Critical Design

🏛️ **WHAT'S PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT?** Practical Philosophy is a weekly meet-up that brings critical thinkers together for an opportunity to dive deep on a topic, practice communicating, and building a community. All with no ‘official’ philosophy knowledge required! 😎 Practical Philosophy is based on the idea that philosophy should be accessible to all, and not something reserved only for academics. Each week we choose a topic, and the goal is to use the conversation to develop our critical thinking and communication as we explore that topic. The goal is to help develop our Critical Thinking, Communication, and Community 🙌 📓 **HOW DOES IT WORK?** Each week, we pick one topic and discuss it. The topic for the week is shared, generally in the [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t), along with jump-off points to get the conversation going. When groups get bigger than 7-8 people, it’s important that we break into smaller groups. This way we are able to maintain a conversational flow as opposed to having our meetups feel like a discourse or lecture. **General Meeting Agenda** Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows this general timeline: * 19:00-19:15 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the ‘official' start. * 19:15-19:25 - Meeting introduction, explanation of Practical Philosophy and the topic for the week, read the guidelines and the overview so attendees know what to expect in terms of timelines. * 19:25-20:45 - Break into small groups - introduce yourselves and general thoughts on the topic, open discussion afterwards. At this point the group can review the ‘jump-off’ questions as needed, but they are just there to help guide the conversation. It’s not obligatory to answer them. * 20:45-21:00 - Bring everyone back together to discuss conclusions of the topic - each group gives a short 1-minute summary. Organizer concludes the meeting and everyone takes a group photo. * 21:00 - The official meeting is over but it’s a great opportunity to get to know people in a non-structured environment, so we often stick around, chat, and get to know each other. **🧧PRICING?** Practical Philosophy Club is FREE to attend! We just ask that if we are meeting in a café, buy a beverage! Some chapters rent a space for us to meet, and they may ask for donations to help contribute to the cost of rent. Donations will always be 100% voluntary though! 💛 **WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY** 🗣 “I feel like Philosophy Club helps someone build their own belief system through a series of perspectives while not promoting what’s right and wrong” - Ekam 🗣 “I got hooked from day 1 (the topic was authority) and felt it was the right place for me. I feel it is a place where people can go to learn and discuss new perspectives and increase critical thinking and community by interacting with people who might challenge your point of views but at the same time encourage you to have openness and mind flexibility.” - Daniel **🤓 FAQ** * ​What will we talk about? What's the topic? ​The topic for the week is shared every Sunday in the Whatsapp group. We try to add the topic to the comment section on this event page as well but if you don’t see it, the topic and the jump-off points will be in our [Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t). * Do I need to study or read anything to attend? No preparation is necessary. This isn’t a study of other thinkers. We want to know what YOU think about the topic, not what an old philosopher thought. If you have a perspective from a religion or a school of thought to share, throw it on the table and we’ll discuss it, but it's not required. * Is there a specific philosophy that Practical Philosophy is focused on? The goal of our meet-ups is to not have dogmatic discussions, and flex our critical thinking muscles. Because of this, we want to hear from every realm of thought, and don't study a particular school. * Is it mostly men that attend? Surprisingly, no! Although philosophy is seen as a Candelabra affair in a dark room with a bunch of guys, our Practical Philosophy meetups are generally 50/50 between genders, and we don’t meet in any dark rooms. * Can I come alone? Of course you can, we encourage it :) * Can I be late? Please don't be! We do have a 15 minute grace period where we allow people to funnel in while we hang out, but after that if you arrive too late, it disrupts the flow of the conversation. * Where do you meet? The location is posted in Meetup and our [Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t) group for this location. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you join the Whatsapp group! If you want to know what other cities have a Practical Philosophy Club, you can see our chapters on our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/practical-philosophy-locations/). **PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY - Making Philosophy Available To All.** ✨ Practical Philosophy hosts weekly, in-person meetups in over 20 countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️ \*\*\* Join our [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t) 👈 Follow us on [Instagram](www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈 Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈

