Philosophical events at Café Mojoe.
Saturday May 6th, 6:30pm Title: Philosophy of Mathematics Meets the Law.
Swarthmore Philosophy Professor Alan Baker will offer a unique insight into philosophy of mathematics by discussing a new legal phenomenon – namely, court cases arising from recent attempts to trademark, copyright, and patent numbers. It turns out that such cases have turned on issues that are as much philosophical as they are legal and, hence, that they provide a good means for understanding basic issues in philosophy of mathematics. Anyone interested is welcome to attend.
Saturday May 13th, 6:30pm Title: Do Bad Things Ever Really Happen?
In various older traditions and philosophies – Hinduism, Stoicism, and Spinozism to name three – one finds the idea that nothing bad ever actually happens in the world. Whenever we think that something has gone wrong in the universe we are, according to this older line of thinking, confused in certain very specific ways. In his talk, Temple Philosophy Professor Mike Thau will discuss the idea that bad things, in fact, never happen, and how older philosophical traditions have tried to reconcile it with our manifest perception that they happen with alarming frequency.
May 20th, 6:30pm. Title: Consciousness and the Mind-Body Problem
MIT Philosophy Professor Alex Byrne will discuss whether consciousness can be explained by the physical sciences. As one might expect, this is one of the most discussed questions in contemporary philosophy of mind, and Professor Byrne will give an overview of the kinds of considerations that have motivated philosophers to think that consciousness can, or cannot, be physically explained.
Past Events
April 8th: Title: Does Mathematical Logic Model Reasoning?
Professor Mike Thau will talk to Temple’s Society for Undergraduate Mathematics on the relationship between formal logic (what’s taught in an intro logic class) and reasoning. Anyone interested is invited to attend, however the talk will presuppose some familiarity with the contents of an introduction to logic course.
April 15th. Title: What is Ancient Philosophy?
Professor David Wolfsdorf will talk to the general public about ancient Greek philosophy. The term “philosopher” – which means lover of wisdom -- was invented in Ancient Greece, and Professor Wolfsdorf will explain what philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were actually up to. No background knowledge is presupposed and anyone interested in the topic is encouraged to attend.
April 22nd. Title: Philosophy In and Out of the Classroom.
Professor Mike Thau will talk to Temple’s Undergraduate Philosophy Society on the relationship between two very different ideas of what philosophy is. A basic idea of what academic philosophy is (i.e., of what professors in philosophy departments teach and do) will be presupposed, but anyone interested is welcome to attend.
April29. Title: Philosophy and Yoga
Professor Mike Thau will talk to the general public about the philosophical side of the activity we call yoga. The practice of yoga is becoming increasingly popular throughout the west. However, the philosophical side of yoga, coming, as it does, from a very different culture, is very difficult to assimilate. Yoga, for most westerners, is merely a form of physical exercise; spiritually enlivening no doubt, but having no more potential to spiritually enliven than jogging, squash, Pilates, or any other form of exercise. Professor Thau will attempt to explain how the philosophy of Spinoza can provide a framework for understanding yoga as something more than a set of physical exercises.
Café Mojoe is located at 2501 Olive Street – ¼ block North of Fairmount Avenue on 25th Street. All talks start at 6:30.