Universalism

🏛️ **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/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t), along with jump-off points to get the conversation going. When groups get bigger than 7-8 people, it’s important that we break into smaller groups. This way we are able to maintain a conversational flow as opposed to having our meetups feel like a discourse or lecture. **General Meeting Agenda** Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows this general timeline: * 19:00-19:15 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the ‘official' start. * 19:15-19:25 - Meeting introduction, explanation of Practical Philosophy and the topic for the week, read the guidelines and the overview so attendees know what to expect in terms of timelines. * 19:25-20:45 - Break into small groups - introduce yourselves and general thoughts on the topic, open discussion afterwards. At this point the group can review the ‘jump-off’ questions as needed, but they are just there to help guide the conversation. It’s not obligatory to answer them. * 20:45-21:00 - Bring everyone back together to discuss conclusions of the topic - each group gives a short 1-minute summary. Organizer concludes the meeting and everyone takes a group photo. * 21:00 - The official meeting is over but it’s a great opportunity to get to know people in a non-structured environment, so we often stick around, chat, and get to know each other. **🧧PRICING?** Practical Philosophy Club is FREE to attend! We just ask that if we are meeting in a café, buy a beverage! Some chapters rent a space for us to meet, and they may ask for donations to help contribute to the cost of rent. Donations will always be 100% voluntary though! 💛 **WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY** 🗣 “I feel like Philosophy Club helps someone build their own belief system through a series of perspectives while not promoting what’s right and wrong” - Ekam 🗣 “I got hooked from day 1 (the topic was authority) and felt it was the right place for me. I feel it is a place where people can go to learn and discuss new perspectives and increase critical thinking and community by interacting with people who might challenge your point of views but at the same time encourage you to have openness and mind flexibility.” - Daniel **🤓 FAQ** * ​What will we talk about? What's the topic? ​The topic for the week is shared every Sunday in the Whatsapp group. We try to add the topic to the comment section on this event page as well but if you don’t see it, the topic and the jump-off points will be in our [Whatsapp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t). * 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/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t) group for this location. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you join the Whatsapp group! If you want to know what other cities have a Practical Philosophy Club, you can see our chapters on our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/practical-philosophy-locations/). **PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY - Making Philosophy Available To All.** ✨ Practical Philosophy hosts weekly, in-person meetups in over 20 countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️ \*\*\* Join our [Whatsapp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dsjl0cwLVxR4tw1jTC1Osx?mode=gi_t) 👈 Follow us on [Instagram](www.instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈 Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈

**Looking for some friendly, fun 11 v 11 football action? All are welcome.** A Referee and official Host/s will be there to facilitate and ensure safety. Please note: \- Be on time to ensure game starts promptly\. \- Bring a DARK \(black or navy\) and WHITE jersey to facilitate team splitting\. \- Following a short safety briefing from the official host\, 2 teams \(maximum 3 subs\) will be formed and play will begin\. Normal rules apply\. \- Occasionally\, just one team will be formed\, and will play against an external social team with a compatible skill level\. As always, keep games safe and friendly: watch the tackles, avoid sliding, and exhibit great sportsmanship! **\*\*Please note that RSVP on this event doesn't mean you've successfully booked the game. Contact us via WhatsApp +65 88144810 for more details.\*\***

Welcome to the Party of Fives Meetups! If you are a gamer who wants to go beyond the usual PARTY gaming fare at boardgame meetups and cafes, this is it! We don't usually play Cards against Humanity, Exploding Kittens and Unstable Unicorns. That's just us. Make us play if you can. We will be playing an assortment of board games ranging from light strategic kinds to heavy thematic ones. Games we usually play range from light ones like Azul, Splendor, Jamaica to medium ones like Yokohama, Endeavor and Nippon and of course heavy ones like Twilight Imperium, Gloomhaven, Tainted Grail and Kingdom Death Monster! Do not be surprised if you see us painting miniatures or are engaged in some sort of insanely time-consuming enhancements towards our game elements in our games. Everyone get their kick in different ways. :) Painting groups are also in their groups of fives ... For the game designers out there, just tell us that you are a creator when you see us and we will have our own private creative sessions mapped out in a feasible way. Most others don't care so we should not disturb the force unnecessarily. We will contact you when you sign up and place you into appropriate messaging groups with different needs to facilitate further communication. Total noobs are totally welcome! While we don't serve food ourselves, we are smack right in the middle of the legendary Golden Mile premises with an huge range of eateries from super curry puffs, loud Japanese izakaya food, heavenly chicken rice with steamboat, hellish black burgers and authentic Thai food that is just sick. All within a pebble's throw away. Tea and dinner sessions (at our own expenses) usually follow the gaming sessions according to our designated groups. Due to the current Covid-19 and social distancing restrictions, you are not allowed to join us for these food consuming sessions only. For your understanding, please If you have something specific in mind, do a shout out below and we see if we can help within reasonable grounds. There will be a charge of SGD $15 (ARENA: $15), (HEAVY/CAMPAIGN GAMES: $25) collected at the door (in cash) to help with the running of the event. How to sign up for our sessions: • Join the Singapore Manga Anime Games & Cosplay Assembly as a member. • RSVP below and retain a screenshot of your RSVP as proof. • Note that without proof of RSVP you will not be allowed into the premises. • Note that those who sign up but do not show up will not be allowed to sign up for future Party of Five sessions. • Note that RSVP closes 6 hours before the event takes place. For those who will like to form groups to play other games, feel free to shout out your intentions at the comments section below: Note that there won’t be any game masters around to help you with your games on site. The meetup will run from the time stated to the time ended. By signing up for this meetup, you agree to the terms and conditions set above.

