Philosophy of Science

### **Poolside Chats: Design, Research, Engineering & UX** Join us for a relaxed summer gathering at one of Zurich’s local Badis. This is a casual community meetup for designers, researchers developers, product managers, and other curious builders who enjoy thoughtful conversations, sharing ideas, and spending time outdoors. We’ll gather by the pool to discuss topics such as: * Passion projects * Design, technology, and product thinking * Ethical and responsible uses of AI * Creativity, learning, and experimentation * Personal philosophies and ways of working * Interesting questions about the future The format is intentionally informal. Feel free to join a conversation, listen, ask questions, or share something you’ve been exploring. Need a break? Take a swim, cool off, and come back with a fresh perspective or a new idea to discuss. This is not a recruiting event, job fair, or transactional networking meetup. While meaningful professional relationships may naturally develop over time, the purpose of the gathering is not to find clients, hire employees, or look for your next job. Instead, the goal is to create a welcoming space for genuine conversation, intellectual curiosity, and human connection. Bring your curiosity, a towel, and whatever ideas have been occupying your mind lately. \*Come to exchange ideas, not business cards.\*

Liebe Microsoft 365 Community Schweiz Wir haben wieder ein spannendes Event geplant. **Ort & Sprache:** Ort: Isolutions AG, The Circle 38, 8058 Zürich (Hybrid mit Teams) Sprache: DE **Session 1: Excel automatisiert: Office Scripts & Power Automate** Beschreibung: Excel ist ein grossartiges Tool, das fast jeder täglich nutzt – aber manuelle Datenpflege und Copy-Paste kosten unnötig Zeit. In dieser Session zeige ich, wie wir Excel nicht ersetzen, sondern auf das nächste Level heben. Mit der Kombination aus Office Scripts und Power Automate lassen sich Excel-Tabellen dynamisch auslesen, bearbeiten und nahtlos in automatisierte Cloud-Workflows integrieren. Komplett im Hintergrund. Keine graue Theorie, sondern echte Praxisbeispiele, die ihr sofort im Alltag anwenden könnt. Speaker: [MVP Marcel Lehmann](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelehmann/) **Session 2: Copilot Cowork under the Hood** Beschreibung: Ein Blick hinter die Kulissen von Copilot Cowork - Was geht heute, wo sind die Grenzen und wie setzen wir es in der Beratung ein inkl. Live-Demos aus dem Consulting-Alltag Speaker: [David Zeiter](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidzeiter/) **Agenda:** 17:00 Welcome 17:30 Session 1 18:15 Session 2 19:00 Apéro und Community Austausch 20:00 End of Event **Teams Link** [https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/31793337332541?p=rQMt6X4gBOhrgIjWHS](https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/31793337332541?p=rQMt6X4gBOhrgIjWHS "Meeting join")

An expert dinner in Zurich for individuals (ages 25–39) who are tired of superficial dating culture. Over dinner, we analyze the psychology of attraction and relationships—academically grounded, zero small talk. **The Expert** * **Background:** Lecturer in Economics, specializing in Psychology. * **Experience:** Coach and seminar leader for personal development. * **Content:** Analysis of attraction, attachment, evolutionary biology causes, and hard facts/statistics regarding the relationship market. * **Target Audience:** Individuals driven by values like knowledge, sincerity, and loyalty, with a focus on long-term commitment. * **Participants:** Max. 10 people (5m / 5f). * **Location:** Carlton Zurich. * **Costs:** Free to attend / Self-pay for your own drinks. **The Agenda** * **The Facts:** We interpret current statistics on the relationship market from both male and female perspectives, exploring their significance for long-term life plans. Goal: Identifying the root causes of modern dating issues. * **Expert Input:** Provocative theses from psychology, evolutionary biology, and statistics transferred to mate selection. * **Guided Discussion:** Applying professional psychology concepts to personal attachment. * **Values Debate:** Why attraction often misleads us and how to identify loyal partners.

