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Socrates Cafe
These are one-and-a-half hour, informal conversations that anyone is welcome to join. The format is simple and gives everyone who wants it a chance to speak. It's also fine to simply listen.
These conversations will be held on the third Tuesday morning of each month, from 10:00 - 11:30 am, at the library, and on the first Sunday of the month, from 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm.
The founder of Socrates cafés, Christopher Phillips, dreamed of dragging philosophy out of cobwebbed ivory towers and back into the streets - or at least public places - where Socrates practiced the art. "It's a dialogue, where people discover their unique philosophical perspectives and world views as they lock hearts and minds with other people." He regards these cafes as "nurturing the fourth R" - reasoning.
We will follow these "Tips for a Great Conversation"
* Suspend judgment as best you can
* Listen … with respect
* Seek to understand rather than persuade
* Invite and honor diversity of opinion
* Speak what has personal heart and meaning
* Go for honesty and depth without going on and on
The topics will emerge from the interests of the participants. For more information, read Socrates Café, or go to the Society for Philosophical Inquiry. We are also using guidelines from Conversation cafe.
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