🎨 Calling all hobby artists and creative souls! Join us for a relaxed afternoon of painting and making art together at a cosy cafe. Bring whatever you're working on (e.g. watercolours, sketching, ink, or any other medium) and have a good time creating side by side with a company of like-minded people :) Please note: 1. This is an unguided art session. 1. All art mediums are welcome. 1. No art materials will be provided. Please bring your own. 1. Make sure your materials fit on a standard cafe table (e.g. tablets, laptop, A4 sketchbook, travel watercolour set). 1. We'll start with a brief round of introductions and end with optional sharing. 1. We’ll order our own drink / food at the cafe. ✨As spots are limited, please keep your RSVP up to date. Thanks! ✨

**For ages 7 and above. Children aged 5 to 7 require parental assistance.** Want to test your skill at the sport? Be the Willliam Tell or Robin Hood? Absolute Archery (Singapore) was inaugurated in 2020, aiming to provide training venue, competitive coaching, fun shoot events and a place for the community bring people together to advocate and support each other in pursuing the sports. Our head coach, Colin, has been active in the sports since late 90s till date. Being a competitive archer, he was with the National Team and had accumulated experiences which he could share with the archers and students. **Past Experiences** * National Team (Compound) 2000 - 2002 * National Junior Development Team Coach (Compound) 2013 - 2015 * Community Club Compound Coach 2013 - 2018 * National Team (Compound) 2018 - 2020 * Tampines Meridian Junior College Archery Coach 2018 - now ### **Address** 9 Ah Hood Rd, East Asia Institute of Management ### **Schedule** Sundays 1PM - 2PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 10 and above.** Get fit (strength and conditioning) while learning the valuable skills of self defense. The training will be fun but intense and the methods are designed to prepare you for practical street encounters, and to help you get out of threatening situations quickly with little or minimal injury should the need arise. The areas that these classes will cover will span into the following parts. They are: 1. Striking techniques 2. Basic grappling and ground defense 3. Escapes techniques (e.g. body, hand grabs, head locks, and chokes) 4. Joint locking and restraining techniques. 5. Pad work drills. There will be light sparring and simulations drills. Risks, situational awareness and self defense fundamentals are also designed in the syllabus and will be covered accordingly. ### **Address** 767 Upper Serangoon Rd, #01-05 Spazio @ Kovan, Singapore 534635 ### **Schedule** Sundays 1030AM - 1130AM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 13 and above.** This class is designed to train those who wish to be able to able to defend themselves as a modern day warrior. The class is exciting and brutally effective. Practitioners will learn how to fight seamlessly from stand up to the ground, using a mix of street style striking and kicking, takedowns, to ground grappling, even against a knife being drawn while on the ground. Whether it be one attacker or multiple attackers, participants will learn how to use relative positioning and the environment to defend and create the opportunity to escape. What if your attacker was to draw a knife or worst, a machete? You will learn to use street style weapons like knife, machete or stick to defend yourself, or improvised weapons like bags, chairs, umbrellas, bottles, hammers etc. No pre-requisites needed but generally an interest in martial arts. The classes consist of currently 7 topical series: ​ * Striking/Kicking Series * Gun Disarming Series * Ground Defence Series * Takedown Series * Knife Series * Control and Restraint Series * Tomahawk/Machete Series ### **Address** 144 Robinson Road, #05-01, Singapore 068908 ### **Schedule** Sundays 12PM - 2PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 13 and above.** The perfect opportunity for anyone new to fencing. * In this class, you will learn: * How to handle the foil blade safely * How to wear the protective gear * Fundamental footwork and bladework * Various offense and defense techniques * How to work with a partner in partner exercises * How to spar with others safely and effectively ### **Address** 231 Mountbatten Rd, BLK F, #01-01, Singapore 397999 ### **Schedule** Sundays 11AM - 12PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 7 to 11.** The Asgard Foundation Trial class is designed for complete beginners aged 7 to 11. Aspiring fencers will undergo a specialized introduction program, with all necessary equipment provided. Fencers will be able to understand basic fencing concepts and execute fundamental technical actions by the end of the course. They will be eligible to join the U12 program upon completion. ### **Address** 9 Tagore Ln, #03-11, Singapore 787472 ### **Schedule** Sundays 1230PM - 230PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 13 and above.** Want to hone your shooting skills to the next competitive level? Aiming to represent Singapore? Our experienced coaches have the proven track record in preparing young shooters for high-performance shooting. In 2019 alone, 5 youths training with our coaches qualified for training with the National Youth Team.**Address** Palawan Beach, Sentosa ### **Schedule** Sundays 1130AM - 130PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 13 and above.** New to bouldering? Then this class will be perfect for you! Join this introductory class to learn on how you can get started on your bouldering journey with us! **Topics covered:** * Proper fitting for climbing shoes * Rules of the game * Safety, safety, safety! * Basic climbing concepts * Practice on beginner friendly climbs * Gym etiquette This class is a pre-requisite before attending our other Foundation classes. ### **Address** 18 Tai Seng St, #01-09, Singapore 539775 ### **Schedule** Sundays 11AM - 12PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

