French Philosogy, Western Philosophy & Psychology

19th Dinner – Descartes’ Passions of the Soul

Gilles

Descartes defined six “Passions of the Soul” but by soul, he meant the mind: Wonder, Love, Hatred, Joy, Sadness, and Desire. He saw the mind as a judge for the body, guiding it towards things perceived as good. However, our past experiences and culture shape our judgments and provoke our passions, leading us to make mistakes in our pursuit of virtue. True knowledge avoids errors, but our interpretations based on our past experiences cloud our judgment.

The Invited Philosophers Gilles & Fred This was the 19th dinner, at my house, and because Gilles missed the Tertulia and everybody loved the grilled Shawarma chicken, I repeated the menu for this event. Menu Appetizers: Rice crackers and pita chips with spinach and artichoke cream. Main course: Grilled chicken shawarma, Moroccan couscous, tzatziki sauce, and mixed green salad. Desserts: Pastries from a Portuguese bakery (Courtesy of G&F). Drinks: Champagne Ernest Rapeneau (Courtesy of G&F) and Maison Barboulot Cabernet-Syrah. The Philosophy René Descartes (1596–1650) defined his philosophy of the “Passions

of the Soul” with the help of his pen pal and fellow philosopher Princess Elisabeth of Bohemia. It is important to note that by "soul" Descartes meant the "mind". According to Descartes, sensations, appetites, and passions have a practical functionality: to act as guides for maneuvering our bodies through the world, and ultimately for preserving the mind-body union that constitutes the human being. Elisabeth and Descartes discuss how such metaphysically disparate things as mind and body can act on each other, and by 1645, their discussion shifts to whether the…

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Greek Philosophy, Spiritual Philosophy, Western Philosophy & Psychology

18th Dinner – The Western Stoic and the Hindu Sattva

Anna & Ben

Western Stoic Philosophy and the Sattvic Hindu Philosophy share similar aspirations. They motivate us to acquire a desirable harmonious mindset that is free from inner turbulence to achieve a more elevated and virtuous human experience. But it is not easy and there are some loopholes.

The Invited Philosophers Anna & Ben This was the 18th dinner, a vegetarian dinner at my house. Menu Appetizer: Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs with Multigrain Bread from the Marie Blachère Bakery Main course: Sicilian Fettuccini with Zucchini, Mushroom, Tomatoes, and Beyond Meatballs Italian Style Plant-Based Meatballs Drinks: Apple Cider London Dry by Schilling Hard Cider The Philosophies Stoic Philosophy started in Greece in 300 BC with Philosopher Zeno but

it was the Romans during the Roman Empire who developed it into what it is known today. It emphasizes living virtuously and finding inner peace by accepting what is beyond our control. In another continent, the three guṇas, sattva, rajas, and tamas, are now a key concept in nearly all schools of Hindu philosophy and refer to the interplay of the guṇas in defining the character of someone and determining…

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Spiritual Philosophy, Western Philosophy & Psychology

17th Dinner – Will AI join Merrell-Wolff’s Nirvana?

Alain

Franklin Merrell-Wolff agrees with Emmanuel Kant that the world we see is only a result of our limited capacity to experience it, through 2 cognitive means: reasoning and the senses. But he goes further than Kant in defining a third source of knowledge that leads us to experience an otherworldly reality, or Nirvana, and he calls it “Enlightenment”. We discussed whether AI, which by learning from human words is surpassing human intelligence, will be capable of Enlightenment.

How would AI reach Nirvana

The Invited Philosopher Alain This was the 17th dinner and we met in person in my house. Menu Main course: Cuban traditional food with white rice, black beans, kidney beans, and grilled churrasco (Alain’s favorite) Wine: French Red Wine “Cabernet – Syrah, Maison Barboulot - 2021”. The Philosophy In the introduction of the website that summarizes the philosophy of Franklin Merrell-Wolff, it is written that Wolff’s philosophy “is based upon a series of mystical insights—or ‘realizations’—that Wolff had over a period of fourteen years, and which culminated in ‘fundamental’ realizations

in 1936” . He then wrote “The Philosophy of Consciousness Without an Object” and refined it into the “Three Fundamentals” of his philosophy, which I will summarize here in my own words: Consciousness is the true reality and in it, there are no objects and there is no “I”, no spatial space, no time. It is Nirvana, and from it, the world is created. Our ordinary experience involves a subject that is aware of objects (e.g. “I see a tree”) and includes thoughts (e.g. “I had this thought”) but in…

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Western Philosophy & Psychology

16th Dinner – Adler vs Freud: The Courage to be Free

Tamara

Psychologist Alfred Adler’s theories differ in surprising ways from his contemporary Sigmund Freud and focuses on people’s goals and tasks and not on their numerous past traumas. Adler holds that people have one unconscious goal, which is to contribute usefully for the good of humanity, but when they fail, often in childhood, they feel inferior, which leads to a lifelong striving for superiority or status-seeking.

16th Dinner – Adler vs Freud, The Courage to be Disliked

The Invited Philosopher Tamara This was the 16th dinner, a vegetarian dinner. We met in person in Miami Beach at Tamara’s house. Menu Appetizer: Kale and cabbage salad with pumpkin seed crunch and creamy dill dressing. Main course: Gnocchi with a gorgonzola sauce. Wine: French rose wine “Gérard Bertrand - Coté des roses - 2021”. The Philosophy The Japanese book “The Courage to Be Disliked” published in 2018 and best enjoyed as an audiobook due to the dialogue-format of the book,  has given psychologist Alfred Adler’s theories new wings. I

would argue that the book’s title should be “The Courage to be Free”. Adler was a contemporary of Freud and Freud initially saw him as a disciple but they later parted ways when Adler disagreed with Freud’s theories. Adler stated that people are not driven by past causes, but driven by goals that they themselves set. Adler believed human behavior is purposeful and goal-oriented, whereas Freud believed it was motivated by unconscious forces linked to the past and by sexual and aggressive urges. Adler did not negate the influence of…

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Western Philosophy & Psychology

15th Dinner – “Love” according to M. Scott Peck

Carol

Harvard Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck's book “The Road Less Travelled” inspires us to love in order to find meaning in our life and transcend the mediocrity of the selfish human ego. He motivates us to use one indispensable tool to escape our ego boundaries and to find real love. That tool is discipline.

"Love" according to M Scott Peck

The Invited Philosopher Carol This is the fourth virtual dinner. Carol had dinner in Knoxville. As usual, I had dinner in Miami. Menu Paty’s dinner: Linguine pasta alle vongole with a mix of seafood. Paty’s wine: Tomaiolo Pinot Grigio, 2020. Carol’s sushi dinner: Veggie roll and California roll. Carol’s drink: Blue Moon beer The Philosophy As this is St. Valentine’s week, we chose the topic of “Love” as defined by

M. Scott Peck. In 1978, the Harvard Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck published his first and most famous book “The Road Less Travelled” in which he describes the attributes that make for a fulfilled human being. He borrowed the title from a poem by American poet Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken”. The book’s main philosophy is to encourage embracing the skill of discipline in 4 situations: to delay gratification, to…

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Western Philosophy & Psychology

14th Dinner – Leibniz: The Best of all Worlds

Andres & Carlos

Leibnitz got a lot of push back from his contemporary philosophers for claiming that God made the best of all worlds. How can this be the best of all worlds if there is so much pain and misery? What world was he talking about? We discussed the analogy of a dog’s world that is made the “best” by a good owner, even if the dog is nervous when moving to a new house.

The Invited Philosophers Brothers & Philosophers: Andres & Carlos This is the third virtual dinner. Carlos and Andres had dinner in New Jersey. Andres lives there and Carlos was visiting from New York with his dog Luna over the weekend (Luna was a topic of our discussion!). As usual, I had dinner in Miami. Menu Andres & Carlos’ vegetarian dinner: Samosas, roasted eggplant, tofu with tajin, and vegetarian chicken. Paty’s dinner: Appetizer: Green salad with crab cakes. Main Dish: Wild rice with black bean casserole. Paty’s wine: Los Clop, Malbec

2016 The Philosophy The German rationalist philosopher, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) has made significant contributions in several fields spanning the intellectual landscape, including mathematics, physics, logic, ethics, and theology. We discussed his claim that “the actual world is the best of all possible worlds”. An excellent discussion of Leibniz metaphysics can be found here. Having two computer scientists with a strong background in mathematics and a deep spiritual understanding of the world and life made this evening conversation very special. The Summary Leibniz argument of our world being the best possible…

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Western Philosophy & Psychology

12th Dinner – Descartes, Sarte, or Tolle: Who is right about “I AM”?

Iara

People often advise each other: “Just be yourself”. According to different philosophers, it might not mean what people think it means. It could mean to feed one's ego. We should perhaps advise each other: “Just be no-self”. Here is why.

