Philosophy Now

For most of human history, religion wasn't a lifestyle choice, it was part of life. It told you who you were, why you suffered, what death means, and how to live. Then science explained the sky, the earth, and everything around us, and we told ourselves we'd evolved past all that. But the meaninglessness of life was never explained. Millions of people are still medicated, addicted, and quietly lost, in the most comfortable civilisation that has ever existed. Maybe we just stopped feeding something that was never going to stop being hungry. Can a life be meaningful without believing in anything bigger than yourself? Can science tell you how to live? Are the people replacing religion with politics, wellness culture, or ideology any less religious or just less honest about it? Is dismissing religion a sign of progress, or are we just arrogant enough to think we don't need what every civilisation before us had? Here is a video related to this topic: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DffqK6j-y1U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DffqK6j-y1U) *Please do your own research and share resources related to this topic in the comments below.* —————————————————————————————————————————————— **💛 Support The Examined Life** Enjoying the discussions? Please consider donating, it keeps us running. 👉 Donate here: [https://examinedlife.uk/donation/](https://examinedlife.uk/donation/) —————————————————————————————————————————————— **Join our Telegram group chat** Stay connected between sessions: [https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk](https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk) —————————————————————————————————————————————— **About the session** The Examined Life "Let's Discuss…" session is an open, welcoming discussion, no prior reading or expertise required. Format: * **13:15** Free-flowing group discussion on the topic * **14:00 (ish)** We split into smaller groups for deeper conversation on what interests you most * **16:00** Official end of the meetup. Most attendees stay on and keep chatting until around 18:00 —————————————————————————————————————————————— **Please RSVP accurately** Please update your RSVP if plans change, it helps us plan and frees up spots for others. —————————————————————————————————————————————— **Artwork:** Interior of a Gothic Cathedral 1612 by Paul Vredeman de Vries

☕ PHISC Coffee & Conversations – Our First Ever Meetup! Join us for the inaugural event of PHI Social Club (PHISC) as we bring together a welcoming group of people for an afternoon of coffee, conversation, and connection. Whether you're looking to make new friends, expand your social circle, share ideas, discover new opportunities, or simply enjoy good company, we'd love to meet you. This is a relaxed and informal gathering with no speeches, no pressure, and no expectations—just genuine conversation in a friendly environment. As our very first event, you'll also have the opportunity to help shape the future of PHISC by sharing your ideas for future activities, social gatherings, cultural events, wellness meetups, networking opportunities, and community projects. Everyone is welcome, whether you're attending alone or bringing a friend. 📍 Costa Coffee, The Brewery, Romford 📅 Saturday, 6 June 2026 🕔 5:00 PM Come along, grab your favourite drink, and be part of the beginning of something special. We look forward to meeting you. — PHI Social Club Building community through meaningful connections.

**🏛️ 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: * 14:00-14.15 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the ‘official' start. * 14:15-14:20 - 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. * 14:20-15:20 - 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. * 15:20-15:30 - 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) 👈

In this event, we will discuss about a science or philosophy book chosen by London Science and Philosophy Book Club. The attendees will be divided into groups and each of them will focus on a chapter in the book. This month we will discuss about a fascinating book called The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. If you haven't read the book, it's no problem. I will bring you up to speed with the discussion materials. We will meet in a nice lounge area at 6 p.m for introductions. Please come on time so you will not miss out on valuable discussion midway. If you end up in the waitlist, feel free to show up. Book Description: Doing well with money isn't necessarily about what you know. It's about how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to really smart people. Money – investing, personal finance, and business decisions – is typically taught as a math-based field, where data and formulas tell us exactly what to do. But in the real world people don't make financial decisions on a spreadsheet. They make them at the dinner table, or in a meeting room, where personal history, your own unique view of the world, ego, pride, marketing, and odd incentives are scrambled together. In The Psychology of Money, award-winning author Morgan Housel shares 19 short stories exploring the strange ways people think about money and teaches you how to make better sense of one of life's most important topics. Agenda: 6 p.m to 6:30 p.m: Introduction and Socializing 6:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m: Book Discussion 9:30 p.m to late night: Drinks, Dinner or Feel free to go home

