Book Swap

What does it mean to “decide to trust”? What is at stake in such a decision, and is trust the kind of thing that is “up to us”? I offer an account of “deciding trust” as a practice of letting down your guard with the aim of making conspicuous your vulnerability. I argue that this practice is valuable because it functions to disarm, thereby setting the stage for a trusting relationship. The social dynamic of disarmament that I describe suggests a new picture of what trust is and why it is valuable. Jason D'Cruz https://www.albany.edu/philosophy/faculty/jason-dcruz Associate Professor Department of Philosophy University of Albany **About the Speaker:** Before joining UAlbany, Cruz taught at Harvard College, the Zhejiang Institute of Science and Technology in Hangzhou, China, and worked as a researcher at the Joint Center for Bioethics at the University of Toronto. He works primarily in ethics and moral psychology on the topics of trust, promises, character, self-deception, and rationalization. He has also done work in bioethics (in particular, trust and consent) and the philosophy of art (in particular, fiction-directed emotion, imaginative resistance, and the autographic/allographic distinction). His recent work appears in academic journals such as Ethics, Analysis, Philosophical Psychology, Ratio, Journal of Business Ethics, the Journal of the American Philosophical Association,, and The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism. **\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*** This is a talk with audience Q&A presented by the University of Toronto's Centre for Ethics that is free to attend and open to the public. Free pizza and refreshments will be provided at the event. The talk will also be streamed online with live chat here [to be posted]. About the Centre for Ethics (http://ethics.utoronto.ca): The Centre for Ethics is an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined. The Centre seeks to bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life. In pursuit of its interdisciplinary mission, the Centre fosters lines of inquiry such as (1) foundations of ethics, which encompasses the history of ethics and core concepts in the philosophical study of ethics; (2) ethics in action, which relates theory to practice in key domains of social life, including bioethics, business ethics, and ethics in the public sphere; and (3) ethics in translation, which draws upon the rich multiculturalism of the City of Toronto and addresses the ethics of multicultural societies, ethical discourse across religious and cultural boundaries, and the ethics of international society. The Ethics of A.I. Lab at the Centre For Ethics recently appeared on a list of 10 organizations leading the way in ethical A.I.: https://ocean.sagepub.com/blog/10-organizations-leading-the-way-in-ethical-ai

We’re back for another night of great conversation, community, and global connections. Whether you want to practice English, learn a new language, or simply make new friends from around the world, this is the place to be! ✨ **What to Expect:** ✅ Language Exchange 💬 – chat in French, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, and more! ✅ Live Music & Resident DJ 🎵 – groove while you mingle ✅ Fun Board Games 🎲 – challenge a new friend ✅ Arts & Crafts 🎨 – get creative ✅ Make New Friends 🗣️ – the more, the merrier! 📍 14 Madison Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 2S1 🕖 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM Come solo or bring a friend—either way, you’ll leave with new connections, good laughs, and even better vibes 💬✨🫶 💵 $5 Entry Fee at the Door This helps cover meetup essentials like games, name tags, stickers, and all the little things that make our events magical ✨ **CONTACT:** Terry (Organizer) 📲 E-transfer also available: tmg8@wealthsimple.me 🔗 Meetup: [https://www.meetup.com/TorontoBabel](https://www.meetup.com/TorontoBabel) 📘 Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/torontobabel](https://www.facebook.com/groups/torontobabel) 💬 WhatsApp: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EYMdUw8XaxE5irFSNg5bt7](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EYMdUw8XaxE5irFSNg5bt7) 📸 Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/t.o.babel](https://www.instagram.com/t.o.babel) 👉 Check out our calendar to see what other events we have coming up and to RSVP: [https://www.meetup.com/TorontoBabel/#calendar](https://www.meetup.com/TorontoBabel/#calendar) **Note:** Toronto Babel is a friendly, welcoming, and safe space for all attendees. This is a language-focused event and not a dating or matchmaking event. Any form of harassment or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. If you experience or witness any issues, please inform one of the organizers. #TorontoBabel #LanguageExchange #TorontoEvents #ToDoToronto #LearnEnglish

I am looking for a dedicated Japanese language partner for a free 1-on-1 Japanese & English language exchange, meeting weekly at the Toronto Reference Library. In return, I offer fun, high-quality English speaking practice, including pronunciation and fluency support that is tailored to your level and goals. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* I am Canadian from Toronto and an English teacher with my own class of 12+ students. I have visited Japan (Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc.), which motivated me to improve my spoken Japanese. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* If you are interested in the City of Toronto, I would be happy to show you around the city. I am also looking forward to learning more about you and about Japan. Let’s connect if you are serious about consistent practice! Feel free to message me directly if you have any questions or if you want to change the date and time of the session. Thank you. — Rexsel

