Intellectual Discussions
Meet other local people interested in intellectual discussion and have fun discussing with them!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out intellectual discussions events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the intellectual discussions events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find intellectual discussions events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Intellectual Discussions Events Today
Join in-person Intellectual Discussions events happening right now
Jordan Peterson and Friends Chat - Three Weekly Meeting
We meet for informal chat about anything you like. Conversation is free flowing and friendly.
We always leave knowing something new!
So as to find us easily there will be a GREEN BALL on our table.
International Cafe | West End
The International Cafe is a warm, welcoming space where people from all backgrounds come together to make friends, practice English, and have fun in a relaxed setting. Whether you're new to the area or just looking to connect, it’s a great place to meet people, share cultures, and enjoy conversation, games, and activities. come join our friendly international community!
CLH Pub Night - great conversation, drinks & food with like-minded people 🍔🍺😀
Our monthly pub evenings are always a great opportunity to meet interesting people, chat, do a little networking, and enjoy a fun evening out.
Whether you’re new to Humanism or already a member, this is a fantastic space for anyone who is non-religious, questioning their beliefs, or open-minded and looking to mingle.
**Time: From 6pm**
Feel free to join us whenever you’re able to – we’re often there until closing time.
**Venue: Somers Town Coffee House**
A lovely pub, close to Euston & Kings Cross stations.
You’ll find us towards the back of the pub, on the left of the bar – look out for the Humanist signs on the tables.
**What we talk about:**
The conversations are different every time – from current events to humanism and secularism, with plenty of good laughs in between!
If there’s something specific you’d like to talk about, we’d love to hear about it.
We kindly request a contribution of £3 for our events to help cover various admin costs - but first-timers are welcome to give us a free trial. If you prefer you can also pay online by [clicking here](https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML71XMH66FX5E/checkout/ALWCDLQ3S7AVPLFZ62PZGXLU).
We encourage dialogue, debate, and sharing of information at our events but ask people to keep their interactions cordial. Any views expressed are those of the individual sharing them and may not reflect those of CLH.
More about the venue:
All indoor facilities are wheelchair-friendly/accessible.
Free Wi-fi is available.
It’s easy to reach – close to Euston and Kings Cross stations, and on 18 different bus routes!
View a map [here](https://g.page/Somerstowncoffeehouse?share)
More about Humanism:
https://www.centrallondonhumanists.org.uk/about-humanism/
We look forward to seeing you!
Addison Exiles Weekly Club Night
Welcome to our regular club night session for intermediate level players and above! Sessions cost £10 for Members, and £11 for Non-Members; please contact an organiser to discuss becoming a Member. Session are held at:
Twyford Sports Centre
Twyford Crescent
Acton
W3 9PP
We have 2 courts from 8pm to 10pm. Only high quality feather shuttlecocks are used. Shower/change room facilities are available. A water fountains is available outside the venue, though we recommend bringing your own water in case it is not available.
We sometimes head to the local pub (The Red Lion & Pineapple) after the session, and all are welcome to join.
**Payment Information**
We accept either cash or bank transfer payment using the details below:
Amount (Adults): £10 (Members) / £11 (Non-Members)
Amount (Juniors): £6 (must be accompanied by adult)
Acc Name: The Addison Exiles Badminton Club
Acc No: 50229160
Sort Code: 30-90-89
Reference: Your Name
**RSVPs**
Each session has 18 places, and a waitlist is available. Please be conscientious of players on the waitlist and change your RSVP if you can no longer attend.
No shows will be charged in full. We reserve the right to turn away anyone who has previously not turned up and hasn’t paid.
If you’re signing up to a session for the first time, please note that a committee member will assess your playing level and make a recommendation for future sessions.
**Directions**
Free parking is available on site, behind the main building.
Bus options: 207, 218
Nearest National Rail Station: Acton Central
Nearest Tube Station: Acton Town / Ealing Common
We look forward to seeing you at the session!
