Book Clubs London

The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley

In this event, we will discuss about a science or philosophy book chosen by London Science and Philosophy Book Club. The attendees will be divided into groups and each of them will focus on a chapter or one of the main ideas in the book. This month we will discuss about a fascinating book called The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley. If you haven't read the book, it's no problem. I will bring you up to speed with the discussion materials. We will meet in a nice lounge area at 6 p.m for introductions. Please come on time so you will not miss out on valuable discussion midway. If you end up in the waitlist, feel free to show up. Book Description: In 1953, in the presence of an investigator, Aldous Huxley took four-tenths of a gram of mescalin, sat down and waited to see what would happen. When he opened his eyes everything, from the flowers in a vase to the creases in his trousers, was transformed. Huxley described his experience with breathtaking immediacy in The Doors of Perception. In its sequel Heaven and Hell, he goes on to explore the history and nature of mysticism. Still bristling with a sense of excitement and discovery, these illuminating and influential writings remain the most fascinating account of the visionary experience ever written. Agenda: 6 p.m to 7 p.m: Introduction and Socializing 7 p.m to 9:30 p.m: Book Discussion 9:30 p.m to late night: Drinks, Dinner or Feel free to go home

WRITE CLUB: one hour of silent writing (or reading) in the company of others

The first rule of WRITE CLUB is that you do not talk ***during*** WRITE CLUB. This very simple meetup is based on the premise that public and peer accountability enables more productive writing than sitting at home and getting distracted by the fridge. We will write/read for an hour in silence. (I will be writing thought experiments for my other meetup group: [THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBLIC](https://www.meetup.com/thought-experiments-in-pubs)) If you'd like to hang out afterwards, or if you prefer just to hang out, I have another event immediately afterwards in the same place :-) You can find that here: [HANGING OUT AT THE SOUTHBANK](https://www.meetup.com/experimentsin/events/316536684) And if you'd like to finish the evening with a dance, there is a free social salsa meetup just outside The Southbank Centre just afterwards. More info [here](https://www.instagram.com/salserosfriends/). **This event will take place in the foyer of The Southbank Centre.** You can find us by looking out for: * A tote bag with WRITE CLUB sewn onto it * My T-Shirt, which will have HANGING OUT embroidered on the back of it * Other writers - who may be spread out across the centre. They will have white pieces of paper with the WRITE CLUB stamp at the top of the page. There are plenty of places to buy refreshments, but you can also bring your own if you prefer. [WHATSAPP GROUP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/BpMwnRev0H237KMx4uPnek) [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/experimentsingroupwisdom) [SUBSTACK](https://experimentsingroupwisdom.substack.com/) Looking forward to meeting and writing with you :-) Bonny

Deeper Discussion: Does your life have a purpose?

Does your life have a purpose? Is purpose something we discover, something we create, something given to you by divine authority or something that simply doesn’t exist? Join us for an open, thoughtful conversation exploring one of life’s most enduring questions. We’ll dig into ideas from philosophy, psychology, science, and personal experience—without needing to arrive at a single “right” answer. Is purpose inherent, or do we invent it? How do meaning, happiness, and mortality shape our sense of purpose? What happens when the answer feels unclear—or changes over time? This Deeper Discussion gathering invites a serious, open, and unhurried examination of the topic. We will move past slogans and surface talking points to explore the harder terrain. The atmosphere we will encourage is one of curiosity, logic, critical thinking and less ideological emotional outbursts. This is not a debate with predetermined sides or a lecture. It is a facilitated conversation designed for people willing to sit with complexity, hear opposing perspectives, and think carefully about what kind of future is possible—and desirable—for our societies. Expect thoughtful exchange, rigorous questioning, and space for disagreement without virtuous performance. Agenda: 6 p.m to 7 p.m: Introduction and Socializin 7 p.m to 9:30 p.m: Topic Discussion 9:30 p.m to late night: Drinks, Dinner or Feel free to go home

