Erasmus

**Clink on the link to purchase your tickets :** https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/a-night-with-bill-bryson-tickets-1974612858214?aff=oddtdtcreator

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: Bugis (DT14/EW12)

**Coworking for writers in your area** Join us for some focused writing time on Wednesdays and Thursdays ....All writers and all experience levels are welcome, and don’t worry, no one will see what you've written. This session is about getting your writing done and meeting other writers in your area. When you show up, say hello to everyone, grab a drink, and get your writing tools ready. Once you’re all settled, take some time to chat with your fellow writers. Once everyone’s arrived, I will lead quick introductions and then set the timer for our quiet and focused writing session. Afterward, we’ll have time to chat and get to know each other. We often talk about our successes and challenges as writers. If you don’t have time to stick around, no worries! **A note about the format** We don’t host critiques or readings. These events are a safe space for writers of all skill levels and genres to work on their craft, so no one will read or critique your writing. For our full event schedule, visit [https://shutupwrite.com](https://shutupwrite.com/). **Other Important Details:** **WiFi**: Simply Bread cafe does not have wifi, but if needed, you can use the one from next door at CBTF. **Address**: Simply Bread, 1 Fifth Ave., #01-03 Guthrie House, Singapore 268802. **MRT stop**: Blue line, Sixth avenue **Parking**: Basement parking available at Guthrie House **Venue Guidelines**: Please thank our hosts by purchasing something. **What to Bring**: Your FULLY CHARGED laptop / digital writing device - there are no power outlets available there.

Check out our first 6 confirmed speakers for CityJS Singapore! 🎉 We’re currently looking for additional speakers and event sponsors—if you're passionate about the future of the web, we’d love to hear from you. AI is rapidly transforming the tech landscape. CityJS brings together developers, architects, and web professionals to discover emerging trends, explore evolving technologies, and stay ahead in a world that’s constantly changing. Get your tickets - **[https://singapore.cityjsconf.org/buytickets](https://singapore.cityjsconf.org/buytickets)** p/s: Look out for special meetup session in KL after the conference.

**First Saturday of Each Month \| Beginners Welcome** Yoga for a good cause and start your Saturday morning with some mindful movement! Join our community yoga classes at public parks around Bukit Merah. All proceeds will be donated to charities serving the local community such as [Food From the Heart](https://www.foodfromtheheart.sg/) and [Hao Ren Hao Shi](https://www.haorenhaoshi.org.sg/). **Class Details** Classes are beginner-friendly and will cater to all experience levels and body types. We will focus on functional fitness with stretches, mobility drills and gentle movements. No prior experience is required. **Class Date/Time** First Saturday of every month, from 8.30-9.30 AM. **Fees** * $5 per person **Location** * **Block 40, Jalan Rumah Tinggi, Singapore 151040** * Class will be conducted at the open area behind Block 40. * Please arrive 5-10 minutes early. **What to Bring** * Wear comfortable clothing * Yoga mat * Small towel * Water bottle **How to Book** * WhatsApp us at **+65 80258584**. * A PayNow link will be sent to you to make payment of $5. * After payment is made, we will send you a WhatsApp confirming your booking! **Find out more about us** * Visit [www.soulyoga.sg](www.soulyoga.sg) * Follow us at [https://www.facebook.com/soulyogasg](https://www.facebook.com/soulyogasg) * Follow us at [https://www.instagram.com/soulyogasg](https://www.facebook.com/soulyogasg)

🏛️ **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/Hg7zL8ClpzM3agJCvw5HDS), 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/Hg7zL8ClpzM3agJCvw5HDS). * 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/Hg7zL8ClpzM3agJCvw5HDS) 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/Hg7zL8ClpzM3agJCvw5HDS) 👈 Follow us on [Instagram](www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈 Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈

**PART I: Purpose exiled** According to Plato, our theories about the world should ‘carve nature at its joints’. *Telos*, the once plausible idea that purpose is a part of the natural order of things, has been steadily banished with the triumph of successive scientific theories in the modern age, culminating in the mechanism of evolution by natural selection and its accompanying metaphor of the blind watchmaker. Here, fitness, defined as the ability to survive and reproduce, is the sole arbiter of design in nature, acquired through so much as the blind lotteries of genetic variation. The momentary surprise that one even scientifically inclined feels at some marvelous specimen of evolution, for example the finesse of a Gray’s leaf insect mimicking not just a leaf but its brown and dying spots to better camouflage against predation ([https://www.biodiversitysingapore.com/in-focus/](https://www.biodiversitysingapore.com/in-focus/)), is to be utterly dispelled by belief in the creative potential of random mutations offering themselves up to selection pressures over geological spans of time. **Emergence: ‘more is different’** Contemplating how mind and intelligence came to be within such a setting presents further aesthetic tension (the mind of everyday experience exclaims, that sounds crazy!). Emergence (1) is a relatively recent concept that purports to explain phenomena like mind while undergirding it with a non-negotiable physicalist ontology. The essence of emergence is that through scaling of individual components, a system acquires so-called novel bases - new foundations upon which regularities can be encoded that were not possible at the lower levels. For example, neurons individually fire action potentials based on the threshold dynamics of local stimuli. Collectively however, groups of neurons fire according to abstract patterns termed ‘basins of attraction’ that represent long-range stable states and may be foundational to concepts like memory (2). Conway’s game of life, anchored by a set of very simple rules, presents a powerful illustration of this dynamic: [https://conwaylife.appspot.com/pattern/gosperglidergun](https://conwaylife.appspot.com/pattern/gosperglidergun) There is a folk account of emergence popular with science writers that goes something like this: while the physics of the system is completely known, predicting what is going to happen is near-impossible just with physics, because there is novel stuff happening at ‘higher’ levels. Importantly, no God or designer directed the organization at the higher levels, but it is not discernible anywhere else. *What does it mean to take seriously a universe in which purpose is nowhere fundamental, yet everywhere invoked?* **PART II: Purpose reconsidered** And yet, there are radical perspectives afoot. Without invoking external designers, some contemporary thinkers argue that natural selection and emergence may not exhaust the explanatory story. Developmental biologist Michael Levin (3) and evolutionary scientist Richard Watson (4) suggest that the mechanisms generating variation themselves may be structured, biased, or even goal-directed, analogous to neural or social learning processes. Levin introduced so-called biobots, which are multicellular living structures assembled from human lung epithelium. Biobots exhibit coordinated movement and problem-solving in novel environments despite having no evolutionary lineage that selected for such behaviors (5). Adaptation appears immediately, as if the system were exploring possibilities rather than stumbling upon them. *Does this point toward a universe where purpose was never fully absent to begin with?* Join us this Saturday as we grapple with where purpose truly lies in nature. **References** 1. O’Connor, Timothy, "Emergent Properties", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2021 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.) [https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2021/entries/properties-emergent/](https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2021/entries/properties-emergent/) 2. Wuensche, Andrew. (1995). The Emergence of Memory: Categorisation Far from Equilibrium. Santa Fe Institute, Working Papers. 3. Levin, M. (2025, February 6). Ingressing Minds: Causal Patterns Beyond Genetics and Environment in Natural, Synthetic, and Hybrid Embodiments. [https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5g2xj_v1 ](https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5g2xj_v1) 4. Richard A. Watson, Michael Levin, Tim Lewens; Evolution by natural induction. Interface Focus 19 December 2025; 15 (6): 20250025. [https://doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2025.0025 ](https://doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2025.0025) 5. Gumuskaya, G., Srivastava, P., Cooper, B. G., Lesser, H., Semegran, B., Garnier, S., & Levin, M. (2023). Motile Living Biobots Self-Construct from Adult Human Somatic Progenitor Seed Cells. Advanced Science, 11(4), 2303575. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202303575

We had a badminton session at **Bidadari Community Club@Woodleigh Mall** on Saturday **8th January 2026**. Welcome all high beginner and Low Intermediate players to join us for some badminton workout. * 10:30am - 1:30pm * Low Intermediate and above Player Only. * Court 3/3/1 * 3 hours per session * S$10 per session * Shutter provided (RSL Supreme) * Location - Bidadari Community Club, 11 Bidadari Park Drive 367803. * Do join us if you are available.

🇮🇹 Ciao! Parliamo italiano! 🇮🇹 Italian Language Conversation Meetup – Singapore Have you already started learning Italian and want to practice speaking in a relaxed and friendly setting? Whether you're a basic learner, intermediate, advanced—or a native speaker—you’re welcome to join us! 👉 Please note: This is not a formal language class and may not be suitable for absolute beginners with no prior exposure to Italian. However, it’s an excellent way to complement your learning (self-study, formal lessons, apps, etc.) through conversation. We’ll chat informally about any topic related to Italy or the Italian language, such as: 🍝 Italian food & wine 🎬 Movies & TV 🎵 Music ⚽ Sports ✈️ Travel 📚 Language & culture …along with whatever participants feel like discussing! Ideal for: ✔ Learners with basic Italian knowledge and above ✔ Intermediate and advanced speakers ✔ Native Italians who enjoy meeting people and sharing culture Come along, meet fellow learners and native speakers, exchange stories, improve your confidence, and keep the spirit of Italy alive in Singapore! Non vediamo l’ora di parlarti! (We can’t wait to talk to you!) PS! The event is free, but it's appreciated if you make even the smallest purchase at the food court that kindly allows us to meet there. 🪙

**Work on your patience and focus through a slow, mindful activity.** No art experience needed! Slow down, breathe, and enjoy the rhythm of sticking things into place. We’ll use sticker scene kits to piece together cozy little rooms — one sticker at a time. Instead of rushing, the joy is in noticing details, layering bit by bit, and letting your room take shape gradually. **What to Expect** * All skill level welcome, including beginners * Relaxing and welcoming atmosphere * Option to create freely with imagination or be guided by the template and work with structure * Take Home Your Masterpiece: Walk away with your artwork to cherish or gift. **Fees** $15 per person \| Bundle Deal \- $28 per pair \| $50 per group of 4 \> All materials provided \(1 sticker scene set per participant \+ tools\) **Location Details** The Noodle Place 15A Circular Road, 2nd Floor Singapore 049371 ***Please Whatsapp 83370678 to confirm your attendance after RSVP so we can make preparations for you. Thank you!***

Hanging out with Humanists is a free and easy ground-up social gathering where you can meet and mingle with other fellow humanists and make new friends over dinner. Location : Hans Union, Springleaf Conveniently located just outside of TE4 *Springleaf* Exit 2. Brown line What to look for : Look for a lively group of people gathered together sitting outside on the long high table, and spot the pink T-shirt with the slogan “Be Good for Goodness' Sake” draped over a chair—a nod to the same shirts we proudly wore at Pink Dot. If you are attending for the first time, be sure to observe the [HumanistSG General Rules](https://humanist.org.sg/about/general-rules/ "https://humanist.org.sg/about/general-rules/") when attending the gathering for a pleasant experience, and [read a bit about the society and what we do](https://humanist.org.sg/key-hss-articles/ "https://humanist.org.sg/key-hss-articles/") on your way there! Wanna know who’s going? Ask out loud in the public chat linked via [our Telegram announcement channel](https://t.me/humanistsocietysingapore "https://t.me/humanistsocietysingapore")

Meeting Room 3B, Main Library Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen). Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. This first gathering is a simple introduction to the spirit of the group and a chance to meet others seeking deeper meaning and community. All backgrounds are welcome.

