**Saturday, September 19, 2025**
10am to 7pm
**Location: Community Classrooms @ Pier 57, NYC - W 15th St West Side Highway Located inside Pier 57, New York, NY 10011**
[https://pier57nyc.com/community-spaces/community-classrooms/](https://pier57nyc.com/community-spaces/community-classrooms/)

Welcome to the **2nd annual NYC Philosophy & Psychology Readers Conference**!
Since 2019 this meetup group has enabled readers of philosophy and psychology to come together to form friendships and foster insights by engaging in thoughtful discussions on significant concepts discovered from reading books and intellectual consumption.
Now, we’re taking it to the next level, join us for a **full-day conference** where community members will share their insights through a series of talks and lively social interactions.

### **❗ IMPORTANT RSVP INFO**

Each session has **its own RSVP link** below, **please RSVP to each talk individually**. Space is limited, seating is **first-come, first-served.**

⚠️ Sessions will begin **once the speaker is ready and the room is seated**. Please **arrive on time**, as **no late entry** will be allowed after a session begins.

**🧠 NYC Philosophy & Psychology Readers Conference 2026 - Saturday, September 19th 2025**
**🎤 Agenda**

🌼🐚 Combined Daffodil + Seahorse Rooms (80 seated / 148 standing)
10:00am - [Toward a Tactical Pedagogy - Ryland Frost](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315258258/)
11:00am - [Jung, Gnosticism, Alchemy and the Religious Function of the Psyche - Jorge Cabrales](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315171138/)
🕛 12:00pm - [Avoidance: A Philosophical Exploration - Zach Stehura](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315171184/)

🐚 Seahorse Room (40 seated / 74 standing)
1:00pm - [Attention Must Be Paid: The Boundaries of Human Knowledge and the Problem of AI - Brent Mondoskin](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315171147/)
2:00pm - [Foundational Narratives: Homer and Murasaki - Sheryl Harawitz](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315171155/)
3:00pm - [Hermetic and Neoplatonist philosophy today - Zita Vasilisinova](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315171167/)

🌼🐚 Combined Daffodil + Seahorse Rooms (80 seated / 148 standing)
4:00pm - [Utilitarianism of Giving - Patrick Liu](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315302882/)
5:00pm - [Application of Schopenhauer's Ideas to Mental Health - Ryan Bohman](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315171245/)
6:00 pm - [Knowing-With - Zsombor Koman](https://www.meetup.com/reading-philosophy/events/315303590/)

🏛️ Venue Notes:

* **Location & Access:** Market 57 classrooms at Pier 57. Doors lock at 8 PM (but you may exit anytime).
* **Finding Rooms:** Refer to the [P57 Classroom & Market Map](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ts-prod-assets.tripleseat.com/assets/067/412/368/P57_Map_Classroom_Market_Jan_2024_1_.pdf)
* **Food:** Market 57 food is allowed in classrooms. **No outside food or alcohol.**
* **Temperature Alert:** AC may be chilly — bring a jacket!

NYC Philosophy and Psychology Readers Community

Brian Allen

Ryan Bohman

Brent

Zach

Hazel Ramos

Patrick Liu

Shaun Miller

Cathrine T

Ken T

Jenny Park

Colin Campbell

Jasmin 

Nadia Maisouradze

Jeff

Gigi Gilsinan

Jorge

Ryland Frost

Jahnavi

🧠 NYC Philosophy & Psychology Readers Conference 2026

Pier 57

Hi Folks,

Please join us for a slow and close reading of Homer’s *Iliad*, one of the foundational works of Western literature.

Composed nearly three thousand years ago, the *Iliad* remains astonishingly relevant. Through the story of Achilles and the Trojan War, Homer explores enduring questions about anger, honor, friendship, mortality, leadership, suffering, and the search for meaning in the face of death.

The poem is incredibly important as:

* The starting point of the Western literary tradition and the most influential epic ever written
* A timeless meditation on glory, suffering, mortality, and what it means to live a meaningful human life
* A source of inspiration for countless writers and thinkers, from the tragedians of ancient Greece to modern philosophers and novelists

Although the poem is set during the Trojan War, it is not primarily about battles. Rather, it is a study of human character under extreme circumstances. Homer examines how individuals respond to loss, ambition, loyalty, grief, and fate. The result is a work that continues to speak powerfully across cultures and centuries.

### **📖 Participation**

This event will combine a slow reading of the text with a recurring panel discussion.
Each week for 24 weeks, participants will read approximately one book of the *Iliad* (roughly 20–30 pages). During the meeting, a panel of readers will discuss the assigned text.
Additional attendees are welcome to observe via Zoom Webinar, we may take questions at the end but still deciding.

### **🎙️ Apply to Join the Panel**

We will be selecting a limited number of panelists who are willing to commit to the reading schedule and actively participate in discussion throughout the series.
To be a good fit, you’ll need:

* A willingness to read carefully and consistently
* The ability to discuss ideas clearly and respectfully
* An interest in literature, philosophy, history, psychology, or the ancient world
* A commitment to completing the assigned reading before each meeting

To apply, RSVP to the event and complete the [Google Form here](https://forms.gle/R58Mz3bJMWg3cjA87). Applications will be reviewed personally. Everyone else who is not a panelist will just be able to view the discussion but not participate.

### **📚 Reading Schedule**

We’ll read the text slowly and carefully, approximately one book per week, over roughly six months. This isn't a live reading, the panelists will need to read in advance. Panelists should expect to spend about an hour per week completing the reading in advance of each discussion.
I will be using Robert Fagles’ translation of the *Iliad* (Penguin Classics), with Bernard Knox’s introduction and notes. You can read any translation you like, it may be fun to have differing versions. A [reading schedule is here](https://drive.proton.me/urls/RRP0FQQ5H8#X6psCeicm6gF).

### **📬 Contact**

Have questions or feedback? Feel free to send me a Meetup message.

I’m genuinely excited to read this with you.
Kind Regards,
Ryan

Barbara Scobee

Kevin Barclay

John Lumpkin

Arvind

Arthur O'Dwyer

alexkonars

Ernest Klubis

Marilyn 

Homer’s Iliad: A Slow Reading and Panel Discussion

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Philosophy and Psychology Readers Community

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