Philosophy

This is a new edition of the Socrates cafe with a new format. In this edition, the moderator will pick a specific quote, topic or question from a known philosophers (example; Voltaire, Kant, Marcus Aurelius, Hypatia of Alexandria, Rousseau, Machiavelli, Descartes, Plato and others). A summary around a page will be provided in the event *(**See below - The topic of this Session)*** Please take the time to read. The Moderator will read the summary and give an introduction of the topic. Then, we will have an open discussion, and a final round when everyone will give their conclusions. **The topic of this Session** **Epictetus -** No Harm Without Cooperation: “Another person cannot hurt you without your own belief in the injury; you are hurt the moment you believe yourself to be.” **The Core Idea: You Are the Final Gatekeeper** Epictetus is not saying that bad things don't happen to you, or that bullies and narcissists aren't real. He is saying that the final injury happens inside you — in the mind — not in the external event itself. Think of it in two layers: What someone does to you → the words, the insult, the dismissal, the cruelty — that is real. What you make of it → the meaning you assign it, whether you accept it as true, how much power you hand it — that is where the actual wound is created. This concept from Epictetus’s Enchiridion (Chapter 20) emphasizes that external events only cause suffering when we consent to them through our judgments. **What "Cooperation" Really Means** The word cooperation here is key. Epictetus means that harm requires your mental agreement to be fully realized. This isn't victim-blaming — he's pointing to something deeply empowering: that your inner world, your judgments and beliefs about yourself, are the one thing no one can touch without your permission. A narcissist's greatest weapon is making you believe their version of you. The moment you internalize their narrative — that you are lesser, crazy, too sensitive, unworthy — they win. Epictetus is telling you: don't hand them that key. **The Deeper Philosophical Point** Epictetus himself was a slave. He knew real, physical suffering and powerlessness. So this wasn't an abstract philosophical game for him — it was survival wisdom. His argument was that even in total external captivity, no one could enslave his mind without his consent. Applied to toxic relationships, narcissists, and bullies, the message is this: they can control your circumstances, but they cannot control your self-worth unless you let them. The moment you stop believing their judgments about you, their power over you collapses. **About the Philosopher** **Epictetus** was a Greek **Stoic philosopher** (c. 50–c. 135 AD) born into slavery in Hierapolis, Phrygia (modern-day Turkey), who rose to become one of the most influential thinkers of the Roman era. After being enslaved by **Epaphroditus**, a secretary to Emperor Nero, he studied under the Stoic **Musonius Rufus** and was eventually freed. He taught philosophy in Rome until **Emperor Domitian** banished all philosophers in 89 AD, after which Epictetus founded a school in **Nicopolis**, Greece, where he spent the rest of his life https://www.britannica.com/biography/Epictetus-Greek-philosopher **RULES** 1. Please be on time! We will start at 19:00 so if you arrive late, please join quietly. If you are a first timer, make sure you take extra time for finding the location. 2. If something unexpected happens, please cancel as soon as possible. There's lovely people on the waiting list 3. If you repeatedly sign up and don’t show up, you can expect to be moved to the waitlist next time. 4. You may disagree with others, but please do so respectfully without personal attacks. 5. Please keep your attendance to one event per week to ensure everyone has an opportunity to attend. 6. Just to meet expectations, this is a Philosophy event to discuss Philosophy and this event's **PRIMARY** function is **NOT** focused on Self Help/Psychology or Theology. Though those topics can be a point of discussion from time to time. Please take that into consideration when signing up! See you soon!

\# This meetup is around a third\-party organizer\, Focus Filmtheater\. You can either purchase your ticket online or right before the session\. **Seats are numbered**. # **Title**: Mama’ku **Language**: Dutch **Subtitles**: English **Length**: 75 min **Director**: Sven Peetoom, Aldo Agaatsz **More info**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/agenda/english-subs-mamaku/ **Ticket link**: https://www.focusarnhem.nl/tickets/146153/ **Synopsis:** The new documentary by Sven Peetoom (*Tussen Wal en Schip – Geruisloos Indisch)*. An intimate film about choreographer and dancer Cheroney Pelupessy, who makes the journey to Indonesia for the first time together with her mother in search of a hidden family history. **How it works**: I will be at Focus around 18:30, where we can meet before the movie starts. You can message me to find us. Screening starts at 19:00. After the movie, we can have a drink together. Hope to see you soon!

