethics.utoronto.ca): The Centre for Ethics is an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined. The Centre seeks to bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life. In pursuit of its interdisciplinary mission, the Centre fosters lines of inquiry such as (1) foundations of ethics, which encompasses the history of ethics and core concepts in the philosophical study of ethics; (2) ethics in action, which relates theory to practice in key domains of social life, including bioethics, business ethics, and ethics in the public sphere; and (3) ethics in translation, which draws upon the rich multiculturalism of the City of Toronto and addresses the ethics of multicultural societies, ethical discourse across religious and cultural boundaries, and the ethics of international society. The Ethics of A.I. Lab at the Centre For Ethics recently appeared on a list of 10 organizations leading the way in ethical A.I.: https://ocean.sagepub.com/blog/10-organizations-leading-the-way-in-ethical-ai

**NOTE:** This is a paid event. **Tickets here:** https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1985163079209?aff=oddtdtcreator Join us at the Rec Room Mississauga for a hilarious evening with some of the best up and coming Desi comedians around! Get ready for a night of big laughs and bold perspectives at **The Desi Comedy Showcase**, a high-energy stand-up comedy show celebrating some of the funniest up-and-coming Desi comedians in the Greater Toronto Area. This special event brings together a diverse lineup of rising comedic voices who are making waves on stages across the GTA. From sharp cultural observations to hilarious personal stories, these comics deliver a fresh and fearless take on life, family, relationships, and everything in between. Whether you’re Desi or just love great comedy, this show is for **everyone**. Expect a lively atmosphere, big personalities, and a night packed with unforgettable laughs. Come out, bring your friends, and experience the next generation of Desi comedy — all in one incredible show. This show will be performed in English for all to enjoy.

Hi everyone! ✨ Creative Sundays is back, this time we’re hosting a **Bead Bar session** 💛 Join us for a relaxed, cozy afternoon where you can design and create your own beaded accessories. You’ll be able to make pieces like bracelets, phone charms, necklaces, or keychains, all at your own pace. No experience is needed, this session is beginner-friendly and all materials will be provided. ✨ Choose what you’d like to create ✨ Small group, relaxed setting ✨ Take home your finished pieces 🗓 Date: Sunday April 12 ⏰ Time: 1–3 PM 📍 Midtown Toronto (Yonge & Eglinton area) 💵 Materials fee: $25 Spots are limited, and **payment is required to confirm your spot**. **Payment details:** E-transfer: Larhtyfarh@gmail.com Note: Creative Sundays + Name Looking forward to another creative Sunday together ✨

Small, relaxed coffee meetup for women to connect and chat 😊 Super casual and low-pressure — great if you are coming solo or with other female friends. Planning to keep it for an hour. If this goes well, I would love to plan more fun meetups for women going forward 😊 Suggestions welcome. Location: Coffee Culture Café & Eatery, 1220 Eglinton Ave West (Mississauga)

**NO PHILOSOPHY EXPERTISE REQUIRED!** **🏛️ WHAT'S PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT?** Practical Philosophy is a weekly meet-up that brings critical thinkers together for an opportunity to dive deep on a topic, practice communicating, and building a community. All with no ‘official’ philosophy knowledge required! 😎 Practical Philosophy is based on the idea that philosophy should be accessible to all, and not something reserved only for academics. Each week we choose a topic, and the goal is to use the conversation to develop our critical thinking and communication as we explore that topic. The goal is to help develop our Critical Thinking, Communication, and Community 🙌 **📓 HOW DOES IT WORK?** Each week, we pick one topic and discuss it. The topic for the week is shared, generally in the [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/KRy6VgwgGRm3hSGeYlAzDE), along with jump-off points to get the conversation going. When groups get bigger than 7-8 people, it’s important that we break into smaller groups. This way we are able to maintain a conversational flow as opposed to having our meetups feel like a discourse or lecture. **General Meeting Agenda** Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows this general timeline: * 19:30-19:45 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the official start. * 19:45-19:55 - Meeting introduction, explanation of Practical Philosophy and the topic for the week, read the guidelines and the overview so attendees know what to expect in terms of timelines. * 19:55-21:15 - Break into small groups - introduce yourselves and general thoughts on the topic, open discussion afterwards. At this point the group can review the ‘jump-off’ questions as needed, but they are just there to help guide the conversation. It’s not obligatory to answer them. * 21:15-21:30 - Bring everyone back together to discuss conclusions of the topic - each group gives a short 1-minute summary. Organizer concludes the meeting and everyone takes a group photo. * 21:30 - The official meeting is over but it’s a great opportunity to get to know people in a non-structured environment, so we often stick around, chat, and get to know each other. **🧧PRICING?** Practical Philosophy Club is FREE to attend! We just ask that if we are meeting in a café, buy a beverage! Some chapters rent a space for us to meet, and they may ask for donations to help contribute to the cost of rent. Donations will always be 100% voluntary though! **💛 WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY** **🗣** “I feel like Philosophy Club helps someone build their own belief system through a series of perspectives while not promoting what’s right and wrong” - Ekam 🗣 “I got hooked from day 1 (the topic was authority) and felt it was the right place for me. I feel it is a place where people can go to learn and discuss new perspectives and increase critical thinking and community by interacting with people who might challenge your point of views but at the same time encourage you to have openness and mind flexibility.” - Daniel **🤓 FAQ** * **Do I need to study or read anything to attend?** No preparation is necessary. This isn’t a study of other thinkers. We want to know what you think about the topic, not what an old philosopher thought. If you have a perspective from a religion or a school of thought to share, throw it on the table and we’ll discuss it. * **Is there a specific philosophy that Practical Philosophy is focused on?** The goal of our meet-ups is to not have dogmatic discussions, and flex our critical thinking muscles. Because of this, we want to hear from every realm of thought, and don't study a particular school. * **Is it mostly men that attend?** Surprisingly, no! Although often, philosophy is seen as a Candelabra affair in a dark room with a bunch of guys, our Practical Philosophy meetups are generally 50/50 between genders, and we don’t meet in any dark rooms. * **Can I come alone?** Of course you can, we encourage it :) * **Can I be late?** Please don't be! We do have a 15 minute grace period where we allow people to funnel in while we hang out, but after that if you arrive too late, it disrupts the flow of the conversation. * **Where do you meet?** The location is posted in Meetup and our [Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/KRy6VgwgGRm3hSGeYlAzDE) group for this location. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you join the Whatsapp group! If you want to know what other cities have a Practical Philosophy Club, you can see our chapters on our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/practical-philosophy-locations/). 🤝**POLICY** To respect our members privacy, we ask that no one privately message a member without first getting explicit consent. (This looks like speaking in person and being asked to message privately.) Contacting or texting other participants without prior consent is not permitted and may result in removal from the group. Practical Philosophy reserves the right to enforce this policy at its discretion to maintain a safe and respectful environment. **PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY CLUB - Philosophy, everywhere. ✨** We started in Practical Philosophy back in 2021 and there are now 50+ chapters in over 25 countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️ **\*\*\*** **Join our [Toronto Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/KRy6VgwgGRm3hSGeYlAzDE) 👈** **Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈** **Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈**

We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able! Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

**The Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

**TBA**

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services)

Columbus Code & Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's entirely up to you! **What to Expect at the Intro Circle** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event (1:30 pm), we do a standup: * Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): * Your name * What you're working on * What you can help others with Round 2: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. Round 3: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! Feel free to work alone, pair up, attend one of our workshops/presentations, or mingle!