What we’re about
~This is an open invite philosophy club. We currently meet every Wednesday at 5:00pm at Brandywine Kitchen, 1317 Commercial St. in downtown Bellingham. This club has been around since 2013, we're just now advertising on Meetup.
~We don't typically have prearranged topics or prompts. Discussion is freeform. We are currently doing book readings, however. Participation is optional. As of July '24, we are starting Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. I imagine we will spend some time on it.
~Group size has varied post-pandemic from just 2 people to around 8. We have a mix of younger community college students and older people. The complexity of discussion is usually around the introductory level for philosophy, as most students have only had a couple of classes. But, there are a few of us with more experience.
~The club is organized by a philosophy instructor at Whatcom Community College, namely me. I'm Glen, nice to (halfway) meet you! My academic background is in Western analytic philosophy, though we are all interested in the continental tradition and Eastern philosophy as well.
~In addition to philosophy, we sometimes discuss politics and science. Or just life, you know. But here's a selection of topics that we have and will discuss in the future:
- Do we have freewill? What is required for a choice or action to be free? If we do not have freewill, then what do we make of moral responsibility?
- Does God exist? Are any of the traditional arguments for the existence or non-existence of God sound? (e.g. The Cosmological Argument, Fine-tuning Argument, Problem of Evil, etc.)
- What is the nature of the self? Do we possess a soul or immaterial consciousness? Or are we only a material object (such as a brain or CNS)?
- Is there anything that we know? What is required to know something to be true? And what is truth for that matter?
- What is most important for determining right action? Is it the consequences of our actions? Moral rules or perhaps rights? What are we to do with all these trolleys?
- What does it mean to live a good life? A meaningful life? Are certain decisions or behaviors incompatible with those, and if so which ones?
There are plenty of more topics as well. These are just some of the classics.
Everyone is welcome to come down. Again, you can find me at Brandywine Kitchen at 5:00pm(ish). There is a high likelihood that I will be wearing all black (about 90%). (It makes it easier to find me, and also easier to select my clothes.) The Brandywine has happy hour until 6:00pm, and good locally sourced food. If you are 21+ there is beer and wine.
