Discourse cheers us to companionable reflection. Such reflection neither parades polemical opinions nor does it tolerate complaisant agreement. The sail of thinking keeps trimmed hard to the wind of the matter. -- from "On the Experience of Thinking," Heidegger "Philosophy is not a theory but an activity." -- from "Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus," Wittgenstein Join us soon for friendship, cooperative discourse and mental exercise, all organized around an interest in our own engagements …

This will be an introduction to Tai Ji or T'ai Chi. A 2000 year old art. It is a moving meditation & can be practiced well into ones 80 's & beyond. It is great for: improving health, stamina, balance, coordination, peace of mind & self- defense. It's fun too! Basic principles , movements, philosophy & applications will be covered. The class is open to all levels & styles of players. It is designed for the beginning to intermediate player.

ATTENTION!!!!!! This group is being transfered to a different site. If you want to join Chicago Veg*n Nerds, go here: http://www.meetup.com/vegNerds _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We get together for various events. They can be for social, ethical, and / or intellectual purposes. We encourage all members to suggest event ideas, on the Message board. Some events we have include: 1. Potlucks 2. Socials at …

Anyone can join, whether or not you're a vegan, vegetarian, animal welfare activist, green environmentalist, intellectual, or nerd.  All you need is an interest in what we do. You can see our calendar for animal welfare / animal rights relevant events and nerdy and veg*n stuff: http://www.meetup.com/vegNerds/#calendar We get together for a variety of events. They can be for social, ethical, and / or intellectual purposes. We encourage all members to suggest event ideas, on the Message board, o …

Interested in re-examining fundamental concepts concerning faith and religion? If so, then welcome to the Philosophical Sunday School Meetup. This group concerns itself with the study of religion, and other matters of faith, from a philosophical perspective.  Philosophical here means that our primary concern will be asking questions, our secondary concern will be trying to understand our questions, our tertiary concern will be seeing what types of conclusions can draw, and if we are incredibly …

This group is dedicated to an exploration of the ideas informing educational philosophy, policy-making and planning - including investigation, analysis and critique of educational design at the local, state, national and international levels. I hope to open an erudite and broad-minded conversation about the underlying purpose(s) of public education from an eclectic, multi-angled perspective (i.e., classical Western, Eastern, post-modern, traditionalist, etc.). I am interested in what are the m …

What makes a person different than a rock (and different from every other inanimate object)? Or are we so different after all? Isn't the human body nothing more than a machine which is ultimately comprised of mere molecules and atoms? In what sense, if any, does a person consist of more than his or her physical body? Does a person have a soul? If so, then what do we mean by “soul” and what might the nature of a soul be? In short, what is the phenomena that we call “consciousness?” Moreover, how …

This Active and Lucid Dreaming group is a circle in which we explore the lessons and adventures of dreams.  Dreams are fascinating when you pull back the layers.  Let us familiarize ourselves with the furniture of the mind, uncover personal symbols, and find the great freedom that comes from truly knowing the lifeworld of our inner selves. You should join this group if you are actively involved with your dreams or are interested in exploring lucid dreaming!

Art Appreciation is the understanding of the timeless qualities that characterise all great art. So too is philosophy concerned with universality and truth. What is your relationship to art? Why is art meaningful to you? This group explores the great world of art, aesthetic experience, and its relation to philosophy.  We will be looking at all types of media from painting to music, poetry and film. Also see these other philosophy groups in Chicago: Greek Philosophy: http://www.meetup.com/So …

"The purpose of this meetup is to provide a venue for individuals who walk the esoteric/inner path but also strive for a balance with their more exoteric & worldly nature. I seek others like myself who walk the inner path and have experienced inner transfigurations and can examine these powerful, spiritual experiences from a scientific & psychological lens, who introspect ruthlessly, who are open to exploring the inner realms of self-identity, and who value knowledge and wisdom above all.  I hav …

Group members are taught the essentials of mindfulness and how the process relates to their feelings. The technique teaches them to be aware of what they are feeling in the moment, which allows for a deepening of the way they relate to their thoughts and patterns. Unwanted patterns of relating and behaving discovered during the sessions can then be shifted. Using both avenues of psychology and mindfulness allows patterns to shift more rapidly as cognitive work helps people to understand the issu …

The Ethical Humanist Society is a congregation for those who seek a rational, compassionate philosophy of life without regard to belief or non-belief in a supreme being.

Self Enquiry Life Fellowship is a US based Nonprofit stablished to preserve and disseminate indigenous knowledge from the ancient Sanskrit heritage, including extant literature, spiritual practices of Vedic antiquity, esoteric Himalayan yoga and meditation techniques of unbroken lineages. The Nonprofit aims to make accessible through its educational publishing projects, the spiritual philosophy passed down by the monastic lineages of Himalayan masters and intonated Sanskrit hymns meant for subl …

This group is for people who like to mix philosophical discourse and drinking. If you're looking for carefully moderated debate, look elsewhere. These discussions are unstructured intellectual free-for-alls - the only two constants are booze and a keen interest in the nature of reality and human existence. We take philosophy very seriously, but we don't think taking it seriously demands that you act like an academic when discussing it. No formal training is necessary - no one will be expected to …