The Breakdown
Join us this Wednesday from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM for **"The Breakdown: Why is Christianity True? Hard Evidences for Faith."** Skeptics are completely welcome! We will be diving into tough topics such as why Christianity stands out among thousands of religions, science in the bible, bible predictions, archeology, the paradox of free will, divine hiddenness and the problem of evil and suffering.
For Christians:
Can you handle these questions?
* How do i know the Bible hasn't been changed?
* How do I know Jesus Christ was real? And then how do I know what's written in that book is real versus just some guys thousands of years ago made a book?
* Are these people saying that they saw him walk out? Are they saying that they just saw it empty? What is the claims being made about his resurrection from these witnesses?
* Who decided that there should be 39 books in the Old Testament?
* Should there be more books in the Bible?
**Agenda**
* **7:00 PM:** The Evidence (Examining the evidences)
* **7:35 PM:** Open Q&A
**What to Bring**
Bring your hardest questions! Any thing we can't answer initially will become a fun research topic! There are no limits for the open Q&A session.
AI Exchange - Nova Intelligence, WeBuild-AI, AWS
Join us on Wednesday 6th May for our next AI Exchange event, hosted by AWS at their Holborn HQ.
Here's what's on the agenda:
**[Nova Intelligence](https://www.novaintelligence.com/)** are tackling a problem that doesn't get talked about enough, most AI agents simply weren't built to work with enterprise software like SAP. Their talk discusses how they have solved that, and what it looks like when AI works as well in the enterprise world as it does everywhere else.
**[WeBuild-AI](https://www.webuild-ai.com/)** are making the case that bigger isn't always better. Their talk breaks down how small language models, through distillation, fine tuning and low rank adaptation, can deliver the same results as larger models, at a fraction of the cost.
**[AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/)** are tackling the question underneath all the others, not how to use AI, but what it's doing to the human mind. Their talk explores how cognition is shifting, which human traits become more valuable as AI takes on complexity, and what genuine human AI partnership actually looks like.
As always, doors open at 6:30pm and talks start at 7pm sharp. We have a tight capacity for this event, so please RSVP as soon as you can to secure your space.
**Agenda:**
**[Marcello Urbani](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcello-urbani-4730b75/?skipRedirect=true) @ [Nova Intelligence](https://www.novaintelligence.com/)**
"**Bringing Agentic AI to the SAP Ecosystem"**
Most enterprise software wasn't built with AI agents in mind — and mainstream agents weren't built for enterprise software. SAP is the sharpest example: code lives in the system, not a filesystem, and git-based workflows simply don't apply.
Nova closes that gap — an agentic assistant that speaks SAP natively. This talk covers the mismatch problem, how we designed Nova around SAP's environment, and what it looks like when an AI agent finally works as well on SAP as it does on mainstream systems.
Bio: Marcello is a software engineer with over two decades in the SAP ecosystem, most of them building DevOps tooling at Basis Technologies. Last year he joined Nova Intelligence to focus on AI applied to SAP systems. An active open source contributor, he is best known for abapfs, a VS Code plugin that enables ABAP development directly in the editor.
**[Adel Rahimi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelr/) @ [WeBuild-AI](https://www.webuild-ai.com/)**
"**Small Language Models: Practical AI for the Real World"**
Large language models have dominated the AI conversation, but a quieter revolution is underway. In this talk, we'll explore the rise of small language models and why they matter now more than ever, from reduced infrastructure costs to data sovereignty and the ability to run AI on-premise or at the edge. We'll dive into the techniques that make small models punch above their weight, including distillation, quantisation, fine-tuning and low-rank adaptation. Whether you're navigating regulatory constraints, working with limited compute, or simply looking for a more practical path to production AI, this session will give you the tools to think smaller and smarter.
Bio: Adel is a Principal Engineer at Webuild-AI. He has a decade of experience in building and scaling AI and ML solutions at different industries and different company sizes, ranging from series A to unicorns and more recently he was a Sr. AI Engineering Manager at Procter & Gamble. He has also published several research papers in the areas of AI Explainability and NLP and is an advocate of safe and explainable AI.
