The Chicago Philosophy Meetup

November 2 - We are reading chapter 9 of NE VII, which resolves another puzzle about self-control and steadfastness. Self-control (whether having or lacking) and steadfastness (whether holding or losing) have to do with, respectively, pleasure and pain.
.
Take this case: An overweight woman resolves on New-Year's Day to look healthy and slim in a swimsuit in 18 months. On any day she cannot resist the pleasure of the fattening dessert, she lacks self-control; if she can resist that pleasure, she has self-control. On any day she cannot handle the pain of the ninety-minute workout with Peloton, she is soft-pampered; if she can handle that pain, she is endurant-steadfast.
.
Here is the puzzle: Can it be that she is actually wrong when having self-control and that lacking self-control is how she can reach her eventual goal, especially if the dietary guidelines she has learned are nothing but junk science? Let's follow Aristotle's train of thought.
.
We will read multiple translations starting at 1151a29.
.
My summary of chapter 7 on distinguishing being soft-pampered vs. being hound-dog/slutty can be found here to help you catch up to us. Bring your own questions about the text if you are interested in joining this Sunday's meeting.
.
----
.
We are live-reading and discussing Aristotle's ~Nicomachean Ethics~, book VII, which is about troubleshooting the virtues.
.
The prerequisite to this book is our answering for ourselves these questions from the prior books, to which we will briefly review:
.
1. What is a virtue of character {ēthikē aretē}?
2. How does one come to acquire it? (E.g. [Aristotle’s], ambition, bravery, gentlemanliness, generosity, candor, …)
3. From a first-person perspective in being virtuous, how does one feel and what does one see (differently, discursively) in a given situation of everyday living?
4. From a third-person perspective, how is the virtuous person (of a specific virtue) to be characterized?
.
.
The project's cloud drive is here, at which you'll find the reading texts, notes, and slideshows.

This meetup is hosted by Wisdom and Woe. For more details and to sign up for this event, go to: https://www.meetup.com/wisdom-and-woe/events/302904167

On October 13, 1820, Silvio Pellico (1789-1854) was arrested on suspicion of being a member of the Carbonari--a secret society of revolutionaries opposed to Austria's repressive foreign occupation of Italy. After a perfunctory trial, he was condemned to death, but the sentence was commuted to imprisonment with hard labor.

The account of his ten years' imprisonment (Le Mie Prigioni, 1833) is a classic of Italy's struggle for liberty. It was hugely popular, translated into every European language, and inspired widespread sympathy for Italy's nationalist movement, dealing a deadly blow to the cause of the Austrian government.

Transcending mere memoir, Pellico's story is a poetic and moving declaration of trial and tribulation, and a meditation on solitude, friendship, and faith. Said one reviewer: "It breathes a spirit of such profound resignation, such exalted peace, such heroic piety that the stoniest heart must be touched by it."

Said another: "Every page contains a practical illustration of the powerful aids of a sound and genuine philosophy, based upon religion, in fortifying the mind, and enabling it to triumph over the most appalling disasters. Every page breathes the purest spirit of philanthropy, and may be quoted as a specific against the cynicism and irritability which blacken and degrade human nature, and hold it up to scorn and contempt."

Wisdom and Woe is a philosophy and literature discussion group dedicated to exploring the world, work, life, and times of Herman Melville and the 19th century Romantic movement. The group is free and open to anybody with an interest in learning and growing by "diving deeper" into "time and eternity, things of this world and of the next, and books, and publishers, and all possible and impossible matters."

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
To be the speaking participant you must RSVP via Calendly.
The link to my Calendly calendar is available in my Egora profile:
Egora-ILP.org/philosopher/Cezary_Jurewicz

All others are welcome to join to listen, use the chat, use the breakout rooms, and comment at the end.

About Citizen Office Hours:
If the Citizen is to be the highest authority in democracy, should we not have office hours to make ourselves available and accountable to our fellow citizens? The answer is YES – yes, we should.

Also, in a democracy, there is no power without responsibility. If the citizens do not accept the responsibility of being citizens, then we do not really have any power – the power we might think we have is illusory. Therefore, all responsible citizens should make themselves available at their own "Citizen Office Hours".

This event is a publication of my Citizen Office Hours. I am making myself available to discuss any of my or your ideas published in Egora. Please be already registered for Egora before our meeting and at least somewhat familiar with my Ideological Profile so we can have a proper and thorough discussion. If you share your Ideological Profile in the comments in advance, i will take some time to study it before our meeting (ideally, the audience will do so too).