We love a good chat. Come and join us at Table 45

***This is a group for deep conversation, making friends, discussing philosophy, (good) music, art, poetry, experiences, politics, etc and building a strong community in London.*** **We are going to meet at the top of Primrose Hill for a picnic, (bring something if you can, no worries if you can’t) and we are going to discuss relax, have a chat and discuss courage.** ***This will be a collaboration with:*** [Philosophy in the Park](https://www.meetup.com/london-philosophy-collective/) **15:00 - 18:00 is the club time, but people can and will stay longer for more chatting, and to talk about other groups for you to join.** **For updates, conversation and our whereabouts on the day check the** [WhatsApp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/LyRmJUaqN5zLJ2x21nIo04) **<—-click here**

Our topic this week for our Global Class is: **Defrag your Memory Banks and Integrate the Eternal Now** The process is a global recording of an experiential journey at a recent retreat. Where we are taken through a journey of integration and healing with all that we truly are, being here, now, present to surrender to the Eternal Self. I would like to invite you to join us this coming Sunday morning at 11.30am for our FREE weekly online global class, where a discourse and guided meditation will be facilitated by one of my peers. This class is hosted by the Cosmosis™ Mentoring Centre. To attend please EMAIL: admin@mysteryschool.net.au Simply Share: Hello my name is ____________________. I will be attending the free online Global Class on Sunday @ 11. 30am UK time. I look forward to receiving the login details. I live in ___________ (city, country). If different (and applicable) the name on my Microsoft Teams Account is ______________________________________________. Patti at admin will email the instructions and Teams link for the class the day before the call. Please remember to check your junk mail. The call starts at 11.30am and *no late comers are allowed in to the call as it interrupts the flow of class*. Please, therefore, ensure you have dialed in for **11.25am** and are in a private sacred space to avail yourself of the opportunity to work with these sacred processes and receive the wisdom. Take care Claire

We start June by reading Amanda Montell's 2019 effort, *Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language*. Our first non-fiction of 2026 is a 'brash, enlightening, and wildly entertaining work of pop linguistics and a feminist look at gendered language and the way it shapes us.' (Book jacket) '[Montell], reporter and feminist linguist, deconstructs language—from insults, cursing, gossip, and catcalling to grammar and pronunciation patterns—to reveal the ways it has been used for centuries to keep women and other marginalized genders from power.' -Waterstones https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53066379-wordslut In the eternal hope of good weather in London in the spring/summer, we will have the meeting in Haz St Paul's lovely outdoor area. So come along for some great atmosphere, delicious Turkish food, and insightful discussion. N.B. We will be charging an event fee of £3, non-refundable, to discourage no-shows and contribute to the running costs of the group. Please only sign up if you intend to come along as space is limited to make for an effective discussion!

Day retreat with Zazen and discussion. It might be best if you have some meditation experience but come anyway even if you don't and are feeling brave! Or you may want to try one of our shorter Wednesday evening sits in Chiswick first. Please get there before 9.45 so we can show you what to do before we start at 10:00. Bring your own packed lunch and wear something you can sit cross legged in comfortably. Cost £20 towards the hire of the room. Further info on www.londonzen.org Schedule 10:00-11:00 Zazen-Kinhin-Zazen 11:00-11:20 Coffee/tea break 11:20-12:20 Talk and Discussion 12:30-13:30 Zazen-Kinhin-Zazen 13:30-14:30 Lunch Break 14:30-15:30 Zazen-Kinhin-Zazen 15:30 End Cost £20 toward the hire of the hall.

