What we’re about
The Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society is a Meetup group that brings together thoughtful people for stimulating and civically minded conversations.
We meet in a relaxed setting on almost every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 AM and occasionally in the evening. Most of our events aim for a small group ambiance with about 10-12 participants. Sometimes we use larger spaces with different group dynamics and formats.
Almost all our events engage participants in a group conversation to explore a wide range of topics including society & culture, philosophy & religion, design, science & technology, psychology, politics, economics, and current events.
We organize a safe, facilitated forum of inquiry and exploration.
Our interactive format engages participants to speak up and be heard, to explore our assumptions, to listen and hear others, and to find and build meanings.
We value topics that matter, diverse points of view and ways of knowing, sensitive listening, and your contributions to our explorations.
In addition to ideas and resources posed by the event host(s), our conversations are informed by participants exchanging experiences, interpretations, understandings, beliefs, feelings, values, thoughts, and ways of thinking.
Through discourse and consideration these ideas can reveal a web of relationships which participants can form into meaningful insights and new possibilities.
We start the conversation so come participate and accept your own genius.
We are always looking for new discussion leaders and other volunteers to bring new and interesting topics and perspectives to our group. Please see https://www.meetup.com/thinkingsociety/pages/14433542/Discussion_Leader_Guidelines/ if you are interested.
For more information about our group including our list of Frequently Asked Questions, please visit About the Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- A Reentry Simulation Experience (Sign Up Via Link Below)Philadelphia Ethical Society, Philadelphia, PA
The Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society and the Philadelphia Ethical Society, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, are hosting a reentry simulation to shed light on the challenges faced by people released from incarceration as they navigate a complex and often overwhelming system to reintegrate into society. This simulation will help participants understand the bureaucratic obstacles that contribute to high recidivism rates by having them assume the roles of recently released individuals. Participants will experience firsthand the difficulties of fulfilling obligations like passing mandated drug tests and finding employment.
Sign up for this free event here: Philadelphia Ethical Society Reentry Simulation.
- The Pursuit of Happiness and Virtue (SHANNONDELL at Valley Forge)Shannondell - Bradford Clubhouse, Audubon, PA
”Today we think of happiness as the pursuit of pleasure. But classical and Enlightenment thinkers defined happiness as the pursuit of virtue—as being good, rather than feeling good.” – Jeffrey Rosen
This discussion will begin by exploring what we mean by “happiness” today, and how to pursue it, if that is even possible or desirable. Then we will explore the connection between happiness and moral virtue, how the concepts of virtue and happiness have evolved since the founding of our republic, and how our perceptions of happiness and virtue may affect the 2024 election.
According to Martin Seligman, a founder of positive psychology, the three paths to happiness are: “the Pleasant Life” (experiencing positive emotions), “the Good Life” (engagement in virtuous activities), and "the Meaningful Life” (contributing to something larger than oneself) – Authentic Happiness, 2003. Positive psychology teaches that to be happy, pursue your highest values more than your pleasures and gratifications.
Teaching of virtue and moral values in American public schools was mostly stopped after the 1963 Supreme Court ban on religion in public schools. For a brief history of teaching moral virtues in the U.S. see this recent Time Magazine article:”Yes, Schools Should Teach Morality. But Whose Morals?” Here is the link: https://time.com/6451192/history-civic-morality-schools/
Should our schools teach moral philosophy? If we teach virtues, we can expect opposition from anyone who proposes alternative values. Would teaching the pursuit of happiness be a less controversial approach?
Happiness meant more than feeling joy or pleasure to the Greek and Roman philosophers who inspired the American founding fathers. Cicero said, “It is certain that without virtue there can be no happiness.” To psychologists who study happiness, it means “a state of emotional well-being that a person experiences either in a narrow sense, when good things happen in a specific moment, or more broadly, as a positive evaluation of one’s life and accomplishments overall—that is, subjective well-being.” – Britannica.com.The architects of our constitution argued with each other about how to structure and govern the new nation. But according to a new book by Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, most of the founders shared a set of classical moral values. Our discussion of the book will focus mostly on how we might pursue happiness and virtue in our lives at this time of social and political upheaval.
You can get a good overview of Rosen’s book, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America, from a one-hour book launch video recorded at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia on 2/19/2024. The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih1cO_VCGxk.
Benjamin Franklin compiled a list of 13 virtues, mostly from Cicero and other stoic philosophers. He measured himself against these moral standards and often found his behavior disappointing. Which of Franklin’s virtues are still relevant today and which do you aspire to?
- Temperance
- Silence
- Order
- Resolution
- Frugality
- Industry
- Sincerity
- Justice
- Moderation
- Cleanliness
- Tranquility
- Chastity
- Humility
In 2012 social psychologist Jonathan Haidt summarized his studies of moral virtues and values in the book The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. Almost everyone surveyed ranked Caring and Fairness as the most important moral values, but conservatives (political and religious) also highly valued Loyalty, Authority, Sanctity, and Liberty. Note that Haidt’s six moral foundational values are social virtues, directed toward improving our interpersonal and group relationships. On the other hand, most of the classical virtues of the founding fathers are aimed at improving individual character. Even though teaching of classical moral virtues seems to have failed, do you think leaders and educators would have more success in promoting Haidt’s six moral foundations as pathways to happiness?
