Philosophical Explorations Through the World of Books
Discover the power of philosophical conversation
Philosophical Explorations Through the World of Books
Discover the power of philosophical conversation
Book Club Community, Tutoring, Directed Studies
Our Mission
Philosophical reflection is too important to leave to the colleges and universities. We are natural born philosophers, and, as Socrates told us, the unexamined life is not worth living (the over-examined life may not be much to write home about either--all things in moderation). So, whether you're just beginning your philosophical explorations or you already have some experience under your belt, please come join The Socratic Circle: become a free member of our Patreon community (over 145 members already!), sign up for one of our free book club programs, and examine life (in healthy moderation) with us!
Our Story
Founded in March 2024, The Socratic Circle is a PATREON community dedicated to promoting philosophical reflection and discourse through books, both fiction and nonfiction. We offer throughout the year book club programs (with live meetings over Zoom), supported by online discussion (Discord) and various philosophical postings and events. We also offer TUTORING & DIRECTED STUDIES.
www.Patreon.com/TheSocraticCircle
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS
Director
Matthew M. Konig
Ph.D. in Philosophy, Brown University
M.A. in Philosophy, Tufts University
B.A. in Philosophy, Adelphi University, Honors College.
*Over 20 Years of College & University Teaching Experience*
Initial Book Club Program Offerings (suggestions welcomed!)
Plato: Five Dialogues
Why Grow Up? by Susan Neiman
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
These dialogues "present Plato's wonderfully vivid and moving--as well as challenging--portrayal of Socrates, and of the philosophic life..." --from the preface. PLEASE NOTE: This program will read and discuss the first three dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Pages: 57
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
Why Grow Up? by Susan Neiman
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
"Set in India, Siddhartha is the story of young Brahmin's search for ultimate reality after meeting with the Buddha. His quest takes him from a life of decadence to asceticism, through the illusory joys of sensual love..., and of wealth and fame, to the painful struggles with his son and the ultimate wisdom of renunciation."
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Pages: 132
Why Grow Up? by Susan Neiman
Why Grow Up? by Susan Neiman
Human Compatible by Stuart Russell
"The philosopher Susan Neiman argues that the absence of appealing models of maturity is not an accident: By describing life as a downhill process, we prepare young people to expect--and demand--very little from it. In [this book], she challenges our culture of permanent adolescence, turning to thinkers including Kant, Rousseau, and Arendt to find a model of maturity that is not a matter of resignation."
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Pages: 234
Human Compatible by Stuart Russell
Breaking the Spell by Daniel C. Dennett
Human Compatible by Stuart Russell
"In the popular imagination, superhuman artificial intelligence is an approaching tidal wave that threatens not just jobs and human relationships but civilization itself. Conflict between humans and machines is seen as inevitable and its outcome all too predictable." Stuart Russell, a leading AI researcher, "argues that this scenario can be avoided, but only if we rethink AI from the ground up." -- from the dust jacket.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Pages: 295
Breaking the Spell by Daniel C. Dennett
Breaking the Spell by Daniel C. Dennett
Breaking the Spell by Daniel C. Dennett
"For many people around the world--perhaps most people--there is nothing more important than religion. It has comforted them in their suffering, become an integral part of their marriages and child rearing, and encouraged group cooperation to achieve ends both magnificent and terrible. Religion plays such a powerful role in the world that we should try to understand it in all its complexities..." --from the dust jacket.
Difficulty Level: Intermediate
Pages: 389
What Does It All Mean? by Thomas Nagel
Breaking the Spell by Daniel C. Dennett
Breaking the Spell by Daniel C. Dennett
"In this cogent and accessible introduction to philosophy, [Nagel] sets forth the central problems of philosophical inquiry." These include: Do we really have free will? Why should we be moral? What is the relation between our minds and our brains? Do our lives really matter, and does it matter if they don't matter? And more!
Difficulty Level: Beginner
Pages: 101
HOW IT WORKS
Come Find Us On Patreon!
The Socratic Circle Book Programs are only one part of what constitutes The Socratic Circle. If you are interested in joining the larger community, please consider joining and supporting The Socratic Circle on Patreon (see the link below). As of November 7th, we have over 145 members from around the world--we'd love to have you join the conversation!
We are about to begin our sixth book program, which features The Ethics of Ambiguity by Simone de Beauvoir. We also hold many other live events over Zoom, and even some in-person events out on Long Island, NY.
If you haven't already, please come join us on Patreon:
www.Patreon.com/TheSocraticCircle
Our Discord channel is picking up steam, and we will soon begin a podcast series. We also offer special topics discussion groups, tutoring, and directed studies for tier-level members.
--Matt :)
What is Patreon?
Patreon is a digital platform that allows a direct line to be forged between creators and their supporters, without ads, algorithms, or--in our case--a corporate-minded college or university getting in the way. It is FREE to join the Patreon community. There are also membership options available to provide financial support to The Socratic Circle, if you so choose.
For more specific information about the membership tiers and patron benefits offered by The Socratic Circle, please visit:
www.patreon.com/thesocraticcircle
For more about the origins and mission of Patreon, please visit: