English Writing Skills

Welcome! Gist below! :-) 1. Bring a book to the meet! 2. Buy a drink (and a bite if you're hungry). 3. Say hi to the folks. 4. Read! 5. We'll do a short round of intros and a short sharing at the end too. :) Come in and find us (we're probably the only reading group)! In the event that the place is full, we'll find a back up nearby. :-) This is a limited seats, small group event, so do try to update your RSVP early if your plans change! Thanks in advance! Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW17)

**Note:** Please join the event from the URL below instead: [https://playbojio.vercel.app/](https://playbojio.vercel.app/) Participants who join this session via the ***PlayBoJio*** platform will be eligible for the session’s lucky draw, which will be drawn the following day. 🎁✨

**◾[CONFIRMED TRIP] Gunung Panti Barat 猪头山 531m via Gunung Panti Tengah Hike** **◾Date**: **25 April 2026 (Sat)** **INTERESTED, WHATAPPS 94884478 Wilfred or SIGN-UP HERE:** [https://www.meetup.com/lets-go-travelling-hiking/events/313830287/](https://www.meetup.com/lets-go-travelling-hiking/events/313830287/) **◾Event Detail:** **◾Cost: $125/person** **2-3 persons payment together is $120/person** **4 persons or more sign up and payment together is $115/person** **PAYMENT:** Please Paynow $xxx/person to UEN 201727764C Wilfred Go Travelling & Hiking Pte or Bank Transfer to DBS Current Account 0029069789 and Text 94884478 with Print-screen Receipt **◾EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:** **◾ Gunung Panti Barat 猪头山 531m** is a small hill found near the town of Kota Tinggi, Johor. It is a good introduction to those who wanted to scale higher mountains in Peninsula Malaysia. It takes an average of 3 hours to reach summit & 2 hours to descend. The starting part of the trek is in a fruit plantation. However, after a few minutes of trek, the trail leads into vegetated area although tree cover is still quite sparse. After about half an hour of trek, the trail would lead into the forest into CP1 & CP2. The most exciting part of the trail is the 90-degree rock wall at CP3. You can choose either using the ladder or climbing up with rope. The rest of the way to the summit is flat with only slight ascent and descent hike. **Beautiful You-Tube taken by Haffiz on 6 Jun 2023** **[https://youtu.be/5mVtT297lws?si=d4Gv1sq-hnvPFdEx](https://youtu.be/5mVtT297lws?si=d4Gv1sq-hnvPFdEx)** **TA License No 03066** **TA NAME: WILFRED GO TRAVELLING & HIKING PTE LTD** **\*\*To Connect With Us With Latest Events Broadcast & News:** **1\. Telegram Channel:** [https://t.me/wilfredtravelsg](https://t.me/wilfredtravelsg) **2\. Whatapp Channel:** [https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaJmIsU9mrGTPqpect3l](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaJmIsU9mrGTPqpect3l) **3\. Facebook:** [[[https://www.facebook.com/events/calendar](https://www.facebook.com/events/calendar)] **INCLUDES:** \* Transportation Van < 14 person Bus >15 person \* Group Dinner is only included if group-size is 10 or more \* Mountain Guide/s \* Hiking Permit \* 1 Event Host **EXCLUDES:** \* Personal Insurance \* Items Not Mentioned In Itinerary \* Lunch own cost if group-size less than 10 persons \* Shower own cost RM5/person **Suggested Itinerary:** **(Sat), (D)** 645am-Marsiling MRT Station 650am-Depart to Woodland Custom 730am–JB Custom 9am-Kota Tinggi Town for Breakfast/Packed Lunch 10am–Commence Trekking 1030am: Reach CP 1, Regroup 11am: Reach CP 2 (DRAGON HORN) 1130am: Reach CP 3 (BATU TIRAI), Regroup 12pm: Reach T JUNCTION 1230pm: Reach BLOOD POOL 1pm: Reach PANTI TENGAH PEAK, Photo Group 130pm: Reach PANTI BARAT, pack lunch and relax 2pm: Continue Down Hill 5pm: Reach PARKING CARE HAVEN, Shower 530pm-Depart 6pm-Dinner 7pm- Depart 9pm-JB Custom 10pm-Marsiling MRT **Disclaimer, Indemnity and Terms of Participation:** The participant acknowledges that this is an adventure trip. The itinerary serves as a guide only and changes may be required. All participants are strongly advised to have travel insurance. The participant agrees to assume all risks and indemnifies the organizers against all claims, disputes.

