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We're a community fostering friendship and insights by engaging in thoughtful discussions on significant concepts discovered from reading books and intellectual consumption.
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38
Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nobokov
Pier 57, 25 11th Avenue, New York, NY, USAs we transition away from existentialism and back into philosophy of science, I wanted to enjoy a novel by Vladimir Nobokov. In Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity, Richard Rorty uses Nobokov as an example of an author interested purely in the art of novel writing, as in contrast to George Orwell, which Rorty describes as the kind of writer who is interested in writing to make an impact on the society they find themselves in at the time. Rorty got me curious about Nabokov's writing and I picked this book for its whimsical and bizarre nature. Join me as we explore this book before diving back into more technical topics in the weeks to come.
Participants should read the entire reading before attending this in person meeting. I will be reading from this version here and a free copy can be found here. ***We will be meeting in the Oyster classroom for this discussion***
For questions please send me a message or post to meetup.
Best,
Brian
18 attendees
Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche (week 4)
Pier 57, 25 11th Avenue, New York, NY, USThus Spoke Zarathustra is a masterpiece of philosophy, literature, and poetic expression, offering one of the most radical critiques of morality, religion, and human existence. Written between 1883 and 1885, this work follows the fictional prophet Zarathustra as he descends from his solitude in the mountains to share his revolutionary teachings with humanity. Through allegorical storytelling, Nietzsche explores profound philosophical concepts such as the Übermensch (Overman), the eternal recurrence, the will to power, and the death of God.
Join us to discuss this classic book over the course of 5-weeks!
Week 1 Sat 1/24 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse Room @ Pier 57
Week 2 Sat 1/30 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse Room @ Pier 57
Week 3 Sat 2/7 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse Room @ Pier 57
Week 4 Sat 2/14 12:30pm-2:30pm The Oyster Room @ Pier 57
Week 5 Sat 2/21 12:30pm-2:30pm The Seahorse @ Pier 57Reading for Week 4
Second half of Part 3 "On the Three Evils" section to end of part 3
(43 pages)I will be reading the Walter Kaufmann translation from The Portable Nietzsche available here
free pdf download here *click on the first slow download option
(other formats available too —epub & mobi for kindle—just search in search bar)Rules for Our Group
1. Be Courteous
Respectful disagreement is totally acceptable; Condescension is not.
2. Be Concise
Keep comments brief, on topic, and allow space for others to join in.
3. Do the Reading
If you have not done the reading for the week you are welcome to attend and listen to the discussion, but out of respect for those who have read, you will not be permitted to participate in the discussion.Finally, Please update your RSVP if you are no longer able to attend the event.
- inaccurate RSVPs make it difficult for coordinators to plan successful events
- inaccurate RSVPs prevent waitlisted individuals from attending
*Multiple no shows may result in losing RSVP privileges for future events.
For more info and FAQ on the group click here.
Can't wait to discuss these ideas with all of you!
-Zach35 attendees
Decline of the West, Volume One - Oswald Spengler | Part 5, Reading & Discussion
Ace Hotel New York, 20 West 29th Street, New York, NY, USAlright folks.
This will be the fifth edition in our exploration of Oswald Spengler and his 1918 text The Decline of the West: Form & Actuality. Join us Faustian Souls as we trace the Destiny of our inescapable and necessary Cathedralic Prime-Symbol in pursuance of Infinite Space. Enticing, no?
This will be the last session focusing on Volume One so we will be reading and discussing Chapter X: Soul-Image & Life-Feeling (II) - Buddhism, Stoicism, & Socialism and Chapter XI: Faustian & Apollonian Nature-Knowledge. If you're reading the Arktos edition (which I recommend everyone do), this will be around 89 pages.
Here are two free PDF versions of the text: One aaaaaaand Two.
All are the same translation from Charles Francis Atkinson so ultimately, it does not matter. Work with whatever works with you.As always, if you're unable to complete the reading prior to our meeting, no worries - it's dense and semi-lengthy, so we're just happy to have you and welcome whatever insights, critiques, questions, etc. you may have based on what you were able to read.
For those who have missed the first four sessions, I've been working needlessly hard on compiling a 58-page Spenglerian glossary that provides definitions for most of what has been covered so far. I'll provide an updated version closer to the 15th, but in the meantime, you can access it here: link link link. Let me know if you have issues.
We will be meeting in the Ace Hotel lobby on W 29th. There is coffee, breakfast, and booze. Message me the day of if you can't find us. We usually sit toward the back of the lobby next to the bar.
As always, this group is open to newcomers to Spengler, novices of philosophy, history, aesthetics, etc., ragamuffins, ne'er-do-wells, urchins of all sorts, etc. All insights are encouraged, just be somewhat sensible and all the way cool. Ain't no fun to be found in nodding your head along with a thinker for a hundred pages - strive to disagree, with decency.
Alright, looking forward to it - again, reach out to me with any questions or concerns in the meantime.
Looking forward,
Hamp
8 attendees
Of Grammatology (week 1)
Art Cafe, 884 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY, USJoin us for weekly discussions of Jacques Derrida's 1967 deconstruction of the speech/writing binary in western philosophy, Of Grammatology.
Required reading for this meeting: Part One: Exergue and 1. The End of the Book and the Beginning of Writing
(Up to page 28)(I’m calling this “week 1” because last time we discussed the introduction and preface, retroactively making that one “week 0”. The previous “week 1” is the trace of an origin only possible in relation to its derivatives.)
Most of us are reading the 2016 edition of the book. We plan to meet weekly and work our way through the whole book about 30–40 pages at a time.
We'll be meeting at Art Cafe + Bar in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
This event is free but we're all still socially obligated to purchase something, and Art Cafe is a cool place that we should support! They have a bar and they serve coffee and tea among other non-alcoholic drinks, as well as food.
10 attendees
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