Virginia Beach Philosophy and Theology Meetup Group

It can be argued that sports events are to our contemporary society what popular dramatic tragedies were to ancient Greek society. In his analysis of tragedy, Aristotle points out its ritual function as catharsis: spectators are purged of pity and fear through vicarious participation in the drama. In contemporary sports, spectators purge their own emotions of success or failure through vicarious participation in the game. Sport offers us a cathartic outlet for real-life suffering and failure: Some teams embody constant failure. The Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Minnesota Vikings mirror the greatest ancient tragedies. In Sophocles ' tragedy Oedipus Rex, he unwittingly murders his father and marries his mother, but there are so many “if onlys” along the path to his destruction. If only Oedipus had not met his father on the road to Thebes. If only he had not asked questions, if only the old shepherd had not told him the truth. Similar tragedies are played out in football stadiums every Sunday in the Fall. If only he had not fumbled, not thrown the interception, not gone offsides.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Habakkuk complains to God: Why is life so unfair? Why do the evil flourish and the good suffer? The only answer he gets is that you have to live by faith. The believer is asked to live by faith, even though it is difficult amid so much suffering in the world. Also true of the fan who lives by faith, ever hoping next year will be the year they win it all. The just shall live by faith…the fan shall wait till next year.
Sports and drama can also be seen as a substitute for war. No one really suffers. After all the death and destruction in a tragedy, the actors get up, go home, and have a sandwich. Similarly, in sports: the tragedy is not absolute; the players suffer loss, but go home to their million-dollar houses and come back the next day or next year to do it again. Not so in war.
We all struggle with our insecurities and failures. We fall, but we get up and struggle on. When life hands us a tragedy, we refuse to give up hope, and we look to the future just as the fan does. Like the last line of Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Count of Monte Cristo: "Has not the count just told us that all human wisdom is summed up in two words: 'Wait and hope.'”

⚠️This event is a repeat of the 9/9 event. If this is full, look for the earlier date for availability. ⚠️

What gives a conscious being moral worth? If an alien intelligence landed on Earth tomorrow, would our standard human ethical rules apply to them—or theirs to us? Whether we face communication barriers like the Heptapods in Arrival, tragic misunderstandings like the Formics in Ender’s Game, or non-intervention dilemmas like Star Trek’s Prime Directive, encountering extraterrestrial life forces us to re-evaluate what it means to be a "person." Join us as we explore interstellar ethics, non-human personhood, consciousness, and the moral responsibilities that come with first contact.

Discussion Topics & Media References:

• Defining Non-Human Personhood (Star Trek: The Next Generation - "The Measure of a Man")

• What criteria entitle a conscious entity to moral rights and ethical protection? Is personhood tied to emotional capacity, self-awareness, cognitive complexity, or simply the ability to experience suffering? How do traditional human ethical frameworks (Kantian duties, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics) hold up when applied to non-human beings?

• Communication, Qualia, and Moral Misunderstanding (Arrival)

• In Arrival, the Heptapods experience consciousness and time non-linearly, making their perception of reality fundamentally different from ours. How does the "hard problem" of consciousness affect ethics? If we cannot understand the subjective internal experience (qualia) of an alien mind, how can we establish moral consensus or accurately judge their intentions?

• In-Group Loyalty, Survival, and Existential Xenophobia (Ender’s Game)

• In Ender’s Game, devastating war stems entirely from a complete failure to communicate and comprehend a non-human hive-mind consciousness. At what point does self-defense cross into ethical catastrophe? How do empathy gaps, fear of the unknown, and species-level survival instincts distort our moral reasoning when encountering radically different lifeforms?

• The Morality of Non-Interference (Star Trek)

• Analyzing the philosophical arguments behind the "Prime Directive." Is a strict rule of non-intervention a noble respect for another civilization's natural development, or does it represent a moral failure to prevent suffering and extinction when we have the power to help?

• Anthropocentrism and Moral Exploitation (District 9 & The Abyss)

• Why do human ethical systems so often default to exploiting or marginalizing conscious entities that fall outside our visual, linguistic, or cultural norms? How does our historical behavior toward non-human consciousness on Earth predict how we might treat conscious life from other worlds?

Next book in my "If I pick it then I have to read it" series: I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison published in 1967. But maybe very pertinent to now. This short story is about an A.I. uprising in which a super computer "AM" gains sentience and eradicates humanity except for five individuals (wikipedia).

Getting ready for October spooky vibes, let's chat about our A.I. overlords and what our future may look like. A warning, many have said this short story is very scary and intense. User discretion advised if you don't think you want to read a horror story. Though please know it is not necessary to have read to come and enjoy the company and discuss your views.

Looking forward to seeing you! And I promise no A.I. was used in the creation of this meetup ;)

Group Day Trip to the Mountains

You can ride together and do the whole day plan or just meet everyone at a specific location.

I have 7 seats in my vehicle and would be happy to drive anyone. Please let me know ASAP if you’d like to ride along.

RSVP for this event is open until 10/2

Monticello is Jefferson’s Home in Charlottesville Va. Once you buy a ticket, you will have access to all day exhibits and outdoor programs.

They recommend for group parties to buy tickets together. I will be accepting reservations until Oct 2nd to buy as a group. I will message you privately to confirm if you want to purchase as a group or individually. Please note that if any personal circumstances arise and someone is unable to go, tickets are not refundable.

Saturday 11/7

7:00- Meet in Williamsburg, you can park at my work if you plan on driving together

7:30- Breakfast at Manhattan Bagel off Richmond Rd. This will be a grab and go, not sit down.

Drive to Monticello is approximately 2 hours. We will arrive between 10-10:30

11:15- Highlights tour, need to be present at home 30 min prior- there is a bus from parking up to the home. If you are buying tickets separately, it needs to be this specific tour at this time. It is $42 per ticket

1:00- Lunch at Michie Tavern, sit down lunch

2:30- Or after lunch, Carter Mountain Apple Orchard to pick from apple trees. You will need to purchase a single entry pass for that day at 3:00 pm ($10.99). Please do this in advance.

We may drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway for a bit on the way back. The leaves will be changing and have some beautiful scenic views.
Plan to be back in Williamsburg around 7:00 pm

Attaching links to:
Monticello- https://www.monticello.org/tours/highlights-tour

Michie Tavern- https://www.michietavern.com

Carter Mountain Apple Orchard- https://chilesfamilyorchards.com/carter-mountain-orchard/

Please reach out if you have any questions!