September Classic: Philosopher or Dog? - Machado de Assis

New members are always welcome. :) **Description:** ***Quincas Borba*** is a novel written by the Brazilian writer [Machado de Assis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machado_de_Assis). It was first published in 1891. It is also known in English as ***Philosopher or Dog?*** The novel was principally written as a serial in the journal *A Estação* from 1886 to 1891. It was definitively published as a book in 1892 with some small, but significant changes from the serialized version. Please note that this book may be titled either 'Philosopher or Dog' or 'Quincas Borba' in English, depending on the translation. Read whichever one you wish, but note that the latter (the title of the more recent translation, which is the same as the title in the original Portuguese) may be easier to acquire.

Cosy Silent Reads☕️📚📖

Hello, This event is for anyone who enjoys reading and wants to do it in the quiet company of others. We’ll be reading together in complete silence no pressure to talk, just bring whatever you’re reading and settle in. When you arrive, grab a drink from the café if you like, find a comfy spot, and start reading. We’re usually there for about 2 hours, but feel free to come and go whenever it works for you. Looking forward to meeting you! Dee

Book Swap Meetup 📚📚📚

Basic Ideas: 🌞 📚☕ Any books sitting there collecting dust? Some holiday gifts? Or it’s a book that has changed your life that you want to share? Feel free to bring book(s) to discuss or swap, we usually have more books than people in the end, so feel free to pop along just to have a chat as well. Aiming for every 4 weeks book swap meetup. Note: The event is free to attend, so the only cost for you will only be buying a drink at the location, so coffee/tea/beer etc.

September Book Club Meetup: The Vivisectors by Missouri Williams

London's Friendly Book Club's pick for September is **The Vivisectors** by **Missouri Williams**. In a famed but crumbling university city overrun by vegetation, where power is held in a fragile balance between the academics and a contingent of rogue gardeners, Agathe spends her days listlessly propping up the career of her fraudulent professor boss. One day, a campus scandal erupts: Adam, a contrarian and the pet student of her boss, comes into heated conflict with a rising young professor, with both men claiming discrimination. As the crisis consumes the university, Agathe’s boss instructs her to gather information by befriending Adam. Agathe soon finds herself both caught up in the events tearing the city apart and increasingly drawn towards the alluring student at the heart of it all. But can anyone be taken at their word in a struggle over the truth? Coursing with icy suspense and rendered with violent precision, The Vivisectors is a new kind of love story for a broken era. Missouri Williams holds up a mirror to humanity’s most intimate contradictions in a novel of blazing spiritual reckoning. Please only RSVP if you think you'll be able to make this event. **We host three sessions per book, you only need to attend one.** Everyone is welcome! Grab your copy and join us for a relaxed and engaging discussion.

Deeper Conversations - Monthly Book Club (Oct '26) - The Bell by Iris Murdoch

Join us for our monthly book club, where we read thought provoking fiction and get together to share our thoughts, different interpretations, and whatever the book left us thinking about. Whether you read all the time or are just trying to read more, everyone is welcome. **This Month's Book: The Bell by Iris Murdoch** Set around a small religious community in the English countryside, The Bell follows a group of people trying to make sense of their relationships, beliefs, desires and the choices they make. First published in 1958, it gives us plenty to talk about around love, morality, freedom, faith and how well we really understand ourselves and other people. **IMPORTANT: Please only RSVP if you are planning to finish the book. If you've RSVP'd but don't think you'll be able to finish it, please change your RSVP to No in advance rather than on the last day, so someone else can take your place. Regulars get priority when moving from the waitlist to confirmed.** **No show policy: If you can no longer attend, please cancel your spot at least 24 hours in advance so someone else can take it. Two no shows without cancelling, or two last minute cancellations, will result in a ban from future book club events. This also helps us give the venue accurate numbers.** **About Deeper Conversations** We have a mission at Deeper Conversations to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centred around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world **Our Value** \*\*\ \*Respect: \*\*Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤ \*\*\* Open-mindedness: \*\*Be open to different perspectives and ideas \*\*\ \*Active Participation: \*\*Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions.