Where does genuinely new stuff come from, and what does the answer obligate us to do? We are primates, evolved for the African Savana, with meat machines in our heads. These meat machines can do something curious: they can imagine. Even further, they can be “creative”; that is, they can imagine something “novel”. At first glance, imagination seems like a cute quirk. We can imagine fantasies, tell fun stories, paint pictures, make gadgets. Some of these stories we deem “creative” or “novel”. But what actually counts as “new/creative”? The commonly used notion for “creative” in various domains of study is the creation of something “novel” and “useful/appropriate”. “Novel” ensures the new idea/invention is not just a basic recombination of old things. “Useful/appropriate” ensures that the idea is meaningful, reveals something interesting, and is not just a random mess. Both of these terms are broad and contentious (intentionally so). Who defines what is “novel” or useful/appropriate”? Should it be defined by the individual who originated the idea, or by the social judgment of peers, or specifically by experts, or by history/those who come later? The **Systems Model** recognizes that “creativity” is not a property determined by individuals, but through an interaction between the domain/field of innovation, the social ecosystem (gatekeepers, institutions, etc.), and the innovation itself. Other views emphasize the **cognitive mechanisms** of creativity. New ideas do not emerge “de novo”, they emerge from a recombination of past ideas, with a novel “transformation of the problem space”. Hence, an individual needs to make the creative leap with regards to themselves (their past experiences, cultural knowledge, etc.); it is a mental operation. Even if their new idea might already be known to someone else/the public, if they themselves did not know it, it is still a novel creation for them. Thus the question: Is there a rigorous notion that can tell whether something is “truly novel”, or even quantify how much? And who decides? Beyond the domain of fiction and art, our meat sack brains can also imagine things like multiple dimensions, 4D space, invisible forces, and other notions that at the time were heavily criticized as fanciful thinking (imaginary numbers, non-euclidian geometry, microscopic germs). Our minds were shaped by natural selection to solve savanna-scale problems — predators, social hierarchies, thrown objects. There's no selection pressure for imagining or grasping 11-dimensional string theory or quantum field theory. Feynman himself suspected we might not be able to understand wavefunction collapse or superposition. And human working memory is sorely limited. It is surprising that these ideas turn out to be “*real”*. They explain the physical world and give us tremendous power over it. Sometimes, increasing our power over the physical world depends on creating ever more “novel” ideas/absurdities (e.g. Infinite dimensional vector spaces. Subatomic particles. Quantum phenomena. etc.) Outlandishness is not sufficient for scientific success, but those ideas that yielded the greatest increase in understanding/power were often the most outlandish. In other words, the degree of “creative novelty” in science is proportional to the degree of increased physical power we gain. Is there a limit to what our brains can conceive? Science and art are very different domains. But therein lies the puzzle: the process of creativity deployed in science seems no different from the process of creativity deployed in art; so perhaps the same process is generating novelty in both. This suggests a tantalizing unity of what it means to be “novel”. If the same process generates “novelty” in 2 (seemingly) different branches: art and science, and one branch leaves physical traces, then “novelty” might not be mere arbitrary social judgment. Discussion Questions: * What counts as “creative”/”novel”? Who judges this? Is it an individual or social or objective judgment? How do we know whether something is “new” or not? Are we just “doing whatever we do?” * Operationally, how does creativity work? How does creativity “create new things”? Where does the newness come from? * Is the process of creativity in art, social science, natural science, engineering, technology, all the same underlying process? * If it is the same underlying process, how does “novelty”/creativity in science relate to creativity in art? * What’s the difference between imagination, creativity, and knowledge? * Is society obligated to create the conditions necessary for people to engage their creativity? If we disable people’s creativity, is that a form of mind control?

