What we’re about
This is a group for anyone interested in participating in thoughtful discussions about big ideas. Based in Midtown Memphis, we host two separate weekly groups, Reason Round Table, and Freethought Fridays Book Club. We welcome anyone who is intellectually curious and enjoys friendly, thoughtful, lively discussions and meeting other people who are engaged with diverse viewpoints and ideas.
Reason Round Table - A weekly discussion group that covers current events, science, government, philosophy, politics, economics, world affairs, religion, technology, art and everything in between. Reason Round Table meets every Wednesday for dinner, drinks, and discussion from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at Bayou Bar and Grill in Midtown Memphis. We have a new topic every week and keep a rolling list of 6 topics that are voted on at the end of each discussion. This group has been meeting every week for over 10 years.
Freethought Thursdays Book Club - A weekly book club group that meets every Thursday from 6:00 - 7:15 PM at Crosstown Concourse in Midtown Memphis. We alternate between fiction and non-fiction books and usually spend about 4-5 weeks to complete a book. We have previously read books such as: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, 10% Happier by Dan Harris, Dirty Love by Andre Dubus III, and Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. This group has been meeting every week for over 10 years.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Reason Round Table: A weekly discussion group for thoughtful, curious peopleBlue Monkey, Memphis, TN
***Important Programming Notes***
1. We will be meeting this week at Blue Monkey on Madison Ave.
2. We will start at 6:00 PM instead of 6:30 as Blue Monkey closes at 8:00 on Tuesdays.The Proper Function of Universities: The focus of, value of, and funding of, universities has all come under question as of late. Some argue that colleges and universities should exist exclusively to impart skills and information needed to be gainfully employed and to advance important research and should steer clear of any attempt to incorporate topics of sociology, morality or political views, etc into their course offerings. Others believe that a robust engagement with ideas and philosophy is a necessary part of higher learning and is necessary to create a well rounded citizenry. What is the proper function of universities? How does the history of higher education shape what exists today and how should it look in the future? Should universities take public stances on the issues of the day?
https://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_urban_the_essential_function_of_universities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University
https://www.worldwidelearn.com/articles/history-higher-education/
Some suggested reading from Richard:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/11/opinion/campus-protests.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/20/opinion/michigan-diversity-equity-inclusion.html