Book Launch & Drinks @ Red Lion, 2PM — Walpole Park, Midday

**BOOKS & DRINKS @ RED LION @2PM & WALPOLE PARK @MIDDAY - AN AFTERNOON OF PHOTOGRAPHY, ART AND DRINKS** **🎯 The highlight of the day is the 2:00 PM launch of Stefano’s (Postcards Pictures) latest photobooks — [FRAGMENTS](https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/12999709-fragments) and [TRACES](https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/13007502-traces) at The Red Lion, 13 St Mary’s Road, Ealing. Hosted by** **EALING SOCIAL**, the event introduces two interconnected Postcards Pictures photobooks shaped by years of visual research across the UK and Europe. Both titles explore the space between observation and abstraction, focusing on the signs, traces and visual systems that shape our experience of urban environments. Through sequences of symbols, geometries, pathways and architectural detail, the books invite readers to consider how we interpret and navigate contemporary cityscapes. We’ll enjoy **refreshments** and **socialising** in the beer garden — covered, heated, and perfect for autumn conversation. **👉The Red Lion Ealing from 2pm** 📍 13 St Mary’s Rd, London W5 5RA 🎯 Earlier, at 12:00 noon, visitors are welcome at The Rickyard Café, Walpole Park, where two Postcards Pictures photographs will be unveiled as part of the 10th EWG Wildlife Photography Exhibition organised by the Ealing Wildlife Group. The exhibition showcases wildlife photography from across the local community. EWG will also provide some **nibbles** and **refreshments**. **👉The Rickyard Café from 12 noon** 📍Walpole Park, London W5 5BS VISIT **THIS IS EALING** FOR MORE INFO ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE BOROUGH: 🟦 **[FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCC9V41Ew/)** 🟥 **[INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/thisisealing/)**

London Queer Books Group 193rd Meetup - What I Know About You by Eric Chacour

Book Swap Social Event - Make New Friends Who Love Books

Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you. We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well. Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.