Come out to our monthly meetups if you are: •New to lockpicking and want to learn. •Experienced with locks and lockpicking and excited to teach and exchange knowledge. We have lots of loaner locks and picks for people to try without needing any supplies of their own. Join the Toool Toronto discord https://discord.gg/fuamRhuAdD We are now going back to primarily an in-person meeting. If you would like to join online, its best to bring this up in the #meeting-night-discussion channel beforehand and then find us in our Meeting Room voice channel on Wednesday night. This event is hosted at a volunteer run makerspace: Site 3 coLaboratory 718R Ossington Ave Toronto, ON M6G 3T7

This time we’re heading to **Ameen's Kitchen** for a relaxed dinner featuring authentic Nigerian and African flavors. It’s a great chance to try some new food and hang out with the group. Here’s what to expect 👇 * We will start at **6:30 PM** on **April 1st**. * You can check out their menu here 👇 **[https://ameenskitchen.com/ameens-restaurant-banquet-hall-dixie](https://ameenskitchen.com/ameens-restaurant-banquet-hall-dixie)** **[Menu 2](https://maps.app.goo.gl/3fxp5Vn8CpPbRW8fA)** * Everyone pays for their own meal. I have called them and they are okay with having separate bills. * If you have specific allergies or dietary needs, please call the restaurant directly to confirm they can accommodate you. * If your plans change, please cancel at least a day before so we can adjust the seating. * Limited to **8 seats** only this time. This is a relaxed, social evening—come by, meet new people, and enjoy some great food together.

\*These classes are not a language exchange, but instead are meant to be a step in between so that students feel confident maintaining in depth and grammatically correct oral conversations outside of class\* \***Meetup event numbers only tend to show new students registering and do not include returning students attending class.** **Per class, there is an average of 7 students.** The first 2 classes are free and then only cost between $15 and $35 depending on which type of class you want to continue with\* These French, English (For Spanish and French speakers only), and Spanish classes are primarily meant for adults who are travellers, or who are planning to live in a French, English, or Spanish-speaking country. The classes are primarily oral-based through guided conversations. They will teach you how to handle conversations in situations such as **"Going to the Convenience Store"**, **"Making Plans"**, **"Negotiating Prices"**, and **"Going out for a Drink"**. To ensure that students get used to using the language automatically, students will learn to maintain contextual conversations with timing before moving on to the next lesson. Call (647)787-9953, e-mail us info@monkeylingo.ca, or visit monkeylingo.ca for more information! **Online and private classes are also available!** No other language classes are as conversational as these ones. We guarantee it! Cheap parking can be found using the "Spot Hero" app.

Instead of everyone agreeing to read one book for a meeting, we each read whatever we want, then share it with the rest of the group every alternate meeting. Our discussions are always fresh and interesting! Those who don't have a book to share but want a recommendation for their next read are also welcome to join. Then we vote on the discussed books and the book with highest votes gets discussed further in the subsequent meeting. Books we talk about cover just about anything. Some example topics include: the history of salt, a man lost at sea, why some technological developments should make us optimistic about the future, creativity at Pixar, neuroplasticity, biotechnology, American sub-cultures, biographies, the economics, geography and biology underpinning the development of the New World, the politics of mental illness, harnessing a positive mental attitude, law, the changing role of the policies in US & Canada, walking the trail, communication in the workplace, and much much much much more. The aim here is to establish a group of independent readers in the GTA who are curious about everything. Have you read an interesting book lately? Come and tell us about it! This relaxed and friendly book group is for those who enjoy reading books, asking questions, and having thought provoking, fun discussions on a wide variety of topics. Read whatever you want, then come and spend a few minutes discussing it with us. No formal book reports required, promise :). Paper books, e-books and audio books are all considered books for the purposes of this group. \*\*\* **Books discussed in previous "Bring your own book" events are here:** [GTA Book Club BYOB log Google Spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1em0ZTWtxNbXPp5Rt5Tegp8Kj4gM8Kc54_8CAgtjfB_Q/edit?usp=sharing) During the event, a poll will be opened for everyone to vote on the book we should all read in the subsequent event. At the end of the event, the subsequent event will be updated with the book that had the most votes from this event. Bring a book to share or observe (find your next read) and bring an open mind! I hope to see you there.

The next event is happening on Saturday April 4 at 2:30PM at Danu Social House! Please RSVP if you're planning on coming so we can plan appropriately!