VINEA on Tour revient à Zürich. La grande dégustation des vins suisses de diverses régions viticoles s'associe cette année aussi, au Festival des Merlots et Pinots Noirs primés (le même jour!). Pour cet incontournable rendez-vous zurichois, une vingtaine de productrices et producteurs vous convient à la découverte de leurs crus. L'événement convivial est toujours une belle occasion d’élargir ses connaissances sur le vin suisse. La manifestation est gratuite, sur inscription préalable. voici le lien: https://reservation.sierretourisme.ch/vinea-on-tour-zurich-et-festival-des-merlots-pinots-primes-2026.html

**Healthspan will shape the next decades. Who will shape healthspan?** Today, people in Switzerland spend on average 13 years with chronic and other severe diseases – and very few know this. During these years, quality of life declines, healthcare costs escalate, work productivity drops, and personal independence is lost. We believe Switzerland sits on a huge opportunity to increase healthspan – the number of healthy years – from 71 to 76. With its global leadership in life sciences, healthcare, insurance, wealth management, and innovation, and a culture rooted in nature, movement, and quality of life, Switzerland has everything it needs to lead. Healthspan is a measurable asset for our nation, our employers – and for each individual, one of life’s most valuable assets. The first Swiss Healthspan Summit brings together stakeholders from science and different industries to initiate the path toward increasing healthspan in Switzerland. Join us for an afternoon of bold ideas, cross-sector dialogue, and the beginning of something important – followed by apéro and networking with leading Swiss experts. **DATE & LOCATION** 📅 Thursday 18\. June 2026 \| 13\.30 – 20:30\, Doors open 13\.00 for networking 📍 Mühle Tiefenbrunnen, Seefeldstrasse 233, 8008 Zurich **PROGRAM** **13:30 – 13:45 Welcome and Opening** * “Switzerland’s 13 Lost Years” * The Healthspan Reality Check. Anders Bally, PhD **13:45 – 14:05 Keynote** * The Science of Healthspan * Prof. Dr. Christoph Handschin **14:05 – 14:25 Keynote** * The National Economic Importance of Healthspan * Prof. Dr. oec. publ Simon Wieser **14:30 – 15:20: Panel** * The Role of Lifestyle for Increasing Healthspan * Panel discussion on sleep, muscle, nutrition, stress, relationships, environment **☕ 15:20 – 15.40 Break (20 min)** **15:40 – 16:00 Keynote** * The Role of Women’s Health in Extending Swiss Healthspan * Prof. (UNIC) Dr. med. Bettina von Seefried **16:00 – 16:20 Keynote** * Longevity Risk and the Case for Wealthspan * Nadine Esposito **☕ 16:20 –16:40 Break (20 min)** **16:40 – 17:40 Shaping Switzerland’s Healthspan Opportunity** * Panel discussion on best practice and how to shape healthspan in Switzerland **17:40 – 18:00 A draft call to Action and Closing Statement** * Introducing an Initial Framework for Accelerating Healthspan in Switzerland **🥂 18:00 – Apero & Strategic Networking** **Join us for an inspiring afternoon!** Sign up here: [https://health2wealth.org/product/swiss-healthspan-summit-2026/](https://health2wealth.org/product/swiss-healthspan-summit-2026/)

**[⚠️ >>Ticket needed (click here)<<](https://link.social-circle.ch/qU7y) or** **[tickets.social-circle.ch](https://tickets.social-circle.ch/)** 🎉 **Pub Quiz Night** 🎉 Join us for a night full of **mind-bending questions**, **unexpected twists**, and **more laughs than right answers** (probably). Whether you're a trivia wizard or just really good at pretending you know stuff, this night’s for you! Join our whatsapp group for updates on this event: [https://link.social-circle.ch/vo0l](https://link.social-circle.ch/vo0l) 📍 **Location:** BOHO 💰 **Price:** 15.- (includes tasty snacks + a prize for the winning team 🍾) 👥 **How Teams Work:** 🔹 Got a crew? Awesome, bring your squad and show us what you've got! 🔹 Looking to mingle with singles? We’ve got you! → Think 2 girls + 2 guys = the perfect cocktail of brainpower and awkward icebreakers 🔹 Not single? No problem! We’ll still team you up with some brilliant minds and maybe a few terrible guessers for balance 🏆 **What’s in it for you?** Glory, bragging rights, and the sweet, sweet taste of Prosecco-fueled victory. 💬 **Come for the trivia, stay for the chaos.** Spots are limited, so grab your seat before your smarter friend does! 🎟️ ​P.S. Pictures might be taken during the event, if you do not want it please let the organizer know. Tickets are non-refundable. **Want more events like this? Join our WhatsApp community:** [https://link.social-circle.ch/sVZD](https://link.social-circle.ch/sVZD)

