NYC Philosophy and Psychology Readers Community

As our last existentialist reading in this series, we will read three short stories by Simone de Beauvoir: The Age of Discretion, The Monologue, and The Woman Destroyed. Join us as we enjoy de Beauvoir's beautiful writing and the deep insight of this important existentialist thinker of the twentieth century.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a masterpiece of philosophy, literature, and poetic expression, offering one of the most radical critiques of morality, religion, and human existence. Written between 1883 and 1885, this work follows the fictional prophet Zarathustra as he descends from his solitude in the mountains to share his revolutionary teachings with humanity. Through allegorical storytelling, Nietzsche explores profound philosophical concepts such as the Übermensch (Overman), the eternal recurrence, the will to power, and the death of God.

Join us to discuss this classic book over the course of 5-weeks!
Week 1 Sat 1/24 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse Room @ Pier 57
Week 2 Sat 1/30 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse Room @ Pier 57
Week 3 Sat 2/7 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse Room @ Pier 57
Week 4 Sat 2/14 12:30pm-2:30pm The Oyster Room @ Pier 57
Week 5 Sat 2/21 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse @ Pier 57

Reading for Week 3
First half of Part 3 up to section "On the Three Evils" (40 pages)

Join us for weekly discussions of Jacques Derrida's 1967 deconstruction of the speech/writing binary in western philosophy, Of Grammatology.

Required reading for this meeting: Introduction by Judith Butler and Translator's Preface by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

Note:
This group is currently underway. I have closed it for RSVP for now. I may open it in the future if we need more attendees. I am managing the RSVP's off meetup for this event so the attendees here are not an accurate reflection of what we have, we currently have about 15 people, if there are dropouts or changes I can reopen for new people.

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Hi Folks,

Please join us for a slow and close reading of Arthur Schopenhauer’s magnum opus, The World as Will and Representation.

Schopenhauer is incredibly important as:

• One of the first major Western philosophers to deeply integrate Eastern ideas (after studying the Upanishads and Buddhist thought)
• One of the earliest Western philosophers to build a comprehensive atheistic worldview
• A major critic of Kantian philosophy, reshaping Kant’s “thing-in-itself” into his own concept of the Will
• An outspoken opponent of Hegel, his contemporary and rival professor at the University of Berlin
• The primary philosophical influence on Nietzsche, who regarded Schopenhauer as his great educator

Schopenhauer introduces the Will as the thing-in-itself — the inner reality underlying all appearances. His metaphysics explores how human desire drives suffering, and how we can transcend it through compassion, selflessness, and creative expression, especially through art.

### 📖 Apply to Join

This text is challenging but rewarding. To get the most out of it, you’ll need:

• Some background in Kantian philosophy (especially the principle of sufficient reason, the phenomenal / noumenal divide and Kant's "architectonic"); familiarity with Eastern thought is a plus
• The ability to closely read and interpret complex philosophical arguments
• The communication and social skills to express ideas clearly in discussion

You can apply to join by first RSVP'ing to this event, then filling out the Google Form survey linked on this event's location page — I’ll review responses personally.

### 📚 Reading & Participation