**[Elliott Almeida](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliott-almeida/) @ [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/)**
**"The Cognitive Partnership: How AI is Reshaping Human Intelligence"**
This session explores the profound psychological transformation at the intersection of human cognition and artificial intelligence. Moving beyond tactical implementation, we examine how AI is fundamentally altering our cognitive identity and which human psychological profiles naturally thrive in AI collaboration. Drawing on the "Missing Middle" philosophy and the tension between cognitive offloading and scaffolding, we investigate the paradox of augmentation: as AI handles increasingly complex cognitive tasks, what uniquely human capacities become more valuable?
We hope to see you there for another great AI filled evening!
**Sponsors...**
The AI Exchange is brought to you in partnership with[ LinuxRecruit](https://www.linuxrecruit.co.uk/) and[ AWS.](https://aws.amazon.com/)
LinuxRecruit is building the next wave of Tech Unicorns in Europe.
Whether you're hiring or exploring your next opportunity, [get in touch](https://www.linuxrecruit.co.uk/jobs).
The types of roles we have currently are across Founding Engineers, Engineers across Product, Software, AI/ML, Data and Platform Infrastructure/DevOps.
Test your Postgres talk idea
Do you want to submit a talk to a Postgres conference? Do you want to try out the challenge of fitting a bunch of interesting information into 5 minutes for a lightning talk? Can you talk for 1 to 2 minutes on a Postgres topic you've just heard?
On the 6th of May, we will be back at Star of Kings, running an event which is all about speakers and speaking. With the Call for Papers for PGDay UK closing on the 12th, we are inviting anyone who has a talk idea, is unsure of whether the topic fills the time, or just might enjoy a bit of technical improv to join us.
If you would like to present a talk or a lightning talk, please get in touch. We will update this event description a people come forward.
In the absence of any volunteers it will be Postgres-themed improv talks and, maybe, an organiser taking a talk for a spin. Don't let it come to that :)
Intellectual Discussions Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Book Swap Social Event - Make New Friends Who Love Books
Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you.
We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well.
Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.
Let's Discuss... Jung and the Shadow
A sick society calls darkness light, and light darkness. To survive, man must shroud his goodness, and live inside a self delusion.
According to Carl Jung, The Shadow is that part of the unconscious mind comprised of all hidden and nefarious elements of the individual. A black cavern cast beneath the socially and self acceptable facade of one's outward facing personality, or Persona. In this darkness, the fears and follies of out childhood, our ancestors, and our society are alive and moving. Influencing us from behind the scenes, without us being aware. Even the positive traits we had to reject in adaptation to a sick society, are trapped within our Shadow. He argues that only facing it, engaging it, can transform these suppressed elements into useful parts of a more whole, energised personality. A more complete self, closer to the Divine.
How can we escape self delusion, and come to know our Shadow?
What are the dangers of working into the Shadow?
In our society, what positive traits are people naturally repressing to be socially acceptable?
Here is a video on this topic: [https://youtu.be/8S__1h2Z2xI](https://youtu.be/8S__1h2Z2xI)
\*Please do your own research and share resources related to this topic in the comment section\*
#======# Donation!
Thank you for being a member. I have made a donation page for those who want to help with the costs.
[https://examinedlife.uk/donation/](https://examinedlife.uk/donation/)
#======# Group chat
We have a telegram group chat and here is a link for the front door:
[https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk](https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk)
#======#
The Examined Life, "Let's Discuss..." session is an open discussion.
The format of this event will be:
13:15 - Free flow group discussion about the topic.
14:00 ish - We will be splitting into smaller groups for more engaging discussion about what interests each of you.
16:00 - End of the official meetup. Most often attendees stay and continue discussing up to around 18:00.
#======#
Please RSVP if you can commit to attending and change your RSVP if something comes up. Inaccurate RSVPs can keep potential attendees on the waiting list and makes it difficult to plan for room sizes and bookings.
Art work: The Great Red dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun 1805 William Blake
Practical Philosophy Club Meetup - London 🇬🇧
**🏛️ 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/B6fqS6HGujq8gb3a0kl5pS), 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:
* 13:45-14:00 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the ‘official' start.