EXPERIENCE PHILOSOPHICAL SYNCRETISM, INNER ALCHEMY, AND GAME SPIRIT. Try a live (private) session of **Mäng (offline in Zürich or online worldwide)**, a powerful self-exploration game that helps uncover hidden mental scripts and rewire the way you think, feel and act. It is a tool for a really **profound change** that follows the four stages of inner alchemy. A modernized version of an ancient contemplative practice, reimagined as a transformational tool based on psychological insight, symbolic logic, and inner strategy, it is not therapy or coaching in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s an immersive deep-dive into the unconscious mind through metaphor and archetype with a game spirit. 💡 **How it works:** Mäng is built on four stages of real, lasting change: 1. **Discovery** – Identify limiting beliefs and internal programs 2. **Uninstallation** – Let go of outdated patterns 3. **Design** – Create new mental strategies 4. **Integration** – Embed them into your deeper awareness You’ll be guided through this process by the **Master of Mäng**, who offers structure, questions, and insight, while you remain the one making all decisions and discoveries. 🌿 **Who is this for?** For everyone (regardless of beliefs, age, gender, etc.), but more than anyone - for those who didn't find answers or sufficient depth in pop coaching and psychology. 🕒 **Important:** This is a deep game. A full session lasts **4 hours**. Time slots are defined individually. Contact me directly to get an appointment. Price for newbies: 250 CHF

⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) **Join the Zürich Coffee Club and make new friends!** Each meetup brings together 4–6 people for casual conversations over Coffee. We use the Groupvibe platform to facilitate the meetup and ensure everyone’s a good fit. 👉 **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) We’ll share the exact location of the upcoming meetup the night before only if you have bought a ticket or membership plan. **Why this works:** \* Smaller groups make real conversations easier \* Matching helps avoid awkward dynamics **Note:** RSVPs on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. The event on [Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/) is only a placeholder. This meetup is organized by Groupvibe, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.

Want to become a certified Claude AI Architect? Spend this summer learning skills that employers are actively looking for. AI Architects, AI Agents, MCP, prompt engineering, and agentic systems are becoming some of the fastest-growing areas in tech. Want to be part of it? TechLegion Summer School 2026 was created to help you learn these skills, prepare for an official certification, and connect with a community of professionals doing the same. As a partner in the Claude Partner Network, TechLegion offers members the opportunity to prepare for and earn official Anthropic certifications through our dedicated study cohort. 🤖 Registration for cohort: https://linkly.link/2kCF8 The study cohort is free for TechLegion members. Please note that TechLegion membership is required to join the programme, as participants receive a TechLegion email account and access to member resources under our domain. Learn together. Get certified. Build your AI skills this summer!.

Welcome to the Competitive Play Session. This session takes place every Saturday from 10:45 to 12:15 at the Yonex Badminton Hall Hardbrücke. The number of players on the waitlist one week in advance determines the number of courts booked. If you are on the waitlist but can no longer attend, please remove yourself as early as possible. Players are accepted into the session based on skill suitability. This session is for experienced players looking for quality games. Play is focused on doubles with a competitive mindset and consistent rallies. You should be comfortable smashing, return smashes and keeping up a moderate tempo throughout the session. New players and those who are new to badminton are welcome to join the PM Session (Open Level Play). Payment can be made via TWINT after the session.