🌌Coffee Chats: Life, The Universe, and Everything 🤔☕

When you look up at the stars, what is the first thought or instinct that goes through your mind? Do you ever ponder: Why are we here? Did a cosmic creator set our world in motion or did we and the universe come about randomly without any purpose? What are the odds of not just you existing right now but the entire universe itself? Time is precious. Here we cherish non-boring chats and interactions that are fully engaging, soulfully enriching, inspiring, and leave you a bit wiser than when you arrived. In that spirit today’s fully hosted laid back social coffee chat will offer a perfect haven for naturally inquisitive and curious **independent thinkers** drawn to the mysteries of life, the universe and the unknown to share ideas on exciting thought provoking topics no one else has the courage to talk about. An adrenaline caffeine infused fun afternoon of thought-provoking causal chats exploring interconnected topics spanning **philosophy** (epistemology aspects)**,** **neuroscience**, **cosmology** and **theology** over a mug of sweet coffee or Chardonnay - if that's what you need to let your thoughts run free! Whether you've studied philosophy, cosmology, theology or simply feel a deep sense of wonder about existence, you are welcome. You don't need an in-depth background - just an open mind, some great books under your belt and a willingness to explore life's big questions and potentially share some stories Chaired by a former Reuters journalist, amateur Astronomer and published empirical researcher (I recognise statistical causality and significance doesn't necessarily make something true) - exploring topics in pursuant of the "truth" since a teenager. There'll be no strict structure - a relaxed friendly space to openly chat, exchange ideas without judgement, but I'll preside to promote inclusivity and zone in on specifics to avoid people digressing onto unrelated tangents to ensure particpants derive maximum utlity and engagement from attending **==== Sample of conversational threads ===** might include: #1: Many say that because God is an invisible force so no proof can be provided for his or her existence. Yes but we cannot see quarks, black holes, dark matter or even exoplanets but we know they are real in reality via inference through quantum mathematics, particle accelerators, and gravitational lensing and waves. None of that can be said about a creator which is based just on blind faith. So, is anyone who declares there is proof of God delusional, or simply mistaken about what constitutes empirical evidence? #2: Despite the fossil records, genetic **tree of life** genome mapping, the detection of cosmic microwave background radiation from over 13.8 billion years ago and radiometric isotope dating with half-lives exceeding the biblical timeline, many **religions refuse to answer questions on** dinosaurs, evolution, space and the age of the universe. When the first physical evidence of exoplanets was confirmed, the Vatican - realising that other life in the galaxy was highly likely - issued press releases proclaiming if we found aliens that would not contradict the existence of god. Was this because the very foundation of their belief system was threatened? #3: So imagine a wonderful, all almighty God created the entire universe with the power to decide our fate upon death. Then why doesn't this God not help kids in pediatric oncology ward? Many of us have gone out of our way to selflessly help complete strangers without expecting anything in return. Yet we are sold a deity that promises you a conditional heaven tomorrow in exchange for suffering today, but only if you believe. What kind of caring snake oil salesman god promotes **transactional marketing**? Yes, many great philosophers including Hume and Kant have tackled the contradiction - surely the only explanation is that the universe operates on indifferent physical and biological laws rather than divine governance? #4: As Alice Roberts work - not only as a renowned British scientist but in her capacity as a biological anthropologist and anatomist demonstrates - the probability that we exist today through **evolution** **is 99.999%.** Whilst we don't understand everything - fossil records spanning millions of years along with genetic DNA and RNA sequencing traces not just us but every living specie back to a **single common ancestor called LUCA that lived about 4.2 billion** years ago. [See research paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02461-1]. We know evolution is 100% real because you can observe it directly real time under a microscope [genetic mutation is how bacteria is able to change its genes to survive antibiotics]. But what about the universe we live in itself? Did that too come about randomly? Read on.... #5: Based on the precision of cosmological natural laws that govern our universe (gravity, dark energy, ratio of gravity to electromagnetism etc) those odds are estimated at less than 1 in 10^{120}, i.e practically zero - suggesting our world could of been fine tuned. So yes - everything from atoms, stars, planets and eventually us emerged from one particular set of physical rules. #6: But what if an infinite number of universes exist with different laws? It then becomes a 100% certainty that at least one would have the right conditions for life as we know it, and we simply happen to live in that one? Does the discovery of quantum superposition or 'disappearing neutrons' (9 second neutron lifetime discrepancy) imply these **parallel universes** actually exist? #7: Clinical prayer trials and Cochrane meta-analyses reviews testing the impact of third-party prayer on patient recovery, mortality rates and re-hospitalization show **zero statistical evidence** of divine intervention effects in **randomized controlled trials**. So aside from a placebo effect which we can easily get from a sugar, praying for anything is a complete waste of time! Does this mean god doesn't care about you in this life let alone the afterlife? #8: Was God just a man-made, artificial **ideological construct** invented to build empires and control people, similar to a tyrannical states? Both Christianity and Islam are guilty of atrocious acts, as evidenced by centuries of Islamic imperial domination prior to the Crusades, where hundreds of