Hi all! 🙂 On Wednesdays we welcome you to practice languages! If you want to practice a specific (uncommon) language, please send us a message so we can find some conversation partners for you on our mailing list! We hope to see you in Café Marktzicht! In the last year we had tables for the following languages: * Dutch * English * French * Italian * Spanish * Turkish\* * German\* * Portuguese\* * Danish\* * Norwegian\* * Russian\* * Arabic\* * Chinese\*\* * Japanese\*\* * Indonesian\*\* * * Most likely, but not every week present. \*\* - Rather rare ;-) If your language is not in this list, please let us know! We have a large database of Language Cafe visitors speaking 56 different languages! We might be able to connect you with a person that does speak the language you want to practice. In case you are not in our database yet, please use this form: http://goo.gl/forms/oSCn9Dn8m8

Spots are limited: [https://tickets.voxxeddays.com/event/workshop-victor-rentea](https://tickets.voxxeddays.com/event/workshop-victor-rentea) **Build faster, smarter software with AI.** Join an exclusive, fully catered workshop with Victor Rentea on Agentic Engineering in a small, focused group of engineers. **Upgrade your development workflow to 2026.** A hands-on day on AI Coding Agents: prompt & context engineering, multi-agent orchestration, spec-driven development, and self-improving skills. Learn how engineers reach 2x–10x productivity and what it takes to get there. **For:** all engineers (backend, frontend, QA, data, ops) **Bring:** laptop with Claude Code + subscription (Pro is enough) **The agenda of the day** **Introduction** * LLM Fundamentals: Predictions, Tokens, Context Window, Compaction, System Prompt, Model vs Agent Harness * AI Pitfalls: Sycophancy, Hallucinations, Attention Dilution, Knowledge Cutoff, Premature Fixation * MCP Tools – best-of **Context Engineering** * Evolving a Token-Efficient Project Memory * AI Context Sharing across repos, teams, and company * Skills and Custom Agents that self-improve * Token-Efficiency Tricks: context hygiene, DRY, grep-logs antipattern **Prompt Engineering & Orchestration** * Prompt Engineering – does and dont’s * Brainstorm, plan & generate a non-trivial change with AI * Multi-Agent Orchestration Patterns: handover, reviewer, orchestrator, advisor,… **AI Guardrails & Security** * Functional Guardrails with State-of-the-art Acceptance Tests * ⁠Code Quality Guardrails AI cannot circumvent * ⁠Architecture Guardrails & Exact Summarisation * APIs, C4 Model, sequence diagrams * AI Supply-Chain Attacks Attacks and Agent Isolation Techniques **Date:** Wednesday, July 1st (09:00 - 17:00) **Location**: Utrecht (venue TBA) **Price**: € 395,- (incl. lunch & drinks) Spots are limited: [https://tickets.voxxeddays.com/event/workshop-victor-rentea](https://tickets.voxxeddays.com/event/workshop-victor-rentea)

**When:** Wednesday\, July 1st \| 🕒 Doors open at 19:00\, battle starts at 20:00 **Where:** De Ping Pong Club, Utrecht **Damage:** €4,07 (Buy your tickets in advance as spaces are limited! Secure your spot directly with the venue [here](https://shop.weeztix.com/37dc63d6-519c-11f0-a9cb-7e126431635e/events?shop_code=5rn36dck)!) **The Vibe:** I checked out De Ping Pong Club last week—it is an awesome location! They even have board games if you need a break from the action. I played there recently outside of a tournament, and let me tell you about the "athletic" standard: if you can hold two beers at the same time, you are officially qualified. This is not the Olympics, this is [around the table](https://depingpongclub.nl/agenda/). Leave your sports watch at home; this is a purely social event where your actual speaking time will easily outlast your playtime. **Pro Tip:** There are bonus points for costumes and alternative, non-paddle equipment. Fry-pans, textbooks, or flip-flops? Bring it. **Essential Training Routine:** If you actually want to take this seriously and lift the trophy, you *must* complete this strict two-step preparation: 1. Watch the [Balls of Fury Trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXR_NLDMUk8&t) to master the illegal underground table tennis mindset. 2. Blast [Armin van Buuren's Ping Pong](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8V5GfFeUDs) on repeat to get your hand-eye coordination synced to 138 BPM. **P.S.** Who is willing to play in my team **"ExBats"**? (Yes, a terrible pun merging "Expats" with *bat*, the Dutch word for racket). Drop a comment below if you're in!

