Mar 25

Written by: Joe Longo
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 

The next Philosophers' Café at the Victoria Avenue Library is scheduled for April 7 at 7pm. The theme is "What is a human?".

A Philosophers’ Café is an informal, open forum for those interested in exploring philosophical questions in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The purpose of the café is nothing less than to help transform the world one conversation at a time. No philosophical training is required – real life experience desired. A philosopher exists in all of us.

Considerations for discussion include What am I? Where do I come from? Where can we go?

How does one know that one is human? Do we disagree on what a human wants and or needs?

Are humans the main/supreme being/animal on Earth? What differentiates humans from other animals? How do you relate to other human beings? How do other human beings relate to you?

What are the cause and effect dynamics of one's human experience? Got humanity?

We all, at least on occasion, ask the difficult questions: What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? Philosophizing consists of reflecting upon experience and questioning in search of underlying meanings and principles which can offer guidance in life. In our cafes we explore our philosophy of life by discussing questions related to specific themes. The success of a café depends on applying active listening and active conversation skills.

Public libraries have always been gathering places that have given birth to new, innovative and radical ideas. These conversations are light on structure and heavy on dialogue and participation.

The Philosophers’ Café “is free and open to all. Please come and bring a friend. While at the meeting feel free to explore beyond traditional dialogue. Bring along any form of artistic expression you feel is related to the discussion ie poetry, pictures, song, etc.

The facilitator will be jim agar. For further information contact Andrew Porteus at the library at 905-356-8080 or online.

The science fiction novel "Humans" by Robert J. Sawyer is the story of our world and a parallel one where homo sapiens died out and the Neanderthals became the dominant intelligent species. Neanderthal physicist Ponter Boddit returns to our world and to his relationship with geneticist Mary Vaughan, as cultural exchanges between the two Earths begin.

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Register your child for Saturday craft programs for only a loonie during April and May. Programs will feature dragonfly pins, earth day sand art, ogres and various Mother’s Day crafts.