About us
Dear Friends, After sharing my plan to close the group, members rallied to find ways to save and continue our important discussions. I want to thank you all and let you know we will be moving this group to a different meetup account very soon. Please stay tuned for more info. For the month of may, this is our topic:
### "Can We Find True Happiness Without Facing Suffering?"
Nietzsche famously claimed, "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." Does happiness truly depend on our ability to find meaning in hardship? Do we, as a society, try too hard to avoid discomfort and pain, and does this affect our ability to feel authentic happiness? How does our approach to suffering—whether we choose to face it or avoid it—influence our happiness and growth? Also, how important is it to support or share in the suffering of others, and can this lead to greater personal happiness? Finally, what practical methods have you used or discovered to transform life's difficulties into opportunities for happiness or meaningful growth?
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86706047777?pwd=U1VkMTQ3OWZPMTl2ZlJLRlRubVVyQT09
Meeting ID: 867 0604 7777
Passcode: 510932
---
One tap mobile
+17193594580,,86706047777#,,,,*510932# US
+16694449171,,86706047777#,,,,*510932# US
---
We discuss a variety of topics, and include an overview of the things people are enjoying: books, podcasts, documentaries, and movies. This is a discussion group, NOT a debate space. Set your meetup preferences to receive emails, and I'll send one reminder for the meetup which usually includes a review of the previous meeting and upcoming topic. If you'd like to read those past summaries, they are on the message board.
This meetup is hosted on zoom. Feel free to send any questions or feedback. This is a place filled with meaningful conversation and fascinating people. Over several years, we have formed regulars and a wonderfully respectful environment. I hope you will join us!
I started this meetup in 2018 years ago for my mother. She was deeply passionate about philosophy and wanted to share meaningful conversation with others who shared in love of understanding the meaning of life. In December of 2019, my mother passed away at 90 years old. She left a library of more than 1500 books on subjects ranging from philosophy to physics, mythology to world religions.
Upcoming events
13
Beyond the Brain: Do Thoughts Change Reality?
Location not specified yetFor most of human history, people have believed that thoughts, intentions, and prayers have real power. Entire religious and spiritual traditions assume that focused mental states can influence events beyond the body of the thinker. Modern science, however, operates on a different assumption: that physical events have sufficient physical causes.
So here is the question: Can mental states cause changes in the physical world without physical action? Or are thoughts only effective throughout the brain and body that produce them?
If thoughts can directly influence external events, what does that imply about prayer, manifestation, collective intention, and even moral responsibility?
If they cannot, how should we reinterpret centuries of spiritual practice and contemporary claims about mindset shaping reality?MEETING STATUS Please Read: Last year, we discussed moving off Meetup as fees continued to increase, and I created www.room4thought.org as a potential transition platform. At the same time, I realized that Meetup plays an important role in keeping the group visible and bringing in new participants. Without that steady influx, our discussions would likely be much smaller. In November, I chose to renew the current six-month Meetup plan myself to ensure continuity. The next renewal is May 8, 2026, at $178.99 (plus tax), and I’m not able to continue funding it alone.
If we value keeping the Denver Philosophy Meetup open, visible, and accessible to new thinkers, I’d like to invite shared stewardship. If 10 members contribute $20 each, we cover the next cycle and maintain our presence on Meetup while continuing to build our independent website list. (Currently, the website only has about 40 people signed up)
Contributions can be made through Meetup’s donation feature (which includes a processing fee). or directly via Venmo. I’ve come to value this community deeply and hope we can sustain it together. Meetup donation link (and FYI, the amount shown in donations is for the entire 6 years of operation). or my personal Venmo: @Diana-Thompson-76
If you have not signed up on Room4Thought, please add your name to the list.
One tap mobile
+17193594580,,86706047777#,,,,*510932# US5 attendees
Past events
92