Are you an **expat** in **Utrecht** and do you want to **learn how to swim?** Look no further! Dive into **personalized swimming lessons** with **Your Personal Swim Coach**. Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn the basics or an advanced swimmer seeking to refine your technique, our expert coaches offer **tailored sessions** that fit your needs. **De Kwakel** is a great pool close to the city center, has free parking, and is easy to reach by bus. It's an **amazing learning environment!** **Don't wait any longer:** **[Sign up for a Try Out Lesson!](https://www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl/product/try-out-adult-swimming-lesson/)** Want to learn more first? Go to our **[website](https://www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl/)** or **[schedule a call!](https://calendly.com/ypsc/new-meeting)**

Welcome to our Volleyball community !! 🏐🎉 We are a community of volleyball enthusiasts who want to enjoy the game, improve their skills, and meet new friends. Our open play sessions offer a friendly, social environment where everyone can get some practice and have fun. Our sessions consist of mixed level play, however intermediate volleyball knowledge is mandatory. We try to have a balanced levels per team to ensure smooth play. If you aren’t familiar with basic volleyball rules and have no experience, sorry to say, but it's not your group. ❗❗ Meetup recently pops up their subscription option after you click on RSVP— you can dismiss it by clicking the "X" in the top left corner. ✅ RSVP & Attendance Attendance is limited to 14 people. If the RSVP list is full, join the waiting list—cancellations happen frequently. If the event appears full on the Meetup app, try using a web browser instead. ❌Cancellations & Refunds cancellation prior to 24h before the event, can be refunded. Can’t make it? Update your RSVP to "Not Going" ASAP so someone else can take your spot. 👟 What to Bring For your own safety and comfort, wear sport shoes and clothing (no street shoes—must change into sport shoes) and bring deodorant for ours. 💸 Payment & Contribution (€6.00 per person) Payment must be made in advance via Tikkie. Please only pay once you are added to the going list. In case you do not meet the payment deadline, you may be moved to the not going list. Looking forward to seeing you on the court! 🏐🔥 Let’s play, have fun, and make new friends!

'THE SYMPATHIZER' by Viet Thanh Nguyen 'The winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as seven other awards, The Sympathizer is the breakthrough novel of the year. With the pace and suspense of a thriller and prose that has been compared to Graham Greene and Saul Bellow, The Sympathizer is a sweeping epic of love and betrayal. The narrator, a communist double agent, is a man of two minds, a half-French, half-Vietnamese army captain who arranges to come to America after the Fall of Saigon, and while building a new life with other Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles is secretly reporting back to his communist superiors in Vietnam. The Sympathizer is a blistering exploration of identity and America, a gripping espionage novel, and a powerful story of love and friendship.' ***Please read the book and join us for a lively discussion (in English) about the contents during our afternoon book club meeting.*** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **PLEASE NOTE:** This is an IN-PERSON event in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. Please cancel your attendance in advance if you are unable to join, so that those on the waitlist can participate. Looking forward to seeing you all IN REAL LIFE then! Best regards, Sandra