Small Group | Women-Only Event ※日本語の案内は下にあります 【Fee】 $10 (Only $5 if you bring snacks for share) 【Payment】：Cash or E-Transfer only ⚠️ Credit/debit cards are not accepted. • We’ll provide a cup of green tea. If you have a favorite drink, feel free to bring it with you! (Cups, plates, wet wipes and snacks will also be available.) Meeting Point: The central stage on the first floor of the library (If you are late, please come to Study Room 1 and 2 on the first floor or Study-room on the second floor). • A relaxed tea-time hangout with casual chatting in both English and Japanese, plus card games 🌸🍵 (There’s no structured “language exchange time,” so don’t worry if you’re not confident—just take it at your own pace! 🙋‍♀️) 【Important Request】 If you can’t make it, please mark yourself as “Not Attending” so someone on the waitlist can join. If you fail to show up twice without marking “Not Attending,” you may be removed from the group. 【Eligibility Notice】 This event is exclusively for individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB). While we deeply respect all gender identities, this particular gathering is intended to provide a safe and comfortable space for AFAB women to connect. We kindly ask trans women, non-binary, and other gender-diverse individuals to refrain from attending this time. Additionally, if your name or profile photo does not clearly reflect your gender (e.g. male-identifying names, random numbers, spam-like characters), you may be removed from the event. Thank you for your understanding. 少人数｜女性限定 The English guide is below 【参加費】 $10 （シェアできるお菓子を持参で半額の$5） 【支払い】：現金 or E-Transfer のみ ⚠️ カードの取り扱いはありません ・緑茶1杯ご用意します。好きなドリンクがある方はお持ち込み大歓迎です。 （他：コップ、お皿、手拭き、スナックあります） 【集合場所】 図書館の一階中央ステージ （遅刻した場合はStudy Room 1 or 2または2階のStudy roomに来てください） ・英語と日本語を自由にミックスしておしゃべり、カードゲームなどゆるっとお茶会スタイル 【こんな方におすすめ】 女の子の友達が欲しい！ Meetupに参加してみたいけど、不安がある。 【お願い】 参加できない場合は「不参加」にしてください。 「不参加」なしで2回現れなかった場合、退会となります。 【参加対象についてのご案内】 本イベントは「出生時に女性として割り当てられた方（AFAB）」に限らせていただいております。 あらゆるジェンダーアイデンティティを尊重しておりますが、今回はAFABの女性が安心して交流できる場を意図しております。 トランス女性・ノンバイナリー等の方々におかれましては、誠に恐れ入りますが、今回のイベントへのご参加はご遠慮ください。 また、名前やプロフィール写真から性別が判断できない場合（明らかに男性である、数字の羅列、スパムのような文字の羅列など）イベントから退会してもらう可能性があることをご承知ください。

**Join [TILE.]** at the **most popular Saturday Language Learning Social Event & Party in Toronto! 🍁** **[TILE.] = Toronto International Language Exchange [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/tilelearning/)** **[TILE.]** now has a **2-for-1 special event,** which includes: **1.** From **[6:30 - 7:15 PM](https://www.meetup.com/english-class-with-certified-award-winning-teacher):** An optional new $5 small group 45-minute **[English language class](https://www.meetup.com/english-class-with-certified-award-winning-teacher)**[ ](https://www.meetup.com/english-class-with-certified-award-winning-teacher)led by a certified language teacher **2.** From **[7:15 - 11 PM](https://www.meetup.com/biggest-language-party-event-social-in-toronto):** Our usual huge group **[BIGGEST LANGUAGE EXCHANGE SOCIAL EVENT AND PARTY IN TORONTO](https://www.meetup.com/biggest-language-party-event-social-in-toronto)** (Cost: *$0-$5\*, see below)* Both events happen Saturday on the 2nd floor of the Madison Pub (14 Madison Avenue). ***Attend either or both events!*** Meet Toronto locals and international friends. Talk to language teachers and speakers to learn English, French, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, and much more! Join us for board games, conversation, dancing, singing, and more! Make sure to get a nametag from one of our helpers. *You **must** read the full event description below before attending. By attending, you agree to all the terms listed.* **[TILE.] Toronto International Language Exchange** event details: * We are on the 2nd floor of the Madison pub on the patio with all the international flags! *The dance floor opens around 10 PM, and the live piano bar singer start around 10:30 on the 1st floor.* * With our night ride promotion, the second event (the 7:15- 11 PM Party & Social event) is **FREE** for women who will be traveling alone at night to promote inclusion and equity\*. This event normally $5. * The cost for the first event (the 6:30 - 7:15 PM English Language class) is $5 for everyone. **PAY** **$5** right at the event by **CASH, CREDIT, or DEBIT**, or **SEND $5 E-TRANSFERS** to: **TILETORONTO1@GMAIL.COM**. You can also support the bar by buying a drink or appetizer. **\*** The second event ends late at night. It is 100% your own responsibility to ensure you get home safe. We can simply waive the $5 event entry/cover fee for women who will be traveling home alone so that they may instead put this money towards taking a safe ride home. \-\-\-\-\-\- **IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER – Meetup Group** By attending any TILE events, including these ones, you acknowledge and agree to the following: * *The organizers and hosts of TILE events are are not liable for any loss, injury, damage, or other unforeseen outcomes that may occur before, during, or after any event.* * *Participation in TILE events is entirely voluntary and at your own risk. You are solely responsible for your own safety, personal belongings, transportation, behavior, and well-being. It is your responsibility to assess the risks involved in any activity or location and to act accordingly.* * *TILE and its organizers do not provide insurance and cannot guarantee the safety, accuracy of information, or quality of venues, third-party services, or other attendees.* * *By attending, you release TILE, its organizers, and affiliates from any and all claims or liability, and you agree to conduct yourself respectfully and in accordance with local laws and venue rules.* * ***If you do not agree with this disclaimer, please do not attend TILE events.***