Come and get the chance to speak in a supportive and friendly environment. Public Speaking will boost your confidence and give you more power to speak and to be listened to in both your personal and professional life. **What makes this public speaking session different from others you ask?** There is a strong emphasis on self-expression, creativity, trial and error, and most importantly, speaking practice! **What will you gain from this event?** * Gain confidence by overcoming your fear of public speaking * Learn to think on your feet with our Impromptu speaking format * Get feedback and improve your public speaking with a real audience * Tips and opportunities to practice: body language, voice, tone, pitch, uses of stories, use of pauses, humour, etc... **Here's how it works:** \*I may choose to change the format from time to time based on numbers, and to practice different aspects of public speaking in order to keep it challenging\* You will put your name in a hat/bowl and when your name is chosen, you will be asked to perform. You will speak for 2 minutes on a random topic given by the audience. This is called an impromptu speech. We will do 2-3 rounds of speaking followed by a feedback session at the end of the workshop. **Public Speaking suggestions:** TIP: Give your impromptu speech the following 3 sections below. 1. Introduction ("Today, I'm going to talk about....") 2. Body ("Here is my personal experience....") 3. Conclusion ("So, my key message is ....") Each speech is to be 2 minutes long. Audience size 10-15 people. You're not obligated to speak, although I may strongly encourage you to do so. **What to bring:** Yourself only- There are no mandatory necessities which you must bring. **Dress Code:** There is no dress code. It is best practice however, that you wear the attire for the occasion which you are practicing for. **Where to find us:** **Closest underground stations:** Bank, Monument, Liverpool Street, Aldgate - All 5 minutes walk away **Theatre Delicatessen** **107 Leadenhall Street** **EC3A 4AF** Should you have any problems locating the venue, please feel free to contact me before the start of the event. The event is wheelchair accessible. **\*Please note we start and end strictly on time\*** \*You will be refused entry beyond 7:10pm, so please reschedule if you should not make it\* **EVENT DURATION:** 3:45pm - Registration :: 4:00pm - Event start - 6:00pm - End **\*This event is FREE - for first timers only\* -** **FIRST TIMERS PLEASE NOTE:** You MUST book a free "First timer" ticket through Eventbrite and present this on attendance. Failure to do so means that you will need to pay £15. This is a measure intended to keep control of the number of students attending the event. **Cost: £15 per session** **First-timers only discount: £35 for 5 sessions**. Please speak to the organiser for registration. (These can be used within 60 days and you can attend any of our public speaking practice sessions on any day.) **Payment methods:** Cash in hand, Card reader, Pay on www.veespeak.co.uk ***Marketing and email subscription disclaimer:*** *We value your privacy, and would never we will never share or sell your details to a 3rd Party.* ***Email Subscription:*** *By signing up and attending our events you explicitly agree to be contacted by email from Veespeak's marketing team regarding our newest courses, discounts, and upcoming events. You can always opt-out if you feel the information shared is no longer relevant to you.* We may take pictures or record sections of the workshops for training and quality purposes. We will never use this information without your prior consent. **Website & Social Media:** *Website: [www.veespeak.co.uk](http://www.veespeak.co.uk/)* *Instagram: @veespeak - [https://www.instagram.com/veespeakps/](https://www.instagram.com/veespeak/)* *Facebook: @veespeak - [https://www.facebook.com/veespeakps/](https://www.facebook.com/veespeak/)* *Linkedin: @veespeak - [https://www.linkedin.com/company/veespeakps](https://www.linkedin.com/company/veespeak)* *Meetup Group: [https://www.meetup.com/veespeak](https://www.meetup.com/veespeak)* **Contact Information:** Email: hello@veespeak.co.uk Contact No: 07713 123321 Valentin Todorov - Organiser