In this format, the moderator picks a quote from a known philosopher. A summary is provided below. Please take the time to read. The moderator gives a short introduction, then we have an open discussion, and a final round when everyone gives their conclusions. Quote of this Session: Epictetus "Only the educated are free." About the author: Epictetus (c. 50-135 CE) was a Greek Stoic philosopher who was born into slavery, later gained his freedom, and devoted his life to teaching philosophy. His central idea was that human suffering comes not from events themselves but from our judgments about them, and that true freedom comes from focusing only on what is within our control - our thoughts, choices, and actions. Epictetus is important because he transformed Stoicism into a practical philosophy for everyday life, influencing thinkers from Marcus Aurelius to modern psychologists. Many ideas in contemporary Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), especially the principle that thoughts shape emotions, can be traced directly to his teachings. RULES Please be on time! If you arrive late, please join quietly. If you are a first timer, make sure you take extra time for finding the location. If something unexpected happens, please cancel as soon as possible. There are people on the waiting list. If you repeatedly sign up and don’t show up, you can expect to be moved to the waitlist next time. You may disagree with others, but please do so respectfully without personal attacks. Please keep your attendance to one event per week to ensure everyone has an opportunity to attend. This is a Philosophy event to discuss Philosophy and this event's PRIMARY function is NOT focused on Self Help, Psychology or Theology. Though those topics can be a point of discussion from time to time. Please take that into consideration when signing up!

The Dutch Heuvelrug is a hilly and sandy ridge, running from Hilversum in the north to Rhenen in the south. This National Park is covered in forest, heather and stretches of sand and dunes. On this hike, we will explore the Heuvelrug from Den Dolder. This area is mostly forested, perfect for a (hot) summer’s day! **Where to meet**: we will meet at **10 am** at train station Den Dolder. We will return to the same train station around 3pm. **This hike is fully booked.** [You may register on my website for a place on the waitlist.](https://rewildyourself.nu/dutch-nature-hikes/)

**DUE TO THE WEATHER FORECAST THIS EVENT HAS BEEN MOVED TO SUNDAY JULY 5.** **RSVP's at MeetUp.com are limited to a total of 10 and will be ignored. If you would like us to wait for you when we walk, please register for this photowalk at our Clubhouse:** **[https://www.heylo.com/event/-Ov6fp-oor44jJ5ZOLHp](https://www.heylo.com/event/-Ov6fp-oor44jJ5ZOLHp)** *\* The event is listed at MeetUp for promotion only.* *\* The number of attendees listed here is not the actual number.* \~ To celebrate the end of June Pride Month, we will walk a route discovering the Queer History of Utrecht. See more at: [https://www.queerustories.nl/wandeling/](https://www.queerustories.nl/wandeling/) ("Doe-het-zelf: ontdek queer historie in je eigen tempo") Or in English: [https://www.queerustories.nl/en/walk/](https://www.queerustories.nl/en/walk/) ("DIY: discover queer history at your own pace") Check the route here: [https://utrechttimemachine.nl/routes/queer-geschiedenisroute](https://utrechttimemachine.nl/routes/queer-geschiedenisroute) Also read more about the various locations on this website during the walk. The route includes 9 locations, each featuring images and stories about remarkable people and events from Utrecht’s queer past. We will take a few detours from this posted route, but will make sure to visit all locations on the way. We will meet at Domplein, near the Sun (big orb) in front of the Academiegebouw of Universiteit Utrecht. After the walk we could stop for a drink at Mariaplaats (optional, not included and at your own expense), share our results and talk photography. ***Let's meetup and have fun!*** *Please note:* * ***The photowalk starts at the posted time.*** Try to be there early, but if you are running late... just find us. The link to live location of the group (via Google Maps) will be shared in the Event Chat in our Clubhouse at [https://heylo.group/utrechtphotography](https://heylo.group/utrechtphotography). * ***If you register for this photowalk and you can not make it, please update your RSVP!*** * The photowalk could be cancelled or postponed in case of really bad weather. * The end time is an estimate only; the length of the actual walk could be different from posted. * Check before you go if all your equipment is working properly; lens cleaned, batteries charged, memory cards empty. * ***Come prepared:*** wear comfortable shoes, bring water and a snack, check the weather forecast - and don't forget your camera * The organisation is not responsible for any personal injury, loss, or damage to personal property during the photowalk. Participants are advised to have appropriate (travel/liability) insurance. * During the walk, pay attention to your surroundings, traffic, curbs and people. * ***Be respectful of residents, their property and privacy.*** *And finally:* * Any type of camera is welcome. * If taking pictures or making photos gives you joy, you are more than welcome! ***As extra:*** If you'd like to extent this walk, you can visit more locations yourself using the following map: [) Have fun!