thousands of Christians and members of other faiths were killed all in the name of an ideology. #9: If **Elon Musk** is right and we live in a simulation created by an alien civilization or a computer software, who created our creators? At what point does the chain of causes have to stop at an uncaused base reality? #10: Similarly if God created the universe then as my philosophy professor once postulated: "If God created Adam, who created God Lucas?" Does that inconvenient flaw **debunk every religion** out there? Is there any difference between a book fairytale and religion? What makes God true and witchcraft practised by Harry Potter at **Hogwarts** false? #11: Proponents argue that before god there was nothing. So how you get something from nothing? If god came out of **nothing** then why can't the universe? Scientists see particles pop into existence and vanishing back into nothingness constantly. So quantum cosmology suggests the universe can create itself from nothing [with a quantum net energy of zero] without violating any laws of physics. What existed before the **big bang**? Could a quantum fluctuation generated spacetime itself in which case the mind fuck is: there is **no "before"** because time only came into being with the universe. BUT where did these quantum laws of physics originate? #12: Does the fact that 15% of people who have had NDEs reporting that they went to hell prove God exists? Could pleasant experiences of happiness be purely endorphin-driven? If a morphine antagonist is given instead, could that evoke a demonic experience? #13: If a wise supreme intellectual entity of genius created the universe, then why has it been so easy for us mortal humans to **crack the code of life**? We can create species in a lab, including humans. Surely a God would have made it impossible to decode our own biological source code by creating life using physical laws that defy human comprehension? And what if we humans, through AGI, build a synthetic intelligence that surpasses our own collective cognitive abilities? Surely this upends religious narratives, suggesting creation is not a top-down divine miracle, but an evolutionary ladder? #14: We know there are trillions of galaxies and planets in our universe. James Webb has found early black holes just 1 million years after our universe was born that make no sense. Dark matter and massive empty space for life only to exist on one planet - really? #15: The mobile or laptop you are using right now to read this is mostly **empty space**. The solid bits [the nucleus and electrons] take up less than 0.00000000001% of an atom's volume - held open by invisible energy force fields [electromagnetism]. #16: Yet, without this "empty" space, nothing would exist because all the complex molecules that we we are made of like carbon and DNA could not form. Does this perfect engineering point to **intentional design**, or just natural physical emergence? #17: If a higher intelligence or God did create our universe, what could the purpose and motive be? Love, connection, artistic expression, or simply exploring what complex systems can do? #18: Evidence of reincarnation and cellular memory in organ transplants is recorded in clinical settings, yet these ideas are rejected by major religions because they are undermine scriptural tenets regarding **afterlife**. Is this because religions are just rigid ideological inventions governed by fictious texts written by human prophets communicated to by a God that created billions of species yet miraculously happen to speak the **same language** as them? We know many animals exhibit consciousness - did god bark at dogs too? Why would a cosmic universe creator not reflect universal cosmic truths rather than specific cultural, linguistic, and biological biases of ancient humans? If we assume for a sec that these choosen ones did communicate with god - how do we know that they didn't just suffer from **dopamine** [D2] excess in the brain - i.e they had clinical psychosis? #19: Has a profound personal experience, a mystical moment, or a sense of awe in nature ever made you feel connected to something higher? How do our personal experiences shape what we believe compared to logic or science? #20: If God created a universe with purpose of life then why did he not protect it throughtout the Earth's evolution where it could of vanished without any trace? Does the data on five **mass extinction events** prove we are just lucky anomalies, not the plan? **So, does God exist?** I take real-world data on the above across medical trials, fine-tuning cosmological constants (for the universe to exist/expansion speed of), molecular biology & cellular genetics [likelihood of observing complex, self-organizing DNA and RNA under natural evolution versus divine creation], natural evil, divine silence, and quantum cosmology) to empirically estimate the **GOD EQUATION.** My model estimates the **probability** of a God at a maximum of **2.47%!** (built using bayesian probabilistic inference guided by occam's razor - I can share more on my methodolgy and parameters used if interested) ***Is this ulimate "truth"?*** Both in my journalism days and in my consulting work applying advanced empirical research techniques to answer difficult questions - it becomes clear the truth is often elusive. No matter how much we triangulate evidence - we can only provide part answers. As George Box once said "All models are wrong, but some are useful" What we think we know and reality diverge leading to that great **paradox of knowledge.** And as the boundary between knowns and unknown converge, we end up with cognitive dissonance and more questions. In that spirit - every credible philosopher & scientist acknowledges - we'll never get to the complete truth but could **a** balanced approach guided by Immanuel Kant's pragmatism and Aristotle's deductive reasoning at least be a starting rationale framework? **=== RENDEZVOUS POINT ===** We will meet in the outside back garden **Ye Olde London (42 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7DE)**. I will post in commrents exactly what table we are at. I'll be wearing a **Starwars identifier** and will share mobile hotline just before event start and table number/location. We will leave for **Stargazing** around 8pm Lucas - The Unenlightened Desperately Seeking Answers