About us
The Existentialist Society is for those who question whether life has a meaning and a purpose. And for those who despairingly ponder whether one can live without self-deception or without hedonistic escapism. Yet who, despite the anguish of life's futility and meaninglessness, still seek purpose and an authentic existence.
The Existentialist Society is for those who are fascinated by the ideas of Simone de Beauvoir, Nicholas Berdyaev, Martin Buber, Rudolph Bultmann, Albert Camus, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Viktor Frankl, Martin Heidegger, Karl Jaspers, Franz Kafka, Nikos Kazantzakis, Soren Kierkegaard, R.D. Laing, Gabriel Marcel, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, Max Stirner, Paul Tillich, Colin Wilson, etc.
'Existentialism' is an umbrella term covering diverse and often conflicting schools of thought. Consequently we are not agreed on who or what is an Existentialist; we simply agree to disagree.
Inspired by the Student Revolt of the late Sixties, the Existentialist Society commenced in 1971.
LECTURES take place at 2pm on the first Saturday of the month.
All are welcome. Participation is free.
NOTE: Due to the pandemic, our physical in-person Meetups and lectures were cancelled. All the lectures are now online via Zoom. This enables participation by those interstate and overseas.
Following our monthly lecture, during the extended question and discussion period, additional comments are encouraged from those of our participants who might have more knowledge than the speaker on particular aspects of the topic, as well as from those who have an alternative viewpoint.
Sometimes our lecture topics have no direct bearing upon Existentialism. The speakers on such topics may or may not be conversant with Existentialism.
The Existentialist Society has no formal membership, so there is no membership fee.
See the Existentialist Society website for future lectures, past transcripts and videos etc: www.existentialistmelbourne.org
Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@existentialistsociety8453
Facebook: Please feel free to comment on the lectures: -
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066617594761
Upcoming events
4
Trump 2.0 - Fascism or Authoritarianism?
·OnlineOnlineATHEIST SOCIETY - Melbourne, Australia.
Some of us are participating in their online event.
Prof. George Gonzalez (University of Miami) will present the topic and lead the discussion.
"TRUMP 2.0 - FASCISM OR AUTHORITARIANISM?"
ZOOM Link will appear for those who RSVP.
Meeting ID: 835 8204 4481 - - Passcode: 064158
Don't be deterred if you are late -
Join the event at any time.The Atheist Society welcomes ALL viewpoints, including criticism of Atheism.
Enquiries: atheist7agnostic@gmail.com
Facebook and Website and Meetups for past and future Atheist Society activities.
32 attendees
Spiral Historiography: From Modernity to Postmodernity to Post-Post-Modernity.
·OnlineOnlineEXISTENTIALIST SOCIETY - Melbourne, Australia.
An online presentation, followed by discussion. All viewpoints welcome.
Dr. Neville Buch will present the topic and lead the discussion.
"Spiral Historiography: From Modernity to Postmodernity to Post-Post-Modernity."
Spiral historiography is a theoretical model of history that rejects both purely linear progress and endless cyclical repetition. Instead, it views historical development as moving outward and upward in a spiral. Through this lens, societies and human cognition revisit similar themes and patterns over time, but always at a higher, more evolved level of understanding and accumulated wisdom ~
ZOOM Link will appear for those who RSVP.
Meeting ID: 847 8584 6617 - - Passcode: 715908
Don't be deterred if you are late - Join the event at any time.Existentialist Society's Website - - - Youtube - - - Facebook
15 attendees
Developmental Numinous Self-Alienation: A Mystic's Journey.
·OnlineOnlineAGNOSTICS GROUP - Melbourne, Australia.
Some of us are participating in their online event.
"DEVELOPMENTAL NUMINOUS SELF-ALIENATION: A MYSTIC"S JOURNEY"
Greg Kasarik will present the topic and lead the discussion.
The Agnostics Group discusses the pros and cons of Agnosticism.
They welcome ALL viewpoints, including criticism of Agnosticism.The Agnostics Group's introductory statement:
Agnosticism, Theism and Atheism.
Agnosticism is about knowledge — an agnostic takes the position that they don't know if any gods exist or not, perhaps that they cannot know if any gods exist or not, and in some cases that no human being can possibly know if any gods exist or not.Saying "I don't know" can indeed be a reasonable answer to the question of what one knows.
But neither atheism nor theism address the question of what one knows. They address the question of what one believes.
Theists believe in the existence of at least one god of some sort and atheists don't. That's it, that's all there is to mere theism and mere atheism.However, both atheists and theists may be agnostics as well. Whether one believes or disbelieves, one may do so in the context of not claiming to know one way or the other.
In other words, NOT CLAIMING CERTAINTY.Agnostics Group Facebook
The ZOOM Link will eventually appear for those who RSVP.
Don't be deterred if you are late.
Join the event at any time.Existentialist Society:
Website - - YouTube - - Weekly Zoom Meetups12 attendees
Ancient Egypt: Hyksos, Sea People and Israelites.
·OnlineOnlineEXISTENTIALIST MEETUP - Melbourne, Australia.
History of Religion: Our monthly online Meetup.
The presentations are followed by questions, comments and discussion. All viewpoints welcome.
Early Religion: An Alternative History.
What do the historians and archaeologists think of the veracity of religious legends? Legends are an amalgamation of history and mythology. But how much of each?"ANCIENT EGYPT: HYKSOS, SEA PEOPLE AND ISRAELITES."
The expulsion of the Hyksos by the Egyptians in 1560 BC led to the formation of their New Kingdom - an Egyptian Empire which stretched northwards to eastern Anatolia.
During the Late Bronze Age Collapse and the advent of the Sea Peoples, circa 1200 BC, the Egyptians, under the onslaught of the Mycenian Philistines, withdrew back to their own borders.
In the aftermath of the Collapse, the semi-nomadic fringe-dwellers of the Canaanite city-states fled to the hills and became the Israelites.
David Miller will introduce the topic and lead the discussion.
Further background reading for those interested:
Wikipedia on the Egyptian Empire: The New Kingdom
Wikipedia's entry on the Sea Peoples
Wikipedia's entry on The Bible Unearthed
"1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed" by Eric H. Cline, Professor of Classics and Anthropology, and Director of the Capitol Archaeological Institute at George Washington University. - Prof. Eric Cline's summary on YouTube
The Zoom link will appear for those who RSVP.
3 attendees
Past events
512
