Cafe Philo in New York City in two weeks, Thursday, 8/11: The nature of prayer

Cafe Philo in New York City will meet in two weeks, on Thursday, August 11, 2011 for a discussion of the topic "The nature of prayer." That certainly includes religious connotations, but includes non-religious connotations as well.

 

The suggested topics for the upcoming meeting and their votes (out of 9 attendees):

1. Should we have dueling in a democratic society? (2)
2. What at the arguments, if any, for minimal government? (5)
3. Where do we go from here? (2)
4. Should all online message have first and last names? (1)
5. The nature of prayer. (6) *
6. Does determinism entail predestination? (1)
7. Why doesn't everybody love their job? (5)

I have been acting as guest moderator lately. Bernard Roy has been attending as a participant, although he heads to France for the summer.

 

As usual, the meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the back room at Bamiyan Afghan Restaurant at the northwest corner of Third Avenue and 26th Street in New York City. In exchange for free meeting space, it is expected that each attendee will purchase a minimum of $5 of food or drink. A glass of red wine can be had for $6 (plus tax and tip.)

 

After winding down our discussion, we entertain and vote on proposals for the topic question for the next meeting.

 

There are also usually some attendees who go across the street to McCormack's Pub for drinks and food and extended discussion after Cafe Philo, but not limited to the scheduled discussion topic.

 

There are a number of small groups in the U.S. and Europe who meet regularly to discuss topics related to philosophy. Some of these groups go by the name "Cafe Philo." There is one here in New York City that meets every two weeks, every other Thursday. It is organized and moderated by Bernard Roy, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Each meeting focuses on a specific topic which was suggested and voted on by the participants at the last meeting.

 

-- Jack Krupansky

 

Made my 19th payment to pay down the public debt of the U.S. government

I just made my 19th monthly payment to pay down the public debt of the U.S. government. It wasn't a large payment, just another $25, but it is a matter of principle, albeit mostly symbolic. It may take me another 48 billion years to pay it all down all by myself at this rate (and assuming the deficit went to zero immediately), but, as I said, it is a matter of principle and a sense of personal responsibility. It is our debt, not somebody else's.

 

According to the U.S. Treasury web site, the total public debt outstanding was $14,342,884,944,996.28, as of July 21, 2011, a decrease of about $1.7 billion over 30 days, but this number may be misleading since Treasury is artificially depressing debt needs due to the statutory debt limit.

 

We have reached the statutory debt limit, but I fully expect a deal before this becomes a problem.

 

Here is what I wrote back in January 2010 when I made my first donation/gift/contribution/payment:

Everybody is whining and complaining about the ballooning debt of the U.S. government, but who is actually doing anything about it? Well, for starters, ME! Yes, that's right, I, Jack Krupansky, just did something to reduce the U.S. government debt. Really. No kidding. I actually paid down a small slice of this debt. Granted, it was a rather small slice, but a slice nonetheless. Okay, sure, it was only $20, but the point is that at least I am one of the very few people willing to stand up and DO something about the problem, rather than be one of the whiners and complainers who refuse to acknowledge that it is their debt and their problem, not just the fault of mindless politicians in Washington, D.C. After all, every politician ultimately answers to voters and most of the so-called wasteful spending of the U.S. government is simply politicians responding to the demands of their constituents (voters.) Maybe my one small contribution to paying down the debt won't really make any difference to any of those whiners and complainers, but for me it is a matter of principle. I consciously choose action rather than the inaction and lack of responsibility of the whiners and complainers.

If you have any sense of principle, you too can pay down a slice of the U.S. government debt yourself at Pay.gov. You can pay via credit card or debit transfer from a bank account.

 

So do the right thing and show all those whiners and complainers (including so-called "tax protesters") how mindless and spineless they really are. PAY DOWN THE DEBT! And that has to start at the grass roots with us individuals before politicians will ever pick up the lead.

 

For the record, the only real way out of the deficit is not to merely cut expenditures or raise taxes or some combination of the two, but through economic growth, which includes a healthy amount of immigration in addition to unemployed workers going back to work and young people entering the work force. Sure, we need to manage the federal budget more carefully as well and make difficult choices about the size of government and tax rates, but the big focus has to be on achieving sustainable economic growth. In truth, nobody, including all of the Nobel laureate economists, knows what that sustainable rate really is or how to get there. We'll stumble our way in that general direction. That's the way we do things in America.

 

Another note: A significant part of the deficit is businesses writing off losses from the financial crisis and recession as tax deductions. That may continue for awhile longer, but will gradually wind down and tax receipts from businesses will begin to pick up in the coming years.

