The Socrates Café — Philosophers Quotes Edition - Oba 7th floor.

This is a new edition of the Socrates cafe with a new format.

In this edition, the moderator will pick a specific quote, topic or question from a known philosophers (example; Voltaire, Kant, Marcus Aurelius, Hypatia of Alexandria, Rousseau, Machiavelli, Descartes, Plato and others).

A summary around a page will be provided in the event (See below - The topic of this Session)

Please take the time to read.

The Moderator will read the summary and give an introduction of the topic. Then, we will have an open discussion, and a final round when everyone will give their conclusions.

The topic of this Session
Baruch Spinoza’s quote, "Fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear,"

1. Summary
The quote highlights the interdependence of these two emotions:

Mutual Dependence:
Hope and fear are two sides of the same coin. You can’t fear something without hoping to avoid it, and you can’t hope for something without fearing its absence. For example:

• Fear of failure implies hope for success.
• Hope for love implies fear of rejection.

Rooted in Uncertainty:
Both emotions arise from not knowing the future. If outcomes were certain, there’d be no room for hope or fear. Their existence depends on imagining possible futures—good or bad.

2. Philosophical Insight:
Spinoza saw hope and fear as passive emotions that control us because of our attachment to outcomes. True freedom, for him, comes from understanding reality as it is and focusing on what we can control, rather than being swayed by these emotions.

3. Practical Implications:
Recognizing this link helps us see how emotions manipulate us (e.g., in advertising, politics, or personal decisions).
Detaching from hope and fear allows us to act more rationally and live in the present.
In short: Hope and fear are inextricably linked, and understanding this can help us navigate life’s uncertainties with greater clarity and freedom.

About the Philosopher
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benedict-de-Spinoza

RULES

1. Please be on time! We will start at 19:00 so if you arrive late, please join quietly. If you are a first timer, make sure you take extra time for finding the location.
2. If something unexpected happens, please cancel as soon as possible. There's lovely people on the waiting list
3. If you repeatedly sign up and don’t show up, you can expect to be moved to the waitlist next time.
4. You may disagree with others, but please do so respectfully without personal attacks.
5. Please keep your attendance to one event per week to ensure everyone has an opportunity to attend.
6. Just to meet expectations, this is a Philosophy event to discuss Philosophy and this event's PRIMARY function is NOT focused on Self Help/Psychology or Theology. Though those topics can be a point of discussion from time to time. Please take that into consideration when signing up!

See you soon!