2016 - 2018

 2016

Topic

Month





2017


Topic

Month

The ethics of big data eg privacy, profiling, surveillance.

Jan

The Philosophy of Humour

Feb

The identity and impact of God

Feb

Aristotle’s Poetics: The Nature of Tragedy

Mar

The Philosophy of Organised Crime

Mar

Alan’s mystery speaker

Apr

ANZAC Day.  No meeting

Apr

Euthanasia.: moral imperative or slippery slope?

May

The effect of cliché and hyperbole in society

May

New economic thinking with Thomas Piketty / Hyeck

Jun

Vasiliev: study of the paranormal

Jun

Lucietius De Rerum Natura

Jul

The philosophy of Martha Nussbaum

Jul

Greg's guest, Prof Douglas Adeney: 'What makes the study of philosophy important'

Aug

What is the best illusion under which to live?

Aug

The Philosophy of Chaos

Sep

Thomas Jefferson: A little rebellion now and then is a good  thing

Sep

If the first duty of love is to listen, what would be the second?  (Paul Tillich)

Oct

Seeing Reason

Oct

Jainism

Nov

Is there an objective reality?

Nov

A 5-minute review of our philosophical journeys.  Lunch

Dec



2018


Topic

Month

Thomas Paine

Feb

 Hannah Arendt

Feb

 Edward Bernays;  The birth of public relations and its consequences

Mar

Group discussion   What really matters?

Mar

Group discussion     Michel Foucault

Apr

Marsilio Ficino The Birth of Renaissance philosophy

Apr

The Meaning of Life: Sisyphus to Monty Python

May

Bullying

May

TBA

Jun

TBA

Jun

Group discussion    Metaphilosophy

Jul

Philippa Foot

Jul

Peter Higgs and the God Particle

Aug

Aristotle

Aug

 Nietzsche saw suffering as the greatest transformer of character. Was he right?

Sep

TBA

Sep

Why Sisyphus?

Oct

 Karl Marx

Oct

Woody Allen

Nov

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin   or Herbert Marcuse

Nov

 Christmas lunch

Dec