* 14:00-14:05 - 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.
* 14:05-14:45 - 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.
* 14:45 - We do a group conclusion of the things we discussed, and then we typically take a photo and go on our way :) If you don't want to be in the group photo, there's no pressure, it's just a way to close out the meeting. We occasionally have an unofficial social so the different groups can mingle afterwards too!
**🧧PRICING?**
Practical Philosophy Club is FREE to attend, and we operate on donations.
If you'd like to donate to support our running costs, that helps keep our group self-sustaining. Donations are 100% voluntary, but your contribution is appreciated! QR codes to donate will be present.
Tea’s and coffees and are paid by the individual should they wish to have them.
**💛 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 week in the Whatsapp group before the session. 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/B6fqS6HGujq8gb3a0kl5pS).
* 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/B6fqS6HGujq8gb3a0kl5pS) 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/).
🤝**POLICY**
To respect our members privacy, we ask that no one privately message a member without first getting explicit consent. (This looks like speaking in person and being asked to message privately.) Contacting or texting other participants without prior consent is not permitted and may result in removal from the group. Practical Philosophy reserves the right to enforce this policy at its discretion to maintain a safe and respectful environment.
**PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY - Making Philosophy Available To All.** ✨
Practical Philosophy hosts weekly, in-person meetups in 25+ countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️
\*\*\*
Join our [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/B6fqS6HGujq8gb3a0kl5pS) 👈
Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/?hl=en) 👈
Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club) 👈
Socioeconomic, cultural and political debates
**Open debate and discussion in small rotating groups of 3-6 people,** based on the existing propositions from the Political Compass Quiz and original propositions submitted by members (Controversy Corner) to be presented in '(strongly) agree/disagree' format
**How the event works**:
Intro: 0-20 min: Welcomes and introductions for new members.
We come together in one big group and explain the format/framework for the discussion. A wide-ranging series of propositions will be read out from the political compass quiz, and people will be invited to step up and provide their own controversial statements (Controversy Corner) for debating.
People will take a vote on topics of interest and self-organise with assistance from the host into smaller groups for meaningful discussion
**Main: 30mins x 3: Small group discussions x3**
Each group will have a moderator whose job is to control the discussion, ensuring fair participation from all members, and bring the discussion back to the question if it strays excessively
Discussion begins with a quick instinctive vote on the proposition; if all members agree can play devil's advocate or pick a new proposition to spark more debate
Then the discussion of the proposition and the taking of a vote at the end of the discussion, noting any changes in the proposition
**End: 15 mins:** all groups come back together to share interesting insights you heard from OTHER people
Feel free to stay after and extend the discussion and enjoy a drink or two, but the hosted/organised portion of the event will end here.
Socioeconomic, cultural and political debates
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**Political Compass Quiz**:
Measures social and economic positions to give you a political position along left/right and authoritarian libertarian axes - recommended but not essential
https://www.politicalcompass.org/test/en?page=1
**Controversy Corner:**
An open format where attendees can propose any position/statement of their choosing, formulated in an agree/disagree format, provided that it is in some way related to society, the economy, politics, and human values, with emphasis on pragmatic discussion rather than philosophical abstractions
\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-
**GENERAL RULES/PRINCIPLES**:
* This is meant to be a fun environment, please put this first before anything else, bring an open mind and warmth, the objective here is not to convince anyone of your opinions, nor intellectual showboating, but rather state your case freely, learn new perspectives, and possibly make new connections with someone with a different worldview and background from yourself
* Opinions and ideologies may be different and even controversial or extreme, but abuse/harassment or threats against individual members is unacceptable, and you will be asked to leave IMMEDIATELY. Keep discussions general, focused on issues, not personal differences.
* Please bring active energy and a willingness to suggest topics or take a clear preference on what to discuss or not to discuss; discourse is better when everyone is invested and contributing
* This group is not free therapy to unload your vexations with the world, consider that you may be wrong and that other people have opinions that are different to yours :)
* Invite other people into the discussion if you notice they haven't said anything in a while
* If you don't like your small group discussion, please feel free to arrange yourself into another group, or speak to me about any concerns
Spiritual Jukebox
Share and discuss music that touches your soul.
