Philosophical Minds Zurich

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About us

Welcome to Philosophical Minds Zurich! We are a vibrant community of thinkers dedicated to exploring the rich tapestry of philosophical thought. While our roots lie in the timeless wisdom of the Stoics, we are passionate about delving into a wide array of philosophies and engaging with the ideas of diverse thinkers across history.

Beyond intellectual exchange, we're committed to practically applying insights in our lives. If you place a high value on the sharing and exploration of ideas within a supportive community, then this is the place for you.

Do you enjoy what we do and would like to support us? Donate to help cover our caffeine consumption while we prepare new events.

Upcoming events

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Stoic Training Session (Laptop needed)
Tue, Jul 28 · 7:00 PM CEST
Bullingerhof, Zürich, CH
Join us for a session inspired by Stoic philosophy, focused on potential personal behavioral change. Together, we will use AI to examine our patterns of thought and action, challenge habitual responses, and explore ways of acting that are more aligned with our needs and values.

Please bring: A Laptop and a towel to sit on - we will be outside.

For those who attended our previous training session earlier this month, we do not recommend joining this one, as it will cover largely the same topic.

Location we meet at:
Bullingerhof (check the pin on map for the exact location). The event will take place outside in nature.

Important:
When you register for the event, please commit to it and don't be a NO SHOW. Presumably, when the old Stoics decided to go to an event, they kept to it ;)

We look forward to seeing you
9 attendees
CHF 12.00
Modern Dating and "The Agony of Eros" by Byung-Chul Han
Wed, Aug 5 · 6:50 PM CEST
Kirche Bühl, Goldbrunnenstrasse 54, Zürich, CH
What happens to love when we treat ourselves as projects, other people as options, and dating as something to optimize? Modern dating gives us more choice than ever. More profiles, more filters, more ways to connect, compare, and move on. But does this help romance, or does it make romance harder?

In this meetup we will discuss Byung-Chul Han's book "The Agony of Eros". Last month we discussed "The Burnout Society", which provides the foundation for this discussion. Han describes an achievement society that no longer says you must, but you can; a society in which we constantly optimize ourselves, never feel finished, and quietly experience every failure as our own fault. In this meetup, we'll examine what this society does to romance.

Han thinks modern life trains us to treat ourselves as projects: we optimize our bodies, careers, personalities, happiness, and even our love lives. At the same time, capitalism turns more and more of life into products, including people. And we start to see others as options, profiles, or mirrors of our own desires.

For Han, love needs "The Other": someone who cannot be fully known, consumed, managed, or controlled. We will talk about dating apps, self-improvement culture, burnout, narcissism, trust, mystery, pornography, filters, and the question of whether romance can survive a culture of endless optimization.

This meetup is relevant whether you are currently dating or looking to add more romance to your life.

The evening has two parts. First, we will briefly recap Han’s diagnosis of modern life and ask what the Achievement Society does to romance. We will look at capitalism, sameness, narcissism, "The Other", and the myth of Eros: Who is he, and why is he in agony?

In the second part, we will ask what we can do about it. Han is not a self-help writer. He does not give five steps to better love. In fact, part of his critique is that we turn everything into technique. But he points us towards a different posture in life: less reaction, more pause; less optimization, more contemplative attention; less transparency, more trust; less control, and more acceptance.

Preparation:
Watch the Youtube Video The Agony of Eros Review — Byung-Chul Han on Love, Desire, and the Ego (9 minutes)

For Philosophical Minds Zurich theme events in general:
At our theme events, we begin with a brief topic introduction, followed by engaging discussions in small groups. It’s all about conversation, not just listening. Also, please note, we keep the atmosphere relaxed and informal, there’s no pressure to speak in front of anyone.

Important: When you register for the event, please commit to it and don't be a NO SHOW. Presumably, when the ancient philosophers decided to go to an event, they kept to it. 
We look forward to seeing you.

Payment: You can pay at the venue (Twint/Revolut/Cash). Thus, if you want to register at Meetup just click attend - no more needed ;).

We look forward to seeing you.
10 attendees