Durch ein grösseres Waldstück erreichen wir die Lorze. Wir überqueren sie und stehen vor den Höllgrotten, 6000 Jahre alten Tropfsteinhöhlen. Wir folgen wir dem Lauf der Lorze, die durch Wildheit und Schönheit besticht. Der Rückweg führt uns vorbei an der Burgruine Wildenburg durch ein Waldstück namens Himmelrich. Wie immer mit Meditationsübungen in der Natur. Eintrittspreis für die Höllgrotten 14 CHF. Spendensammlung für Pro Natura. Mehr Fotos und Tourenblatt **[HIER Klicken](https://www.bernhardeisenbarth.ch/meditation/meditatives-wandern/#cc-m-header-15002150427)**

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Can Artificial Intelligence ‘See’?”** A look at how humans and artificial intelligence systems interpret the visual world in fundamentally different ways, with Arryn Robbins, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Richmond and cognitive scientist who researches visual attention, perception, and category learning. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-can-AI-see](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-can-AI-see) .] Artificial intelligence can now identify faces, categorize objects, describe scenes, and outperform humans on certain visual tasks. But does AI actually “see” the world the way that people do? Or does it arrive at correct answers using representations that differ markedly from human perception? Join Arryn Robbins of the University of Richmond for a fascinating exploration of how humans and AI construct meaning from visual information and a look at comparisons between human perception and AI that reveal just how dynamic and context-dependent our own visual systems really are. Dr. Robbins, who previously has given excellent Profs and Pints talks on flaws and biases in human visual perception, will draw from research in cognitive science, visual perception, and AI vision systems. She’ll explain how human perception is not merely a simple recording of the world, but an active process shaped by expectations, context, goals, and recent experience. You’ll learn how humans form flexible mental representations that allow us to recognize objects across changing environments and conditions, and why those representations continuously adapt as we interact with the world. Many AI systems, by contrast, learn visual categories through statistical patterns in data. They can produce impressive results, but sometimes they also produce strange and unexpected failures, and sometimes they classify images in ways that seem strange to us. Dr. Robbins will discuss what these differences reveal about the nature of perception itself, and why the mismatch between human and AI representations matters for technologies like self-driving cars, medical imaging, facial recognition, and automated surveillance. Important for anyone trying to understand the rapidly growing role of AI in daily life, this talk will explore one of the biggest questions in cognitive science and artificial intelligence: What does it actually mean to “see” and understand the world? (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: “Eye Farm” by Nevit Dilmen (Wikimedia Commons).

by Stephen Wolfram, 112 pages [Technology] • Paperback • Kindle Check the How To Find Us section for Zoom Link **(Remember, the Zoom Link is different each month, do not bookmark)** **Review** "This is the best explanation of what ChatGPT is doing that I've seen." —Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (creators of ChatGPT) About the Author Stephen Wolfram is an award\-winning scientist and bestselling author\, and the creator of some of the world's most respected software systems—Mathematica\, Wolfram\|Alpha and Wolfram Language\. For more than 35 years\, he has been CEO of the global technology company Wolfram Research\, as well as responsible for a series of groundbreaking advances in basic science\, including the recent Wolfram Physics Project\.www\.stephenwolfram\.com Stephen Wolfram has had a unique trajectory in science\, technology and business\. Widely known for his discoveries in basic science and his groundbreaking 2002 book "A New Kind of Science\," he has spent more than three decades building what is now Wolfram Language: the knowledge\-based computer language that powers Mathematica and Wolfram\|Alpha and has contributed to countless inventions and discoveries\, as well as to the education of several generations of students\. Wolfram was born in London and educated at Eton, Oxford and Caltech, earning his PhD in physics in 1979 at the age of 20. After a brief but distinguished academic career, he founded Wolfram Research in 1987 and as CEO has built it into one of the world’s most respected and innovative software companies, whose products are relied on by millions of people around the world.