**For ages 13 and above.** Aikido is a martial art which originated in Japan with its founder, Morihei Ueshiba, in the early twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the world’s most popular martial arts. At its most basic level, Aikido is an empty-handed system of throwing, joint-locking, striking and pinning techniques, coupled with training in the varying use of sword (bokken), staff (jo) and knife (tanto) techniques. The core principle of Aikido is not to resist the laws of nature but to harmonize without the undue application of aggressive strength. In practice, aikido techniques are applied by efficient redirection of the attacker’s power against him/her using minimal force and without being overly injurious. The word “aikido” is formed of three kanji, namely 合 (ai) meaning joining or unifying, 気 (ki) which means spirit or energy, and 道 (dō) which is loosely interpreted as “the path” or “the way”. ### **Address** 346D King George's Avenue, 5th Floor, Singapore, Singapore ### **Schedule** Sundays 230PM - 330PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 13 and above.** Muay Thai is a striking based martial art and sport. Also known as “The Art of Eight Limbs”, it is characterised by the combined use of the fists, elbows, knees and shins. It is an ancient martial art of Thailand known for its tremendous power. Students will be taught how to utilise a symphony of kicks, punches, knees strikes and elbow strikes. ### **Address** 701A Yishun Ave 5, #02-01A, Singapore 761701 ### **Schedule** Sundays 6PM - 7PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 7 and above. Children aged 5 to 7 require parental assistance.** Want to test your skill at the sport? Be the Willliam Tell or Robin Hood? Absolute Archery (Singapore) was inaugurated in 2020, aiming to provide training venue, competitive coaching, fun shoot events and a place for the community bring people together to advocate and support each other in pursuing the sports. Our head coach, Colin, has been active in the sports since late 90s till date. Being a competitive archer, he was with the National Team and had accumulated experiences which he could share with the archers and students. ### **Address** 9 Ah Hood Rd, East Asia Institute of Management ### **Schedule** Sundays 3PM - 4PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 12 and above.** Aikido provides the Practitioners with knowledge and skills that will enable them to defend themselves against an opponent of superior size and strength through the use of smooth, fluid and circular movements. It emphasises blending with an opponent’s force rather than meeting it head on. Through the practice of Aikido, individuals can develop character qualities and values such as self-confidence, discipline, respect, and a sense of care and concern for one another. The class also aims to help Practitioners to better manage stress, violence or even work-related issues with a calm, peaceful and a more harmonious approach/mind-set. Thus, the benefits of Aikido go beyond merely physical fitness and can contribute towards the overall development of an individual. ### **Address** 9 Sin Ming Rd, B1-02 Thomson V One, Singapore 575630 ### **Schedule** Sundays 215PM - 315PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

**For ages 17 and above.** This lesson will cover: * Appreciation of Aikido philosophy * Focus on body mechanics * Practical application This class focuses on understanding the core ideas of Aikido and improving body movement. Students work on making techniques more precise and effective, using better leverage rather than just strength. Training also includes practicing weapon disarm, free movement throws, and handling multiple attacks. ### **Address** Alexandra Retail Centre (ARC), 460 Alexandra Road #03-02, PSA Building, 119963 ### **Schedule** Sundays 4PM - 5PM ### **Booking Information** * Please contact **98225900** to find out how to book this class. * The instructor will reach out to you once you've booked the class.

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.

If you are interested in selecting investment choices for your 401(k) or other workplace savings plan, minimizing your income tax liability, or identifying the most effective investments for your brokerage account, we are the group for you. We are a local chapter of Bogleheads, whose investment strategy can be found here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy Or you can peruse the Boglehead forum here: https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php I look forward to seeing you there. Mark Vonder Haar

A time to make signs, pack swag bags, and have fun together in anticipation for the Pride festivities the week after.

Happy Birthday to all June birthday people! I put this on the schedule because it's my birthday month, and this is my favorite place; it's also Dave Koczur's (MAFIA meetup leader) birthday on June 8; if you who are reading this have a June birthday as well, tell us in the Comments! For anyone off work or with a flexible schedule, come to Pistachio Vera in German Village for a tea and pastry. We will try to get a table outside. If convenient, you could put a fold up chair in your car in case we can all sit outside but we run out of chairs. https://www.pistaciavera.com/

We will have our certified mediums available and you can receive 3 10-minute readings for $20. To keep you safe, we will be following all CDC and Health Dept. guidelines at our psychic fair today. Sitters and readers required to wear a mask. We will maintain a minimum of 6 foot physical distance during readings. Please, if you can, bring your own portable chair to use during your readings. Please note that we are at our wonderful new home at Unity of Columbus, 4211 Maize Road, Columbus, OH

This is a free, in-person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships. Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse. Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well. Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship. Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action? Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships! Break free from self imposed limitations Here we will discuss: • How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes. • Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you? • Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it? • Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love? • Fights & arguments - what's really behind them? • What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others? • How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change? • Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them? • How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about? • How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career? Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general. Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person. Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life. We look forward to having you join us! This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

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!