I'm excited to host the 25st edition of *Strangers to Friends*! Every event so far has been warm, fun and full of great connections. So we’re doing it again! Curious about our previous events? Check out our photo albums (only visible on the laptop version of Meetup). **What to expect** * A safe, relaxed environment to meet both locals and expats, whether you want to meet new people, experience an international atmosphere or talk about business, it’s all possible. * Start the evening with a few rounds of conversation cards: pair up with someone you don’t know, answer meaningful questions and rotate every 10 minutes. Within just one hour, you’ll get to know several people really well and enjoy meaningful conversations. * Everyone comes on their own, so it’s easy to connect. **Practical details** * Doors open at 20:00, after 30 minutes we start with conversation cards * Venue: Boekencafé Libertas, Klarendalseweg 477-1, Arnhem * 20 min walk from Arnhem Central * 7 min walk from Arnhem Velperpoort * You’ll receive 1 drink token for (beer/wine/soft drinks) and snacks all night! * Find us on the right side of the café at the bar, by the window and garden Bring a smile and join us for an evening where friendships grow, business ideas spark and real-life connections happen. Back to basics, away from screens, meeting face-to-face. Warm regards, Julia

Iedereen is welkom op onze open Freedom Friday Bitcoin Turnhout Meetup @ het super gezellige café Sint Pieter - Grote Markt 60, 2300 Turnhout Geen presentaties. Geen workshops. Gewoon 1 onderwerp: bitcoin. **Connect with Like-Minded Minds** Engage with the Bitcoin community and mingle with fellow enthusiasts. This meetup is your chance to discuss the future, share ideas, and network with pioneers in the decentralized money world. 🏢 **Central Location**: café Sint Pieter ligt perfect centraal, een ruim cafe op de grote markt van Turnhout. Mark your calendars and spread the word!

grassroots meet up for women / mothers / in Amsterdam who want to bring their children into their fun, spiritual and festival-going lives! this looks like a very family friendly festival, 30 minutes drive from Amsterdam and I do believe it is accessible by public transport. please note: I am not affiliated with this event, just a new mom / family who are finding our way back to events and spaces we loved pre-baby, now ready to enjoy them with our toddler and connecting with like-minded people along the way :) https://wonderfeel.nl

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.

This meeting will be a discussion about living your life with vision loss. For some, the incremental or sudden loss of vision is traumatic and hopeless. Our group assures those with vision loss that adjustment is possible and necessary. Through their lived experience, our participants support and encourage all. You can also join the meeting by Conference Call at (518) 263-8851.

Be prepared for an entirely different type of sci-fi movie! Unofficially, the second movie in director Lars von Trier's "Depression Trilogy," 2011 Melancholia depicts the events that occur before a rogue planet is about to collide with the earth. Considered by many to be a masterpiece, the film was included in BFI's 2022 Sight and Sound Poll of the greatest movies of all time. It is available at the library as well as on Kanopy.

This is not an event, but an announcement that we are accepting new members. If you'd like to pursue joining our group, please read the "about us" section and then write us at columbusmensgroup@gmail.com with a few paragraphs about yourself, what you'd like to experience in the group, and the contribution that you'd like to make. Thank you!

**Don’t miss your opportunity to learn from a duo with over 16 years of experience combined. During this demonstration event, you can expect to learn how to direct and guide your creative vision through lighting and communication to your model. We guarantee you will leave this event feeling more confident to try new lighting set ups to match up with your anticipated outcome. Finding the right way to express your vision is key to getting your model to pose accordingly, so we got you there too! To take this even further, think about signing up for a tutorial spot following the demonstration.** ***Note: this is a demonstration event only, you will not shoot your own images. However, if you bring your camera we can test it for compatibility with the studio lights.*** **Following the demonstration will be a tutorial/coaching event - sign up separately if you are interested at** https://calendar.app.google/ZcHb4CQB2rrV3U7j9 **Save and book both for $199 (discounted from $215; the discount will be applied on the Tutorial invoice).**

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