 

-- Jack Krupansky

 

Cafe Philo in New York City in two weeks, Thursday, 7/28: Rules, laws, disobedience, and crime

Cafe Philo in New York City will meet in two weeks, on Thursday, July 28, 2011 for a discussion of the topic "Rules, laws, disobedience, and crime."

 

The suggested topics for the upcoming meeting and their votes (out of 6 attendees):

1. Where do we go from here? (2)
2. Rhetoric vs. reasoning. (3)
3. What is the impact of 6 billion people? (3)
4. What is worth dying for? (3)
5. Is politics inherently corrupt? (3)
6. What is power? (3)
7. Rules, laws, disobedience, and crime. (4) *

I have been acting as guest moderator lately. Bernard Roy has been attending as a participant, although he heads to France for the summer.

 

As usual, the meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the back room at Bamiyan Afghan Restaurant at the northwest corner of Third Avenue and 26th Street in New York City. In exchange for free meeting space, it is expected that each attendee will purchase a minimum of $5 of food or drink. A glass of red wine can be had for $6 (plus tax and tip.)

 

After winding down our discussion, we entertain and vote on proposals for the topic question for the next meeting.

 

There are also usually some attendees who go across the street to McCormack's Pub for drinks and food and extended discussion after Cafe Philo, but not limited to the scheduled discussion topic.

 

There are a number of small groups in the U.S. and Europe who meet regularly to discuss topics related to philosophy. Some of these groups go by the name "Cafe Philo." There is one here in New York City that meets every two weeks, every other Thursday. It is organized and moderated by Bernard Roy, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Each meeting focuses on a specific topic which was suggested and voted on by the participants at the last meeting.

 

-- Jack Krupansky

 

Some philosophy discussion topics

Here are a few of the philosophy discussion topics that I happened to scribble down on a recent cross-country flight:

1. Politics, games, and pragmatism
2. What is a better life?
3. Rhetoric vs. facts
4. Rhetoric vs. reasoning
5. Is analogy a form of reasoning?
6. Are there limits to responsibility?
7. What is fair?
8. What is the relationship between knowledge and power?
9. How much of what we know is wrong?
10. What is the meaning of a tree?
11. Is it your money?
12. Can reality be wrong?
13. Could reasoning have stopped Hitler?
14. How much is too much money?
15. Who wants to be a trillionaire?
16. Relationship between price and value.
17. Is there a limit to helping those in need?
18. What is honor?
19. What are the limits of honor?
20. What is dignity?
21. What are the limits of dignity?
22. What is wisdom?
23. What are the causes of wisdom?
24. What are the limits of wisdom?
25. What is proof of anything?
26. How strong a link implies causality?
27. How does the universe work?
28. Was there a time before time?
29. Do we know too much?
30. Can knowledge be dangerous?
31. Can knowledge be immoral?
32. Is suspicion worth the trouble?
33. Value of speculation.
34. Relationship between truth and power.
35. What are the limits of power?

-- Jack Krupansky

Cafe Philo in New York City in two weeks, Thursday, 7/14: Does the soul exist?

Cafe Philo in New York City will meet in two weeks, on Thursday, July 14, 2011 for a discussion of the topic "Does the soul exist?"

 

The suggested topics for the upcoming meeting and their votes (out of 13 attendees):

1. Do political borders rope people in? (4)
2. Pornography - aesthetic, political, moral, personal. (7, 4)
3. The cost of going along vs. holding your ground. (6)
4. If you won the big lottery, what would you do with your life? (3)
5. Does determinism entail predestination? (3)
6. Why do we need music? (7, 5)
7. Meritocracy. (3)
8. Privacy vs. secrecy. (7, 2)
9. Is dueling salutary in society? (3)
10. Does the soul exist? (7, 7) *
11. Obligation vs. free will. (6)

I have been acting as guest moderator lately. Bernard Roy has been attending as a participant, although he heads to France for the summer.

 

As usual, the meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the back room at Bamiyan Afghan Restaurant at the northwest corner of Third Avenue and 26th Street in New York City. In exchange for free meeting space, it is expected that each attendee will purchase a minimum of $5 of food or drink. A glass of red wine can be had for $6 (plus tax and tip.)

 

After winding down our discussion, we entertain and vote on proposals for the topic question for the next meeting.

 

There are also usually some attendees who go across the street to McCormack's Pub for drinks and food and extended discussion after Cafe Philo, but not limited to the scheduled discussion topic.

 

There are a number of small groups in the U.S. and Europe who meet regularly to discuss topics related to philosophy. Some of these groups go by the name "Cafe Philo." There is one here in New York City that meets every two weeks, every other Thursday. It is organized and moderated by Bernard Roy, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Each meeting focuses on a specific topic which was suggested and voted on by the participants at the last meeting.

 

-- Jack Krupansky