The Gentlemen Elite Social Club Our Philosophy: "A gentleman is a highly favorable title only well-deserving men earn, and should not be thrown around loosely nor taken lightly. A true gentleman is a man who is well-mannered, well-groomed, mindful of female sensibilities, well-read, socially adept, and respectful to everyone, regardless of their class, color, creed or gender." We here at the Gentlemen Elite Social Club organize the best social events for both men and women (including concerts, …

ChicagoVeg Outreach is an extension of ChicagoVeg – Chicagoland Vegetarian, Vegan, & Raw Food Community that brings together people who chose being vegan/vegetarian for variety of reasons (for the sake of the animals, environment, personal health/health of their loved ones). The mission of the ChicagoVeg Outreach is to enable members make a positive difference by educating others that we can all live happy and healthy lives following vegan/vegetarian diet. We know there are numerous benefits of …

We meet twice a month to discuss designated during the taping of Insight Radio.  (If you have not listened, here is the last show:  Insight Radio is looking for guests for our next show on current events.  Here are recent shows: Guest: Fran Hawthorne, Author of Ethical Chic: The Inside Story of the Companies We Think We Love. Award-winning journalist Fran Hawthorne has been a writer or editor at Fortune, BusinessWeek, Institutional Investor, Crane's and other publications. She is the author of …

This is a support group for moms who home teach their children using Miss Charlotte Masons unique philosophies, or are interested in learning more about them. If classical education is your desire you have found the right place.

(1 minute video) This group is for people who value and enjoy deeper discussions with amazing people and who are also willing to rise to the occasion by joining us to help make these discussion opportunities an ongoing reality. The events held in this group are all about having fun nights of great people and 'deeper' discussions over dinner in a charming restaurant. This Meetup group was created by Glen Brauer as part of a non-profit global initiative using practical philosophy to bring togeth …

This group will teach you how rich people think. It compares the thoughts, habits and philosophies of the Middle Class vs. the Wealthy. What if everything you learned about money is wrong? What would happen if you thought like the rich? The strategy is simple: learn how rich people think, copy them, take action and get rich.

Bolingbrook/Downers Grove/Naperville/Aurora/Oak Brook Area Always Open Networking - Bring plenty of business cards! It's been said time and time again from business coaches, mentors and highly regarded speakers, that if your business requires customers in order to survive (which includes most, if not every one of us)... then a great way to build a strong referral relationship is to Never Eat Alone. You were going to eat anyway, right? Maybe your lunch buddy made other plans or had to work throug …

The Chicago Chapter of the Ayn Rand Institute promotes the Institute's mission of educating students and adults on the value of individual rights, reason and free markets. Through ARI's series of outreach and educational workshops, chapter members gain valuable insight into Ayn Rand's philosophy (Objectivism) expressed in her novels, Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, Anthem and We the Living as well as her collection of non-fiction books on philosophy and other topical essays. The Chicago Chapte …

This is a group for anyone who speaks some French and would like to discuss en francais a host of interesting topics from politics, to food, to theatre to philosophy. While we welcome all levels of French, it does help if you have a good basic knowledge of French so that you can participate in conversations.

The FB Mission; Fishin’ Buddies! mission is to train children through fishing and conservation programs. To help instill a deep, abiding love for the sublime art of sport fishing. To instill an immutable concern for the air, land and waters of our planet, and a desire to nurture the soul through communion with the outdoors. Our Philosophy; Fishin’ Buddies! believes in the emotional and psychological restorative powers of the outdoors. We believe it is important to expose this philosophy to c …

Chicago Gor is a group of Goreans, Gor-curious, and Gor-interested individuals in and around Chicago. We are a community of Goreans, that is people living by the philosophy and principles of Gor: Honor, Integrity, Strength, Honesty. We welcome other Goreans as well as those interested in learning more about Gor. Our gatherings range from monthly restaurant get-togethers to larger events at the home of one or another member. Nearly all are open to new-comers. There is a Home Stone in Chicago. Gor …

The Chicago Socialist Youth is an amalgam of independant, free thinking youth in Chicago dedicated on creating a radical democracy that places people's lives under their own control - A non-racist, classless, feminist, environmentalist, socialist society in which people cooperate at work, at home, and in the community for the greater good. We seek a society that is based on the fundamental tenets of collective human decency instead of selfish individualism. We fight for a new social and economic …

Bodhi Path Buddhist Center of Chicago (www.bodhipath.org/chicago) is part of an international organization of Buddhist meditation centers founded by Shamar Rinpoche. Rinpoche and many other teachers provide meditation, philosophy instruction, and guidance to learn and practice Buddhism. Resident Dharma Teacher Rachel Parrish offers teachings and meditation instruction. Meditation is practiced through guided instruction geared to the needs of those in attendance. Various texts are also studied an …

"Stranger, here you do well to tarry; Here our highest good is pleasure" Join a gathering of Friends to discuss applied Epicurean philosophy; the research, science and philosophy of happiness; simple living, frugality, self-sufficiency; ataraxia, living the pleasant life and the analysed life, even perhaps gardening and other Epicurean interests as presented in the webpage for the International Society of Friends of Epicurus: societyofepicurus.com/ For more on Epicureanism, you may visit newepic …