What we’re about
We're a community that practices and discusses philosophy, being free and open to all levels and backgrounds. We offer seminars, a variety of discussion formats, and the occasional lecture / guest speaker.
Many meetings will have fewer RSVPs than people who actually attend. This is because overtime people stop making use of Meetup.com and instead communicate with their groups via Discord, Slack, Zoom, E-mail, or similar You can think of the list of events hosted on this Meetup as advertisements for groups seeking new participants.
Our philosophy offerings are organized and facilitated by volunteers. If you have a philosophy offering - or an offering that compliments the study of philosophy, such as in literature, the sciences, and so on - that you'd like to advertise through this Meetup, please contact the organizer. We're grateful to those who want to enrich Seattle with study and discussion!
Participants must speak, write, and act in a considerate, professional, and respectful manner, and be prepared for the meetings that they attend, having reviewed the materials to the degree necessary to participate. If you haven't reviewed the materials but still wish to attend an event, please consult the event facilitator regarding the best manner for you to be present.
We look forward to studying philosophy together!
Upcoming events
446
•OnlineONLINE / ENGLISH: How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
Online## Details
This is our series on Donald Robertson’s book “How to Think Like a Roman Emperor”. We will learn about the life of Marcus Aurelius and his philosophy practice. As usual on Friday nights, we will cover the book in-depth; see schedule below.
SCHEDULE
8-08-2025 Chap. 1
8-15-2025 Chap. 1 continued
8-22-2025 Chap. 2
8-29-2025 Chap. 2 continued
9-05-2025 Chap. 3
9-12-2025 Chap. 3 continued
9-19-2025 Chap. 4
9-26-2025 Chap. 4 continued
10-03-2025 Chap. 5
10-10-2025 Chap. 5 continued
10-17-2025 Chap. 6
10-24-2025 Chap. 6 continued
10-31-2025 Chap. 7
11-07-2025 Chap. 7 continued
11-14-2025 Chap. 8 (just 1 part)
11-21-2025 Finale
READING MATERIALS
The book is available on Amazon and other booksellers. Various formats are available: audio, paperback, Kindle. Reading in advance is optional; StoicDan will collect highlights from each part of the book in an outline for the meeting.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F9YYR62
Time
Meeting time (USA):
7:00PM Eastern
6:00PM Central
5:00PM Mountain
4:00PM Pacific
For our international friends,
Please convert time with the free tool
https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
Zoom Info
CLICK TO START MEETING - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86559843870
If you don't have a computer with camera or mic, then you can attend by telephone. Dial one of these numbers and add meeting ID 865 5984 3870#
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
In general, Stoicism teaches us how to handle difficult people and events, how to avoid anger and worry, and overall to use moderation in life. We will discuss how Stoic practice can lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Our group enjoys open-minded, respectful conversations on Stoicism and how it relates to science, culture, philosophy, history, other belief systems, and pop culture (books and movies). If we differ in our opinions, then "we agree to disagree". The long-term goal is to improve our minds via group discussions. Our group does NOT discuss religion or politics.
This event is free and open to the public.
Events inPhilosophyPsychology
Self-Help & Self-ImprovementMarcus AureliusStoicism2 attendees
•OnlineQuanta and Complementarity – The Philosophy of Niels Bohr
OnlineDuring this meeting, we will focus on nonlocality and Bell’s theorem. The meeting on 10/24 will continue our discussion of nonlocality, and take a deeper look at contextuality and the KS Theorem, as well as the possible implications for interpreting QM.
Reading Assignment:
- "What is Real?," Adam Becker, Chapter 7
Optional Readings:
- Becker’s chapter includes a simplified proof of Bell’s theorem, based on the work of David Mermin. For our discussion it’s not necessary to follow all the details of this proof, but those who are interested may find it helpful to look at the same proof in Mermin’s papers “Quantum Mysteries for Anyone” and/or “Is there Moon There When Nobody Looks”, which are available in Rhett's Google drive and on Discord.
- An excellent and accessible discussion of nonlocality and Bell’s Theorem can be found in chapter 12 of Nick Herbert’s "Quantum Reality," available in Rhett's Google drive. Herbert provides a good discussion of nonlocality, and his version of Bell’s theorem is much closer Bell’s 1964 version.,
- Bell offered his own simplified discussion of his theorem and its consequences in his amusing and largely accessible paper “Bertlemann’s Socks and the Nature of Reality”, available in Rhett's Google drive and on Discord.
During the next two or three meetings we are going to explore the “nonlocality” and “contextuality” of quantum mechanics, each of which challenges the possibility of ‘completing’ QM with “hidden variables” as hoped by Einstein. (The precise meaning of “nonlocality” and “contextuality” will be explained in our readings and during our meetings.)
The apparent nonlocality of QM was shown in a famous theorem by John Bell in 1964, as described in Chapter 7 of "What is Real?"
Two years earlier, Bell had noticed that Von Neumann’s infamously flawed “proof” against the possibility of hidden variables had depended on the false assumption that quantum properties (and any associated hidden variables) were not “contextual." The contextuality of QM was also proven in 1967 by another famous theorem, that of Kochen and Specker.
The upshot of both Bells Theorem and the KS Theorem is that hidden variables in the sense Einstein favored are impossible; if there is another "hidden layer" of QM, then it must be both nonlocal and contextual.
Meeting information:
Our live meeting will take place on Zoom.
Text-based discussions during and between live meetings will be hosted on the Blinding Cyclops Discord server. You can also find resources related to this seminar and reading assignments there. Join link: https://discord.gg/urPBsNTWuK. Channels related to this seminar can be found under the "Quantum Physics" category.
Syllabus:
We meet alternating Fridays at 4pm PT to discuss interpretations of quantum physics and the philosophy of Niels Bohr.
This seminar has begun with a close reading of a book critical of Niels Bohr, “What is Real?” by Adam Becker, so that we can become grounded in an opposing and critical viewpoint. It's also likely that we'll semi-regularly read source materials as a supplement.
Suggested secondary readings (which we’ll not cover directly but which may be referenced):
- “Quantum Reality,” by Nick Herbert
- “Beyond Weird,” by Philip Ball
- “Elegance and Enigma,” edited by Maximilian Schlosshauer
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