Join us for an exciting language exchange meetup where you can practice both Japanese and English in a friendly and supportive environment. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced speaker, this event is perfect for honing your language skills while making new friends who share a passion for Japanese culture. Immerse yourself in conversations, games, and activities that will not only help you improve your language proficiency but also deepen your understanding of Japanese culture. Bring your enthusiasm and curiosity, and get ready to expand your language skills while connecting with like-minded individuals. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your language abilities and cultural awareness in a fun and interactive setting! Let's learn Japanese. にほんごをまなびましょう！ 日本語を学びましょう。

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington. The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo. Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine. We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you. The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome. The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit. Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times. Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have. Happy writing!

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

Hey Everyone! Let's meet at Belle's Bread Bakery and Cafe. There is lots of free parking and easy access to the cafe and many shops and restaurants as well. This is a great way to meet new and old friends while chatting about life and practicing English language speaking skills. All are welcome and encouraged to join us anytime between 11am and 1pm. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

When judging morality, should we prioritize **intentions/duty** or **outcomes/results**? It introduces two influential philosophers as representatives of these approaches. * **Immanuel Kant (deontology):** An action is moral when it is done from **duty** and follows rational, universal principles (the **categorical imperative**). Certain acts—like lying—are wrong regardless of the consequences; you can’t do a wrong thing for a right reason. * **John Stuart Mill (utilitarian consequentialism):** The morality of an action is determined by its **effects**, specifically how much **happiness/well-being** it produces. Mill argues that some pleasures are “higher” than others, and that good intentions don’t redeem harmful outcomes. ## Discussion Questions 1. **The lying dilemma:** A murderer comes to your door and asks if your friend is hiding inside. Kant would say you must not lie. 2. **Can good intentions rescue a bad outcome?** 3. **The organ harvest problem:** A surgeon has five patients dying of organ failure and one healthy patient in for a checkup. Killing the one to harvest organs would save five lives, and the math works out for the utilitarian. Why does this feel so deeply wrong? Is that feeling a point in Kant's favor, or just a bias we should overcome? 4. **Do rules need exceptions?** Kant insists moral rules must be universal, with no exceptions. But most of us can imagine extreme scenarios where any rule seems like it should bend. Does the need for exceptions fatally undermine deontology, or is the strength of the system precisely that it refuses to bend? 5. **Who gets to calculate the consequences?** Utilitarianism asks us to maximize good outcomes, but we're notoriously bad at predicting consequences. If we can't reliably know the results of our actions, is it practical to base our entire moral system on outcomes? Does this uncertainty push us back toward rules and principles? 6. **Everyday morality:** Think about a real moral decision you've made recently, even a small one. Did you reason more like a Kantian (what's the right thing to do in principle?) or more like a utilitarian (what will produce the best result?)? Do most people naturally lean one way? 7. **Justice vs. the greater good:** A town can prevent a deadly plague by sacrificing one innocent person. The greater good is clearly served. But is it just? Can an action be morally right and deeply unjust at the same time? 8. **The big synthesis question:** Are these two systems actually opposed, or do they often arrive at the same answers by different paths? Is it possible that we need both: rules to guide us in the moment and consequences to evaluate systems and policies over time?

Let’s meet and share our thoughts about Carson McCullers’ novella, The Ballad of The Sad Café.

**Let’s catch up and take an afternoon break.** **Grab a coffee or snack and let’s chit chat! Gayle and I will bring adult coloring books and/or a simple craft if you’d like to unwind and relax.😊**