An hour of eclectic music and stories. Bring a song or music track which inspires you to share with the group, led by Kate and Adam.
Heartspaces at Essex Hall is a vibrant and welcoming Unitarian hub in central London, open to spiritual seekers, existing Unitarians and curious newcomers. The Heartspaces programme is a series of weekly spiritual gatherings led by Unitarian ministers and volunteers across London. From regular pagan ceremonies to the spirituality events every Thursday evening, Heartspaces encourages people to gather, share and discover together. Whether you are a seasoned Unitarian, a spiritual searcher or simply curious, find your space to grow.
Julie Henderson Russell Boyle Badminton Academy
Every week is a badminton academy for improver/intermediate/advanced standard. I also run thirteen teams that play in leagues out of the academy. Unfortunately this class does not cater for beginners! Wanting people who wish to enjoy and improve with games and advice with a coach who has played county and national level badminton, and has also played for England.
Just come along, bring a racket, very friendly atmosphere! Class from 7.30 - 9.30pm weekly, £14.00 per session or £35.00 for three sessions t be paid up front and must be used within six months, payable by cash only. I have coached players from beginner to international standard. Please message me with any questions.
Thanks
Should philosophers preach with poetry, or get straight to the point? Pt 2
O, wouldst thou have philosophers preach in verse's sweet song,
Or speak in plainest terms, with nary a poetic throng?
Doth 't lie with he who wouldst learn to unravel the enigma spoke,
Or with the wise one, who doth bid thee ponder and invoke?
Or shall 't be both, in balance of words both high and low?
What profit and loss doth come from times of mystery's dark veil,
And times of revelations stark and plain, with room for none to fail?
What say you, good scholars, in this tangle of persuasive might?
Intellectual Discussions Events Near You
Connect with your local Intellectual Discussions community
Duty vs. Results: What Makes an Action Moral?
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?
COUNT Discussion Meeting: Topic: Current Events
We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another.
Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us.
Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.
Walk & Talk About Life's Big Questions
[The Board Walks](http://www.theboardwalks.com/) are for curious people who love deep conversations.
If that sounds like you, **bring a thoughtful topic** and join us for a 5-mile walk (10,000+ steps!).
**HOW IT WORKS**
**Step 1: Bring a topic**
Before you arrive, think of **one** topic you want to explore. A question. A thought that's been on your mind. An obsession you want to geek out on. This is your ticket to the event.
**Step 2: Circle up & share**
We gather in a circle. Your friendly walk host gives a speech to set the tone. Everyone shares: your name, what you're grateful for, and your topic. That's it. 60 seconds.
**Step 3: Walk, talk & float**
We walk 5 miles. You naturally drift into conversation with 2-3 people at a time, pulled by topics that spark your curiosity. When you're ready to move on, just say: "I'm going to float!"
**Step 4: Feel more alive**
Two hours flies by. You're back where you started — but you feel different. More alive. More energized. More connected to yourself and others. That's why regulars join 20+ times.
*For more details, read our [Orientation Guide.](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation)*
**HOW TO BRING A GREAT TOPIC**
A great topic = something you're genuinely curious about.
Recent topics include:
* "What are you passionate about right now?"
* "What makes a good friend?"
* "What's a belief you used to hold that you've completely changed?"
* "How do you want to be remembered?"
* "What would you do if money wasn't a factor?"
Think of your topic like the dish you're bringing to our conversational potluck. If everyone brings an A+ dish (i.e. energizing, uplifting, expansive), we'll all walk away feeling lighter and brighter.
**WHAT TO EXPECT**
This isn't a fitness event with casual chitchat. It's a walking think tank where we explore life's big questions together, beyond small talk. *If you're looking for light banter or a standard networking event, this probably isn't the right fit.*
But if you crave depth, genuine connection, and conversations that make you feel alive? You'll love it here.
**FAQ**
* Wear casual athletic attire and sneakers. It's a long walk!