The Trump-Xi summit arrives at a moment when the logic of the Thucydides Trap — the historical tendency for rising and ruling powers to clash — has never felt more urgent or more contested. Taiwan, Strait of Hormuz, the Trade War, the Tech war ... What was agreed in the summit room, dining room and during walks, what was left deliberately vague, and what was never discussed at all will define the contours of great-power competition for years to come.

**For ages 13 and above.** These classes are for climbers who just started their bouldering journey and want an introduction to the basics of bouldering. Experience a thoughtfully crafted introductory class for beginners. * Highly recommended for first-timers * One hour guided session, one hour free and easy gym access * Guided mobility warm-up * Safety briefing: learn how to fall safely and identify falling zones * Introduction to bouldering and basic terms * Basic climbing techniques ### **Address** 61 Robinson Rd, #05-03/04, Singapore 068893 ### **Schedule** Sundays 6PM - 8PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 8 and above.** These 3 traditional martial art forms will be taught during the 2 hour class: * Kalaripayattu * Silambattam * Adimurai **About Kalaripayattu** Thought to be one of the most ancient martial arts in recorded history, Kalaripayattu is derived from two words, “Kalari” signifying battlefield or arena and “payattu” which translates to the words ‘practice’ and ‘exercise’. **About Silambattam** Hailing from the region of Tamil Nadu (India) where it emerged around 1000 BCE, Silamabattam is a popular variant of weapon-based martial arts which is performed with the aid of specific weapons, primarily Rattan staffs, short sticks, deer horns and swords. **About Adimurai** Adimurai is a generic term applied for the indigenous martial arts of the Indian/Tamilian archipelago. Adimurai in general refers to the sport of using techniques derived from Indian and Tamil martial-arts. It uses kicks and boxing-mannered punches to defeat an opponent in ways that are analogous to standard present-day boxing. The manipulation of joints as well as certain locking techniques also form the basis of Adimurai. ### **Address** 448 Serangoon Rd, Singapore 218138 ### **Schedule** Sundays 2PM - 4PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 14 and above.** Designed for beginners with little to no experience Build strong fundamentals in skateboarding and learn the basic movements ### **Address** 100 Plus Promenade - Gate 21, National Stadium 397629 ### **Schedule** Sundays 10AM - 11AM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**The Behavior Gap: Where Products Win or Lose** Teams today have more data than ever, and yet many still struggle to understand why customers adopt, engage with, or abandon their products. Teams sprint, ship faster, and chase more signals… all while metrics stall and confidence drops. The missing piece isn’t more data. It’s often the behavioral insight between the metrics, explaining why the numbers move in the first place. Dashboards can tell you what customers did, but understanding why they did it (and how to influence what they do next) requires a deeper blend of insights. This session is about closing that gap. Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling products as [ZoCo Design](https://zocodesign.com/)’s CEO, [Lacey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) will share how to cut through the noise and identify the insights that actually change behavior—moving people, and moving metrics. You’ll learn: * Why understanding customer behavior is a quant and qual challenge * How to spot the signals that actually predict behavior change * Where AI accelerates insight, and where it creates distraction * How to get meaningfully closer to customers, without adding more tools This talk reframes how to evaluate performance and identify what levers actually improve it, helping your team to make smarter bets with greater confidence. Every meaningful outcome is driven by behavior change. And when you know how to design for behavior, you stop guessing, and start building things that work. **About Our Speaker** [Lacey Picazo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) is the Founder and CEO of ZoCo, a healthcare product studio that turns complex, high-stakes ideas into products that drive real-world adoption. She partners with healthcare organizations to uncover critical care delivery insights, focus product strategy through behavior design, and build solutions that patients and providers actually use. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

**TBA**

Topic to be announced. **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

**TBA**

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/

We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able! Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.