Join us for our in-person Saturday critique session! We'll be meeting in the basement of **The Blake House**, which is located near Wellesley and Jarvis, about a 10-minute walk from Wellesley Station or Sherbourne Station. **In respect to the Blake House for hosting us, we humbly request that attendees purchase a meal, dessert, or drink if you are able to do so.** Feel free to bring in a piece of writing up to **2000 words** for reading and critique. Please bring paper copies so that listeners can easily follow and make notes. Dedicated listeners are equally welcome. In larger groups, please be mindful of giving everyone a fair chance to speak. Our group values and meeting structure can be found here: [https://www.torontosffwriters.com/sff-writer-rules-and-guidelines](https://www.torontosffwriters.com/sff-writer-rules-and-guidelines) We ask that writers provide content warnings when necessary. To limit the spread of diseases, we kindly ask that you stay home if you're feeling sick. We will be here every week! **\*\*We support the hard work and effort that goes into writing fiction, and do not condone the use of AI to replace the creative process.\*\*** And, that's everything! See you there!

This Month's Book: *On A Sunbeam* by Tillie Walden Join us for discussion at the Granville Public Library from 6 to 7pm. Follow us on Instagram: @granvillepridebookclub

**Our April novel is: *The Hong Kong Widow* by Kristen Loesch** **This month’s novel blends gothic atmosphere with historical fiction and chilling horror, set against the haunting backdrop of China. The book is 368 pages in print and 10 hours and 42 minutes on audiobook.** In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse. Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life. It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge. Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . .

Let's bedazzle some books while we discuss our April pick: Bloodguard by Cecy Robson! Book description: One hundred years. Tens of thousands of gladiators. And today, only one will rise… Everything in the Kingdom of Arrow is a lie. Leith of Grey thought coming to this new land and volunteering to fight in the gladiator arena—vicious, bloodthirsty tournaments where only the strongest survive—would earn him enough gold to save his dying sister. He thought there was nothing left to lose. He was wrong—and they took everything. His hope. His freedom. His very humanity. All Leith has left is his battle-scarred body, fueled by rage and hardened from years of fighting for the right to live another day. Then Leith meets Maeve, an elven royal who is everything he despises. Everything he should hate. Until the alluring princess offers him the one thing he needs most: a chance to win the coveted title of Bloodguard—and his freedom. But in a kingdom built on secrets and lies, hope doesn’t come cheap. Nor will his ultimate revenge… Event: Please bring your own book, journal, bookmarks, etc to bedazzle. If you have bedazzling supplies, please bring them as well. I will supply gems, glue, and picker tools, but if you have certain colors in mind, you may want to bring your own.

* Second ever book club! April meet up. All are welcome. * The book will be Play Nice by Rachel Harrison (determined by votes from March Book Club. Let me know if you’d like a free digital copy of the book) * This event will be at the main library, meeting room 1B, the location will not be changed for this event due to the number of people attending, we will just add more chairs if needed! * Feel free to come whether or not you’ve started or finished the book ◡̈ * Small snacks will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Starting in June I will try to keep future book clubs at the Dublin Library. Now that I understand their reservation system, I will be on top of it with booking that location as soon as the date is released for the month. Thanks for your understanding with the varying locations in the meantime.

This meeting will be a discussion of the book "the Science of Aliens" by Mark Brake

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

We’ll be having a game night! Bring a game, snack, drink or just yourself!