* We have multiple first-timers at each event. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive, clique-free space.
* We welcome people of **all** ages, backgrounds, and industries who align with the [intention](https://www.theboardwalks.com/ground-rules) of this space.
* Rain or shine, we've been out here nearly every week since July 2022. If the event is cancelled, we'll let you know.
* Dogs, babies in strollers, parents, and friends are welcome — please text/email them the event link so they can RSVP and prepare a topic!
**LOGISTICS**
* If you'll arrive over 10 minutes late, we suggest skipping the event. It's hard to find us once we start walking, and your host can't answer messages during the event.
* This walk is designed for everyone to *move together at the same steady pace* (about 20 min/mile). This format works best when the whole group moves in unison. If you have mobility limitations, we kindly encourage you to find an event better suited to your needs.
* Read our [Orientation Guide](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation) for full details.
* If you enjoy the event, send **[this](http://www.theboardwalks.com/)** to a friend or sign up for our **[newsletter](https://theboardwalks.beehiiv.com/)**. We're in multiple cities with more on the way. 🤠👋
**IF YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER...**
[The Board](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board) is the next step: a high-trust collective for renaissance people devoted to creating, connecting, and building lives that light us up.
* This is a global HQ for people who crave big talk, deep connection, and dream collaborations with people across industries. If the walks feel like a spark... The Board is the fire. Apply [here](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board).
Franklinton Arts District Second Fridays Meet @ One Line Coffee, 471 W. Rich St.
Let’s meet, wander the exhibits and open galleries, and enjoy an evening out in the Franklinton Arts District.
(Nearby pay parking is available in the garage on McDowell, right around the corner from One Line Coffee, and, past it along the curb as McDowell dead ends.)
Sunday Brunch
Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!
Libera Animae - Freeing the Soul
Main Library, Meeting Room 2B
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.
All backgrounds are welcome.
Omnipresent Atheists Weekly Meetup (2nd Tues)
Jimmy V's Grill & Pub in Grandview Heights. You are responsible for your own meal/drinks. We usually don't have any agenda other than eat, drink and talk. :) If the weather is nice we will be on the back patio, otherwise we are in the cigar room.
This group has been meeting every Tuesday evening for over a decade. Many attendees do not RSVP on meetup. Please don't let the small number here discourage you. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come. We'd love to have you join us.
COTA bus #5 comes to W. 5th and Wyandotte Rd. And it's a minute walk to the restaurant.
***
Did you know that there are atheists everywhere?!?! You may not know it, but we are! We're in your schools, diners, police force, military, government, and some are even still in your churches! So come and join us and meet other local atheists, along with agnostics, heathens, humanists, skeptics, and anyone else who's 'hell bound'!
Vision: a Central Ohio that accepts atheism as a viable alternative in all areas of public and private life.
Mission: grow, support, and provide community for atheists in Central Ohio.
Social meetings held most Tuesdays at a local pub/restaurant at 7:00 PM (and often into the wee hours). Attendees call themselves agnostics, skeptics, humanists, non-theists, deists or even theists. All attendees are welcome but should support our vision.
Atheists of Columbus (AoC) is part of Omnipresent Atheists (OA). AoC members are invited to join this OA meetup and/or OA Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/omnipresentatheists/ ) but are free to continue conversations on the AoC Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/columbusatheists/ ). AoC was founded in 2012 as a networking, social group for Central Ohio area humanists, skeptics, atheists, agnostics, nonbelievers, freethinkers, and the curious. It was a member of Columbus CoR and held weekly meetings, mostly on Fridays, for several years but then operated as an online only group for some time. In November 2018, Omnipresent Atheists (OA), a group that routinely meets on Tuesdays, invited AoC to merge.
Omnipresent Atheists is a member of the Columbus Coalition of Reason (ColumbusCoR.org). Omnipresent Atheists is a member of the Columbus Coalition of Reason ( http://www.ColumbusCoR.org ). Omnipresent Atheists endorses the mission of the Secular Coalition for America ( http://secular.org ).






























