Friendship

We choose our friends, but what makes someone a true friend—and why do certain friendships become so important to us?

Aristotle distinguished friendships based on usefulness, pleasure and virtue. The deepest friendships, he believed, arise when two people value one another for who they are and help one another to flourish.

Montaigne described something more personal and mysterious. Asked to explain his extraordinary friendship with Étienne de La Boétie, he answered: “Because it was he; because it was I.”

Simone de Beauvoir saw friendship as a relationship between free individuals who support one another without possession or dependence.

Do we love our friends for their qualities, or simply because they are themselves? What do friends owe one another—and can a good life be lived without them?

You do not need to have studied philosophy or arrive with specialist knowledge. Curiosity and a willingness to join the dialogue are enough.

The conversation does not have to stop when the formal part ends. People often stay afterwards for a drink and a chat, and that informal part helps Philosophy Cafe become a friendly community rather than just a series of events.

Where: Downstairs room, Square Pig, Holborn (private room)

NB: The event begins at 7pm, doors open at 6:50pm. Event ends at 9pm

Format: Participants propose questions → vote on questions → small-group discussions → share insights with the whole room

Discounts: If cost is a barrier, we want to make the session as accessible as possible. If you are a student, unemployed, or on a low income, please feel free to send me a direct message to get a reduced-price place.

Refunds: If you are unable to attend and would like a refund, please send me a direct message at least 48 hours before the event. Unfortunately, I’m not able to offer refunds for cancellations made after this point, as it becomes difficult to reallocate places at short notice.