The Invited Philosopher Iara Menu Dinner Appetizer: Sesame seaweed crunch cabbage salad with a toasted sesame ginger vinaigrette Dinner Main Dish: Scallops in garlic, parsley, mustard sauce with basmati rice Dessert: Chocolate and caramel ice cream* Drinks: Jumilla Translations Red Blend* *Courtesy of Iara The Philosophy René Descartes, famously defined the essence of “being” as "I think, therefore I am" pointing to our thoughts as the source of our identity. Jean-Paul Sartre, as discussed in our 3rd dinner, by contrast with Descartes, defines the “I am” as a consciousness that

is either nothing, such as before birth and after death, because it is free of judgements, or it is a “beingness” that is formed from judgments and thoughts. Eckhart Tolle, a spiritual teacher, expands on Sartre’ statements by asking: What did Sartre mean when he wrote “The consciousness that says 'I am' is not the consciousness that thinks.”? The Summary Tolle asks us to consider that: When you are aware that you are thinking, that awareness is not part of thinking. It is a different dimension of consciousness. And it is…

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Western Philosophy & Psychology

10th Dinner – Kant’s Transcendental Idealism

Nadine

Throughout the ages philosophers have questioned reality, with realists (Plato, Aristotle) arguing that things exist regardless of human perception, idealists (Barkley, Hagel) arguing that only what can be perceived exists or is real. Kant argues that there are aspects of our reality that we cannot know by reason alone. In our dinner we consider whether that applies to the non-physical reality of human personality and relationships.

The Invited Philosopher Nadine This is the second virtual dinner/lunch. Nadine had dinner in Duesseldorf, Germany, while I had lunch in Miami, Florida, USA. 2 Menus Nadine’s dinner: Chickpeas, portobello mushrooms, paprika in a pumpkin curry coconut milk sauce, with turmeric rice Paty’s lunch: Sofrito of mixed vegetables, grilled portobello mushrooms with wild rice Nadine’s Wine: Rose wine Nadine’s dessert: German Oblaten-Lebkuchen Paty’s dessert: Papaya and dark chocolate *Art: Courtesy of https://www.gallerynadine.com The Philosophy Immanuel Kant’s Transcendental Idealism is well explained in this Youtube video. Kant argued that our minds

process the information received from the world, and out of that a concept of objects arises, that may or may not be what is out there. Those objects are constructed by the mind but because the world is giving us the information, we construct only that which our mind can construct. And if we know the structure of the mind, we can know something about the objects we will see, that is what is called “a priori knowledge”, we know something of the objects before we experience them, before we…

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Western Philosophy & Psychology

8th Dinner – Psychedelics – From Plato to Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes

Marina

Psychedelics used to have a bad rap, but more recently, they are proving to be very valuable in psychotherapy. They are, however, not new to Philosophers: Plato, Nietzsche, Sartre, and now modern philosophers have experimented with them to expand their consciousness. We had many questions during the dinner, prominent among them was: Can psychedelics reveal our life's purpose?

The Invited Philosopher Marina Petralunga Restaurant Menu Marina’s dish: Cacio e Pepe Paty’s dish: Lady Devil Pizza Drinks: House Rosé Wine The Philosophy Dr. Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes from the University of Exeter, as described in his website, is an Anglo-Scandinavian philosopher of mind who specializes in the thought of Whitehead, Nietzsche, and Spinoza, and in fields pertaining to panpsychism and altered states of mind. He likes to be called the psychedelic Nietzsche. In his TED Talk he discusses understanding consciousness through psychedelics. The Summary Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes argues that although psychedelics are studied as

therapeutics in psychoanalysis, they can be of help also to the healthy, and to the philosopher. Psychedelics can provide state of minds that are awe-inspiring, sublime, ethereal but also infernal. One can lose one’s sense of oneself as “one self”. Space is distorted and time fluctuates or disappears and senses get entangled so that “one may smell the color of time”. He argues that in order to understand the mind it requires the investigation of such psychedelically-induced states of mind. Many philosophers through time have used psychedelics, Plato for example,…

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Western Philosophy & Psychology

7th Dinner, 1st Virtual – Carl Jung on Synchronicity

Sofia

Swiss Psychologist Carl Jung defined "Synchronicity" as an event in the outside world that coincides meaningfully with a psychological state of mind. We have all experienced "surprising coincidences" but if we consider their deeper meaning as Jung did, what are they telling us?

The Invited Philosopher Sofia This is the first virtual dinner/lunch I’ve had. Sofia had dinner in Oldenburg, Germany, while I had lunch in Miami, Florida, USA. 2 Menus Sofia’s dinner: German Abendbrot ohne Brot (A colorful plate of cheese, prosciutto, olives, pickles, almonds, walnuts, blueberries, raspberries) Paty’s lunch: Korma fish curry with Basmati rice and a side of lentils Sofia’s Wine: Sangre De Toro, 2018 Paty’s Wine: 2018 Monterustico Bianco, G.D. Vajra* *Courtesy of a friend who brought it to my last party The Philosophy Our topic was Synchronicity, a

concept introduced by Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.  Synchronicity is defined as a non-casual event in the external world which coincides with things going on in the internal world, such as our thoughts, feelings and dreams. Two good articles on the topic are this Medium article and this philosophical analysis linking Taoism and Jung. Jung's earliest thinking on synchronicity was prompted by a conversation over dinner with Albert Einstein sometime between 1909 and 1913. Einstein was developing his first theory of relativity and this started Jung thinking…

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