Join us for conversations that go beyond small talk, diving into topics like the shifting nature of spirituality, the challenges and joys of midlife transitions, the impact of culture and capitalism, and the search for meaning in art, travel, and daily life. Our gatherings are about genuine, thought-provoking dialogue, with no set leader or strict agenda—just an open space to share ideas, perspectives, and experiences that matter to us. The direction of the discussion is shaped by everyone who shows up, making each event unique and enriching. Come ready to share, reflect, and connect with others who are also seeking deeper conversations. Let the conversation flow from topic to topic. Optional questions are listed below.

Optional Questions: Life Stages & Transitions

1. What did you think you'd have figured out by now that you're still completely winging?
2. When did you realize your parents' advice was for a world that no longer exists?
3. What are you finally old enough to stop pretending to care about?

Optional Questions: Identity After the Roles

4. Who are you when nobody needs anything from you?
5. What dream keeps resurfacing even though the "practical" time has passed?
6. How do you handle having the freedom you always said you wanted?

Optional Questions: AI & Being Human

7. What human experiences will AI never truly understand?
8. If machines handled all your have-to's, what would you actually do?
9. What becomes more precious as everything becomes automated?

Optional Questions: Belief & Meaning

10. What certainties have you given up, and what rushed in to fill that space?
11. How has knowing someone who died changed how you live?
12. What do you believe now that would shock your younger self?

Optional Questions: The Modern Psyche

13. What anxiety do you carry that previous generations didn't have?
14. Which of your survival strategies are you ready to retire?
15. What uncomfortable truth about happiness did it take you years to accept?

Optional Questions: Work & Purpose

16. When did you stop believing that your job would complete you?
17. What would you do for work if money and status weren't factors?
18. How has your definition of "making it" changed over the years?

Optional Questions: Relationships & Connection

19. What relationship dynamic do you keep recreating, and why?
20. When did you realize your parents were just people trying their best?
21. What kind of loneliness doesn't go away even when you're with others?

Optional Questions: Time & Mortality

22. What are you running out of time to say or do?
23. How differently do you spend your time knowing it's finite?
24. What will you regret not trying, even if you fail?

Optional Questions: Society & Culture

25. What social convention do you follow even though it makes no sense?
26. Which generation do you understand least, and what might you be missing?
27. What aspect of how we live now will seem insane in 20 years?

Optional Questions: Personal Philosophy

28. What rule for life did you create after learning something the hard way?
29. When did you stop believing that everyone else had it figured out
30. What paradox about life have you learned to live with?

Anne Conway (1631 – 1679) and Mary Astell (1666 – 1731) share a sex, intelligence, and the same unsettled century. After a long obscurity, their work has reemerged and invites the reader to consider how reason, belief, and the self might still be brought into harmony. **The Women** Anne Conway, born and raised in London, spent her youth wandering through the vast hallways of what is now known as Kensington Palace. Apart from being a woman, at least two other notable circumstances shaped Anne’s life – she lost a son in infancy and later suffered from severe pain. Pain as a concept found its way into Anne’s philosophy as a purgative, transformative experience. It was while seeking a relief from pain that she came into contact with the Flemish physician and philosopher Francis Mercury van Helmont, who later introduced her to Kabbalistic thought and to Quakerism. Anne converted to Quakerism shortly before she died. Mary Astell was a native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Unlike Anne Conway, Astell remained unmarried and eventually moved to London with little or no financial support. Her early philosophical writings are found in the correspondence with John Norris and were later published as *Letters Concerning the Love of God* (1695). After publishing the *Letters* and *A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, Parts I and II. (1694, 1697),* Astell became somewhat of a celebrity in London. Her two other well-known published works were *Some Reflections upon Marriage* (1700) and *The Christian Religion* (1705). In her later years, in keeping with her investment in female education, Astell managed a charity school for poor girls in the Chelsea neighborhood. **The Philosophies** Anne’s only surviving work, *The Principles of the Most Ancient and Modern Philosophy*, was published posthumously and anonymously in 1690. It is said that Leibniz had a copy of *The Principles* in his library with Anne Conway’s name written on the front page. Anne’s vitalist conception of all being may have influenced Leibnitz’s own views, in particular his *Monadology*. *The Principles* is often viewed as a theodicy. The existence and nature of God occupy the central place in Anne Conway’s triadic philosophical system. The three “species” are God, Christ, and the “unity of multiplicities” where “the whole creation is just but one substance or entity.” God is the immutable and perfect maker of all things. God “wanted to create living beings with whom he could communicate.” Alas, God’s light was intolerable for his Creatures, and, after dimming the light a bit, God designated the Messiah’s soul as the Middle Nature and “a safe place” for all Creatures. Everything and everyone fall under the umbrella of Anne’s “Creatures.” Everything and everyone is a subject to eternal mutability. Creatures can metamorphose into other kinds of creature, growing more or less spiritual – more or less like God. Under the principle of similitude, Conway maintains, everything and everyone has some semblance to God and therefore must be in some sense spiritual and alive. Mary Astell sides with Descartes in his dualistic views and in the method of obtaining knowledge through clear and distinct perceptions. In her metaphysics, Astell distinguishes two kinds of beings—minds and bodies that come in various degrees of finitude and corruptibility. God is placed at the heart of her metaphysical system and is the “first intelligence.” Human minds and corporeal particles are finite and incorruptible, while human bodies and physical objects are finite, naturally corruptible entities. Within the created beings, Astell names four categories: minds, bodies, mind–body unions, and the particles that compose bodies. A mind-body union is mysterious. However, we “know and feel” it, and therefore it must be real. **Reading:** We will read and discuss Anne Conway’s *The Principles of the Most Ancient and Modern Philosophy* and the second part of Mary Astell’s *A Serious Proposal to the Ladies.* Anne Conway, *The Principles of the Most Ancient and Modern Philosophy,* 25 pages, [https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/conway1692_1.pdf](https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/conway1692_1.pdf) Mary Astell, *A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/54984/54984-h/54984-h.htm](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/54984/54984-h/54984-h.htm)* **Additional Reading:** Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Mary Astell, [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/astell/](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/astell/) Anne Conway, [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/conway/](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/conway/)

Bruce in the USA is playing at Reston Station Plaza to celebrate the 250th anniversary if the USA! There will be Epic Fireworks after the show! Because this group is so popular, let's grab some space at 5:30! Bring chairs so you don't have to stand the whole time. The group starts at 7:00.

Join PSW Science® on June 26 at 8 PM as we welcome Douglas Wallace, Director of the Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania Professor. During the question and answer period, in-person attendees and live stream viewers may ask the speaker questions, and in-person attendees may also engage with the speaker during the post-lecture reception. Refreshments are served. For more information on this meeting, please visit: https://pswscience.org/meeting/2538 The meeting will be held in the John Wesley Powell Auditorium, adjacent to the Cosmos Club. The Powell Auditorium is located at 2170 Florida Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008. Use of the Cosmos Club is restricted to the Powell Auditorium, the entryway to the auditorium, and the restrooms immediately outside the auditorium. Please note there is no onsite parking available. PSW Science, founded in 1871, is one of the oldest scientific societies in Washington D.C. Now, over 150 years later, we celebrate the Society's rich history and contributions to scientific discovery and cross-disciplinary collaboration. For information on how to become a member of PSW Science and membership benefits, please visit https://pswscience.org/join/

Come join us for in-depth discussions on topics relating to moral and political philosophy. This is a group for members who are comfortable discussing topics that are often anxiety producing and controversial. *"Aristotle was a realist who believed that reality and knowledge are found in the physical world, accessible through sensory experience and logic. This led to contrasting views on ethics, politics, and the nature of reality itself. Plato emphasized abstract, ideal concepts, while Aristotle prioritized empirical observation and the study of the natural world."* \- Google Gemini Following Aristotle's lead, this group will lean heavily on empirical data to make arguments. The Socratic method is still the preferred way to engage in conversation, and Platonic Idealism is still relevant to the conversation as points of reference.