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
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Implications of the Election Results (SHANNONDELL Valley Forge)
Shannondell - Bradford Clubhouse, 20000 Shannondell Drive, Audubon, PA, USThis Saturday we will discuss some local and state election results. This will be the first major election day of President Trump’s second term.
Here are some questions we will consider:
- Do Republican wins signify support for President Trump?
- Do Democratic wins signify opposition to Trump?
- What, if anything, can we infer about the popularity of Trump’s policies?
- How much does turnout matter?
- How much do margins matter?
- Were there any surprises, landslides, or new regional patterns?
- Was there any violence, threats of violence, or other irregularities at the polls?
- Did federal monitors from the Justice Department interfere with the elections in California or New Jersey? Why were they there?
We will look at the elections for governors of New Jersey and Virginia. Both states have a history of electing Republicans for statewide office. This year, according to a PBS election guide, the Republican candidates have closely aligned themselves with Trump, betting that his popularity can help them win. But history also suggests that the party in the White House typically suffers in off-year elections.
In New York City, democratic socialist, Zohran Mamdani, is running for mayor. He has been advocating radical changes to address economic inequality. If he wins, will this reflect a progressive shift nationally or only in New York? Will it signify a deeper divide between the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party? Concerns about rising antisemitism and Mamdani’s sharp criticisms of Israel have opened up a split among New York Jews. Are there any implications for future antisemitism in the U.S.?
Pennsylvanians get to choose whether to retain three liberal state Supreme Court justices. Record amounts of money have been raised and spent by both parties. The outcome not only affects Pennsylvanians, but it is widely seen as a referendum on the Democratic Party.
California is voting on Proposition 50, a referendum that will allow the majority Democrats to redraw congressional districts, giving Democrats an unfair advantage in the 2026 mid-term election? Is California’s proposed gerrymandering justified to offset the recent Republican gerrymanders in Texas and other states?
I will post some election results and media commentary later this week, but here is a PBS pre-election guide you may find helpful: “Here’s What to Watch for on the First Major Election Day of Trump’s 2nd Term,” available at https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/heres-what-to-watch-for-on-the-first-major-election-day-of-trumps-2nd-term.
12 attendees
GPTS & Ethical Culture: Five Takes on Death — Art, Ideas & Conversation
Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, USJoin us on Sunday, November 9th (10:30 AM – 12:30 PM) at the Philadelphia Ethical Society (1906 South Rittenhouse Square) for a morning of reflection, creativity, and philosophical conversation. This is a joint event hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society, Philadelphia Philosophy Meetup, and the Philly Stoa.
The Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society (GPTS) and Ethical Culture invite you to a special Day of the Dead gathering that blends art, philosophy, and community reflection. In the spirit of this meaningful tradition, we’ll explore how remembering those who came before us deepens our understanding of life, purpose, and connection. GPTS brings together thoughtful individuals for stimulating weekend conversations in small, welcoming groups, fostering open dialogue across philosophy, ethics, science, culture, and human experience. Ethical Culture treats life as an ongoing moral practice rooted in wisdom, virtue, and compassion. Together, these communities offer a reflective space to honor impermanence, celebrate shared humanity, and discover beauty in transience and purpose in participation.
Featured participants include Cesar Viveros & Ñuuxakun Folklórico Mexicano, who will bring vibrant cultural expression to our shared meditation on remembrance, along with Paige Niezelski, Joe Bullock, and other special guests offering artistic and philosophical reflections on what it means to live well in the face of impermanence.
After the main platform concludes at 12:30 PM, participants are invited to join breakout sessions for deeper dialogue and connection. These smaller circles will offer time to reflect, share personal insights, and continue exploring the morning’s themes together.
Come with an open mind, stay for conversation and community, and leave with a renewed sense of what it means to live fully.
Event Details
Sunday, November 9th
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM (followed by breakout sessions)
Philadelphia Ethical Society — 1906 South Rittenhouse Square
phillyethics.orgSponsored by:
Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society • Philadelphia Ethical Society • Philly Stoa / Meetup • Philadelphia Philosophy Meetup6 attendees
•OnlineComprehensivist Wednesdays: Greg Sadler on the Legacy of Alasdair MacIntyre
OnlineJoin us for a special online conversation with Greg Sadler on the life and work of Alasdair MacIntyre, one of the most influential philosophers of the past century.
MacIntyre’s contributions to virtue ethics, moral philosophy, and the role of traditions in shaping moral reasoning continue to influence how we understand the good life, community, and moral practice. His works, including "Plain Persons and Moral Philosophy" and "After Virtue", have inspired scholars, educators, and practitioners across many fields.
Greg Sadler, who studied with MacIntyre as a Faculty Fellow at Notre Dame’s Erasmus Institute, brings both scholarly insight and personal reflections on MacIntyre’s thought and character. This session will explore MacIntyre’s lasting contributions to philosophy and offer an opportunity to reflect on his enduring legacy.
About Greg Sadler:
Greg Sadler is the President and Co-Founder of ReasonIO, where he works to make philosophy accessible through public speaking, content creation, consulting, and one-on-one tutorials. He also runs a popular YouTube channel with over 163,000 subscribers and more than 16.3 million views, and teaches through the Study With Sadler Academy, serving students and clients worldwide.********************************************************************************
Welcome to the "Comprehensivist Wednesdays" series hosted by 52 Living Ideas and the Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society. Transdisciplinarity, Renaissance humanism, homo universalis, and Polymathy are some of the ways of describing this approach, which Buckminster Fuller called Comprehensivity and described as “macro-comprehensive and micro-incisive.”See the calendar at https://www.meetup.com/52LivingIdeas/events/calendar/
A Meetup Every Day, Every Week, For Everyone!
Every Weekday at 8 pm or 9 pm ET
We record all our Meetups and post them on YouTube. Feel free to keep your video on or off as you prefer. Watch Past Meetups here.
5 attendees
Past events
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