This is a **theatre** and **livestream** talk from the **Royal Institution of Great Britain.** Join a team of forensic scientists for an immersive, demo-filled event taking us through the process of analysing and solving a crime, plus a look at the new technology changing the way DNA is analysed. **ADVANCE BOOKING AND PAYMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS TALK.** **More details and booking instructions on the RI web site:** **[https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/forensics-how-solve-crime](https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/forensics-how-solve-crime)** **SUMMARY** We are used to media depictions of forensic science, but what does the real process look like? And how are new technologies changing the face of modern forensics? In this unique event, a team of forensic specialists from around the UK will come together to guide you through a fictional case. Discover how the **SCAnDi** project could revolutionise the world of forensics by allowing scientists to trace DNA from a single cell, and therefore “unmix” the messy DNA profiles of multiple people often found at crime scenes. Scientific investigation of a crime involves a multidisciplinary team, and through the use of intricate recreation crime scenes and demonstrations, this event will explore how these individuals can come together to uncover crucial evidence. Ranging from DNA analysis to soil science, you'll have the chance to discover real forensic science used to solve crimes. **This event will cover sensitive material which some may find upsetting, including physical violence, sexual assault, death and suicide. It is suitable for those aged 16+.** This is a theatre and livestream event for an adult audience, where the speakers and audience in our Theatre are joined by our audience online. **The livestream will go live around 7.25pm, and the talk will begin at 7.30pm. If you register but miss the livestream, the video will be available to you via the same link for two weeks after the event date.** For more information on livestreams, see the information below, or [visit our FAQs page](https://www.rigb.org/whats/faqs-ri-livestreams). Please use the event link you have been provided with. By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and accept the Ri's [event terms and conditions](https://www.rigb.org/terms-and-conditions). You also agree to abide by [our code of conduct](https://www.rigb.org/about-us/how-were-run/our-code-conduct-ri-visitors), and help to create a great experience for yourself and your fellow participants.

I have been studying the question of "self" online with Prof. Ellie Anderson and so I thought a prompt on the "self" might be interesting. Full confession: I had Claude create this prompt and I like it, so here goes: Imagine a thought experiment that merges two classic puzzles: > You undergo a procedure, performed neuron by neuron, in which every biological component of your brain is replaced with a functionally identical synthetic substitute. At each step, your behavior, memories, and personality remain unchanged. When the last neuron is swapped, is the consciousness experiencing the world still you? And — more pressingly — was there ever a continuous "you" to begin with? ### Questions to Wrestle With * If consciousness is purely physical, does the *gradual* nature of the replacement matter, or is it equivalent to being destroyed and rebuilt? * Could there be a "self" without continuity of experience — even moment to moment, while you sleep? On a more practical level, consider the simpler case first: **hemispherectomy** patients — people who have had an entire cerebral hemisphere surgically removed — often retain a strong sense of personal identity and continuity. This suggests "you" are not rigidly tied to specific physical material. But does that vindicate the synthetic neuron case, or merely show that identity is more *flexible* than we thought — not that it can survive *complete* substrate replacement? I used Claude so I could get this out today and let everyone have some time to consider it. Hope to see you at the Oracle. Sorry about the location change two weeks ago. That's what I get for trusting local weather predictions!

Couldn't make Knowledge? Or want to debrief the dancing robots or Autonomous Workforce? Join us for a Knowledge '26 recap, insights sharing, a couple rounds of golf, and fun at Topgolf. As always, drinks and food will be provided. More details to come — mark your calendar, RSVP, and save your spot today!

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

In the year 2044, in the age of AI, a woman named Gabrielle (Seydoux) tries to purify her DNA by purging the inherited memories of her past lives. She (re)lives her life in 1910 Paris and 2014 Los Angeles, and as the procedure goes on, the lines between her worlds become blurred. These three timelines have a lot of connective tissue holding them together; certain symbols and motifs appear repeatedly, not to mention Mackay’s Louis, a figure whom Gabrielle seems drawn to in each lifetime. *The Beast / La Bête* can be streamed for free on Kanopy or the Criterion Channel. It's also available for rent on Amazon Prime, AppleTV and YouTube.

*Note: this is a demonstration event only, you **will not** shoot you own images. However, if you bring your camera we can test it for compatibility with the studio lights.* Bondage elements can add an extra layer of emotion and artistry to your images. Sample images on the internet are however dominated by BDSM style shots that are often sexualized and emphasize the model being in distress. In this demonstration Rachel and I show ways to use bondage elements in an artistic way. We explore the types of accessories that work best in artistic images and the best way to photograph them. Our model is Rachel Adams, an internationally known fetish model with many years of experience in this genre.

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

Join the weight loss in Columbus group at the Scioto Audubon Park for an in person meeting. We'll meet to chat casually, talk about goals and enjoy one of Columbus's wonderful parks. We'll meet at one of the outdoor shelters, which is covered in case of rain, is close to some walking trails, and there's also a climbing gym that people can try out (my favorite past time) if people are interested. Let's meet and see where we can take things!