[In-person] Curiosity Café: Other Minds and Zombies (Ticketed Event)

Just in time for Halloween, the topic of our next café is: The Problem of Other Minds and Phenomenological Zombies

We commonly assume that our friends, family members, and unknown passersby have minds that are similar to our own. This is a reasonable assumption, given that most folks will use the same words to describe the same experiences we do, laugh at the same jokes we do, and react with the same emotions at similar states of affairs that we would. Nevertheless, despite all of this seemingly strong perceptual evidence that others have minds like our own, can we really know this — as a matter of fact? Especially when there is so much evidence of perceptual disagreement, such as the infamous “dress”. If we can’t know that others have minds from perceptual evidence alone, then what’s missing? That is, what additional evidence would one need to have certainty of the minds of others? Further, and perhaps more disturbingly, is there a possibility that our loved ones could — in fact — be “phenomenological zombies” (i.e., individuals with no conscious mental life at all)?

At our next Curiosity Café, moderated by Alexandra Gustafson and Marybel Menzies, we will engage in a collaborative (and creepy!) exploration of our own first personal conscious experiences and how these experiences compare to those of others.

Space is limited! Please also obtain a ticket here if you're attending this event.

You can support our organization by implementing optional “Pay-What-You-Can” tickets, in addition to the usual "Free Ticket" option. We ask that you consider making a donation when you RSVP to help us make our work and growth as an organization possible. The ticketing page also has info about accessibility-related concerns at the venue.

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This event is brought to you by Being and Becoming, a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us.

By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.

Find out more about Being and Becoming here.

About the Curiosity Café Series:

For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to join us at our Curiosity Cafés and are wondering what they’re all about: every two weeks, we invite members of our community to come out to the Madison Avenue Pub to engage in a collaborative exploration of our chosen topic. Through these events, we aim to build our community of people who like to think deeply about life’s big questions, and provide each other with some philosophical tools to dig deeper into whatever it is we are most curious about.