WHAT IS PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY

Practical Philosophy at its simplest, is a container to encourage a deep discussion. 

Each week, we select one topic and our groups around the world get together in-person to discuss it. The goal is to develop our critical thinking and communication through discussion. Our meetups are also a good opportunity to get to know people in an alcohol-free environment.  

Practical Philosophy is a space to explore thoughts and ideas. We want to encourage nuanced, non-dogmatic discussion. We aim to offer an alternative to the black-and-white discourse that has plagued our society in recent years. 

We welcome anyone willing to listen to and consider new perspectives, and who aim to question their own assumptions. Through our discussions, we aim to better understand ourselves and others. 

Because our goal is to bring people together for a good discussion, it doesn’t make sense if we meet in a group of 20-30 people. For this reason, we split into groups after the meeting introduction. This allows us to keep into groups of 6-8 people, so we’re able to maintain a conversational tone. Our goal is to create a space that encourages those deep conversations that you’d have with your friends in a backyard during the summer.

WHAT WE ARE NOT

We are not a philosophy group in the traditional sense of exploring the works of Plato or Descartes (we tried that and no one wanted to attend that style of meet-up again). Rather, we look to explore the particular personal philosophies of the members, to learn what ideas got us here in our lives, and see how we can get closer to our own truth and wisdom. 

If you do come from a specific school of thought and want to share that perspective on the topic, feel free. If you have a certain perspective on the topic that may be a little out there, throw it on the table. Our goal here is to be open to hearing all ideas and viewing them non-dogmatically. This allows us to see what resonates for us and what doesn’t. 

GENERAL MEETING AGENDA

Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows the same general timeline. We’ll offer the itinerary based on a meet-up that starts at 19:00, but some may start at 18:00, 18:30, 14:00, whenever. Adjust the itinerary to match your start time.  

• 19:00-19:15 – Attendees arrive, we get to know each other and chat.
• 19:15-19:25 – Organizer gives the meeting introduction, covers the rules and weekly topic and splits everyone into groups. If it’s a small group, we stay together, but when it gets too big we split up. We try to keep group sizes between 6-7 people to maintain a conversational tone.
• 19:25-20:45 – Break into small groups – each person introduces themselves and may offer general thoughts on the topic, then we have an open discussion afterwards. You can review the ‘jump-off’ questions that are shared in the Whatsapp groups when the topic is announced as needed, but it is not required to go through them.
• 20:45-21:00 – All groups come back together – organizer asks if anyone wants to share what they learned or talked about. To start it off, organizer will usually share something first and then it becomes a short discussion from there. After a short group discussion, the organizer takes a group photo and concludes the official meeting. People generally hang out and chat informally afterwards. 

DISCUSSION GUIDELINES

The guidelines we have at Practical Philosophy are designed to allow us to have open-minded discussions and encourage new findings. Please keep these guidelines in mind and exercise them when the Philosophy Club begins. 

1. No side-talk in the group, let’s have one conversation at a time. 
2. Do NOT monopolize the conversation. We want to hear your point of view, but we also want to hear from everyone. Be aware of how much you’re talking and give others space to share.
3. If someone isn’t sharing, feel free to ask their opinion. Not everyone wants to share, but give them the opportunity in case they do. 
4. If someone says something you don’t agree with, or triggers you, don’t attack them personally. Take a breath, ask questions so you understand, and then offer your perspectives from a calm place.
5. We have a topic each week, but we don’t need to stay on topic. If the discussion starts going off track, but in a way that the group is on board with, feel free. 
6. At the same time remember it’s Practical Philosophy, so if it starts getting too woo-woo, try to bring it back. 
7. Feel free to get as vulnerable as you’re comfortable with, but keep in mind that we don’t want to be trauma dumping either. We absolutely want to hear your story, but we also want to be aware of if we’re sharing too much that it’s negatively affecting the conversation. Self-awareness is key here.
8. When sharing your thoughts, try not to share like you are the final authority on the topic. Share with confidence, but also with the humility to listen to others in case there’s another way to look at your point. 

Want to attend a meet-up? Find a club near you and join the WhatsApp group here: