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Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations Week 2Pier 57, New York, NY
How do we come to learn the meaning of words in a language? Is language up to the task of asking and answering philosophical questions? How do we communicate about our personal experiences to someone who has completely different experiences than our own? If you are curious about how language and meaning are related then join us in exploring one of the most influential works of 20th-century philosophy: Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations. In this day and age where we seem to have such a hard time agreeing about facts, a careful study of language should help us to understand our miscommunications and perhaps even suggest a solution.
We will read this text in roughly 30 page increments, allowing for a close read and in depth discussion. The book is written as a series of numbered paragraphs which more or less follow each other in theme. You should take note of particular paragraphs of interest to focus our discussion together since we will not be able to discuss each paragraph individually. I will be reading from this version of the text and you can find a free copy here. For the second week we will read sections 54-139 (p. 31-60).
Participants should read the entire reading before attending this in person meeting. We follow a mindful conversation approach, details on this along with a general FAQ on how we run the meetup can be found here.
For questions please send me a message or post to meetup.
Best,
Brian
- AI in Therapy (Article Discussion)Pier 57, New York, NY
These days more and more people are dumping their therapists for LLMs like ChatGPT. Let's take a moment to reflect on some of the potential concerns and benefits of using AI in therapy.
Reading:
We will be reading the following 3 recent academic articles to spark the conversation....- Your Robot Therapist Will See You Now pdf here
- Waiting for a Digital Therapist pdf here
- Exploring the Ethical Challenges of Conversational AI in Mental Health Care pdf here
Reading is required to participate in the discussion, but not required to attend.
We follow a mindful conversation approach, details on this along with a general FAQ on how we run the meetup can be found here.
Can't wait discuss these ideas with all of you!
-Zach - The Forest Passage - Ernst Jünger | Full Reading & DiscussionAce Hotel New York, New York, NY
Hi all -
Having sampled Steiner and Simone, experimented with Ellul, entertained Evola, investigated a little Illich, and gotten through Guénon, the next step in this series is focused on a favorite: Ernst Jünger and his characteristically poetic and politically charged resistance manifesto, The Forest Passage.
Similar to Ellul's presence (a being in the world that is not of it) and Evola's tiger riding (a differentiated being that is both detached but integrated), Jünger's forest rebel offers up the next installment in this ongoing deep dive into programs of withdrawal amidst the encroaching desert of modernity.
As usual, we will be reading the text in its entirety. So, depending on your copy, it'll be around 100 - 110ish pages.
I will be reading the Thomas Friese translation published by Telos Press, available here.
The text is also available for free via the Internet Archive. I'm unfortunately not sure which translation this is, but I reckon it can't be too much different and it might make for fun conversation if it is.As always, if you're unable to complete the book prior to our meeting, no worries - we're just happy to have you and welcome whatever insights, critiques, questions, etc. you may have based on what you were able to read.
We will be meeting in the Ace Hotel lobby on W 29th. It's cozy, there are couches, there is lunch, there is wine (thank god) and there is a Stumptown Coffee in the front. It's great. Message me the day of if you can't find us. I usually sit toward the back next to the bar.
It bears repeating, this group is open to newcomers to Jünger, novices of philosophy, ragamuffins, ne'er-do-wells, urchins of all sorts, etc. As with Evola and many of our other philosophers, political radicals, theologians, and mystics, Jünger's biography is just as (if not more) captivating as his work, so I encourage everyone to delve into both the figure and the text. I'll be providing additional resources as we approach the date of the meeting.
Alright, looking forward to it and reach out to me with any questions in the meantime.
See y'all then!