About

Come for the puzzles. Stay for the arguments.

We are building a salon of drop-in, guided discussions for smart people who want to think through problems at the cutting edge of philosophy. We value truth, logic, clarity and the respectful exchange of ideas.

If you like paradoxes, “wait—does that follow?” moments, and conversations that get sharper as they go, you’ll fit right in.

We promise there will be no background needed and no homework-just mind-bending questions, better thinking, and a tour through the latest ideas in philosophy.

You’ll meet philosophers and advanced researchers who will help us explore the often elusive world of analytic philosophy. Along the way, you may inadvertently sharpen an argument, clarify a concept, draw a subtle distinction, and think like a philosopher.

No jargon. No background. No homework. Just mind-bending questions, better thinking, and a tour through the latest thinking in philosophy.

Find us at CUNY Graduate Center (Midtown, Manhattan): 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016, Room 7113.

Seats are very limited. RSVP required. 100% Free.

Format

Each meeting is 90 minutes and self-contained.

  • 0–10 arrivals + a light opening prompt
  • 10–20 the puzzle, presented crisply (no theory yet)
  • 20–65 structured small-group conversation (guided prompts)
  • 65–85 full-room shareback + best arguments
  • 85–90 one explicit takeaway move + teaser for next time

Optional: A nearby post-salon hang for anyone who wants to keep talking, at Ginger Man bar.

We will have refereshments: wine, cheese, and fruit.

Upcoming

March 31, 2026 • CUNY Graduate Center • 90 minutes
AI & the Mind: The Chinese Room and Mary the Color-Expert Neuroscientist Meet Modern LLMs
Does an LLM really understand meaning?
April 14, 2026 • CUNY Graduate Center • 90 minutes
Gödel in One Evening: What Incompleteness Does (and Doesn’t) Mean
A widely misunderstood but intrinsically compelling result—minus the hype.

Topics

A sample menu of stand-alone evenings (each built around a crisp puzzle):

  • Frege’s Puzzle + “The King of France”
  • Rule-following and the “quus” problem
  • Newcomb’s paradox
  • Goodman’s “grue” and induction
  • Trolley problems (with a twist)
  • Gettier cases

Get involved

Interested in facilitating? Most facilitators are advanced PhD students, postdocs, or professors. Preparation is minimal: short blurb and a short orientation.

Email us if you’d like to help host, facilitate, or spread the word.

Contact

Email: eagolli@gc.cuny.edu

To RSVP, use either:

Google Form: forms.gle/…
Partiful: partiful.com/…