As you may or may not know--I didn't until late last year--Aristotle wrote extensively on "friendship" in the Nicomachean Ethics. After 69 years the concept of friendship still creates questions and uncertainty. I had close friends in high school and for a few years after high school but our interests diverged and people moved all over the country so it was hard to maintain connections. * So if I/you haven't talked with a friend for several years, are you still friends? Are we friends who meet at Drunken Philosophy or Omnipresent Atheists? * Can you be friends with someone with whom you have virulently divergent political views? Sartre and Camus could not. * Aristotle regarded friendship as essential to a good life, not merely an added "bonus." Do you agree? * In the Nicomachean Ethics (Books VIII and IX), he claims that wealth and power are meaningless without friends. Trump has wealth and power but seems to have no real friends, but wealth and power seem meaningful to him in perverted ways. Can you have meaning in your life without friends? * Do men and women view and maintain friendships in different ways? * Aristotle categorizes friendship into three types, based on what forms the bond: * **Utility**: Based on mutual benefit, but this type is fragile and ends when the usefulness ceases. * **Pleasure**: Based on shared enjoyment (e.g., humor, hobbies). Common among youth but fades as interests change. * **Virtue (The "Complete" Friendship)**: Based on mutual respect for each other's character and goodness. You wish good for the other for their sake, not yours. * **Key Principles of "True" (Virtuous) Friendship:** * **Permanence**: Virtuous friendships last a lifetime whereas those based on utility and pleasure are fleeting. * **Reciprocity**: Requires mutual goodwill; secret or unreciprocated affection does not qualify. * **The "Second Self"**: A true friend is "another self"—their virtue helps you understand and improve yourself. * **Time and Intimacy**: Deep ("complete") friendships are few, built on time and shared experiences. * **Self-Love and Friendship:** * Good friendship starts with being a friend to yourself. * They distinguish shallow egoism (chasing honors) from real self-love (pursuing virtue). * A virtuous person’s pleasant self-company allows them to be a stable, good friend to others. * Aristotle argues that one's social circle ultimately reflects one's character—a view with striking relevance today. Well--the Drunken Philosophy social circle certainly reflects good character!

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. This session will be at the Worthington Park Library in the Olentangy Meeting Room.

Dale Gnidovec, Curator of the Orton Hall Museum of Geology at The Ohio State University, will be presenting a program he has wanted to share with us for a long time: Plate Tectonics. His description of his program: Continents on the move - Nothing in Earth history makes sense without moving continents - it tells us why mountains, volcanoes, minerals, and fossils are where they are. This talk examines the evidence for continental drift, why it was disbelieved, and explains how the more-encompassing theory of plate tectonics was developed and eventually proven. Dale is an energetic, incredibly knowledgeable, and very entertaining speaker and this will be another wonderful program by Dale. Hope to see you there! Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

**First Gathering: Love as Transformation** Reading: **The Forty Rules of Love** by **Elif Shafak** We begin Men, Meaning, and Madness with a novel that treats love not as sentiment, but as a force that disrupts, humbles, and reshapes the self. The Forty Rules of Love explores love as discipline, surrender, and moral risk. It asks what happens when certainty breaks, when the ego is wounded, and when meaning is found not through control, but through transformation. This gathering is for men interested in serious literature and honest inquiry into how love shapes character, responsibility, and the inner life. Discussion will be guided by questions rather than summaries. The aim is depth, not debate. Come having read the book or engaged with it seriously.

Join us for an interactive Bombay Gin Cocktail Class at TownHall — a fun, social experience designed to bring people together over great drinks, great food, and great conversation. During the class, you’ll learn how to craft several different Bombay Gin cocktails, guided by a master mixologist in a relaxed, high-energy setting. This isn’t a lecture — it’s hands-on, engaging, and built to spark connection, laughter, and good vibes. Whether you come solo or with friends, this experience makes it easy to meet people, enjoy expertly crafted cocktails, and unwind mid-week. ✨ What’s Included (A Ton 😁) • Multiple Bombay Gin cocktails • Interactive cocktail instruction • Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall • A lively, social atmosphere 🍸 Sponsored by Bombay Gin 🍽 Food & appetizers sponsored by TownHall Must be 21+ to attend $20 fee per person 

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!