Simply show up to one of our lectures and enjoy. We do have an optional subscription. (See below.)
When does the philosophers forum meet?
The Dallas Philosopher's Forum meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from September through May. (unless otherwise noted on the schedule.) There is no meeting the fourth Tuesday in December or the fourth Tuesday in May.
At what time does the philosophy group meet?
We meet at our traditional 7:30 PM start time. Please arrive early so that we may be seated and start at 7:30. Members gather for dinner and discussion before the lecture starting as early as 6:00 PM.. is open until 9:30 if you would like a social/discussion time after the lecture. There are also other restaurants nearby that stay open all night who would be happy to accommodate you.
What are the philosophy lecture meetings like?
Dallas Philosophers Forum gatherings begin with dinner and discussion for those who want to come an hour or so early, then a philosophy lecture followed by half an hour of questions from the audience. After the talks are over, everyone is encouraged to hang around and discuss the philosophical problems of the evening until the restaurant closes. The philosophy lectures typically last between 30 and 50 minutes and the talks are followed by an open question-and-answer period which generates lively discussion. Some participants meet before the philosophy talks for dinner and philosophy discussion. Some go out after the talks for continued philosophy discussion. The philosophy talks are designed to be engaging and non-technical and thus they are enjoyable by the layperson or academician alike - Philosophy made user friendly. Lecture topics may be anything philosophically-related such as politics and political philosophy, culture, society and anthropology, science, bioethics, history, history of ideas, religion, meaning, artificial intelligence, or even standard philosophical fare such as ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, aesthetics, logic, philosophy of mind, psychology, philosophy of language, cosmology, or ontology.
I understand you meet to eat dinner and socialize before the lecture. How does this work?
Dallas Philosophers Forum gatherings
begin with dinner and discussion for those who want to come an hour or
more early, then a philosophy lecture followed by half an hour of
questions from the audience.
Show up at about 6:00 PM, order food or a drink and discuss philosophy
or anything else with our friendly group.
If you do wish to eat we encourage you to show up early so that
everyone may be served and eat before the lecture.
We do not want server noise interfering with the lecture experience so
please help us out with this. Please remember to pay your bill with the restaurant.
Anyone and everyone. Most of our members have at least had one philosophy class in college and many have had quite a few or do reading on their own. The audience has a diverse set of experiences. Some of our members have post graduate degrees so the audience is quite varied. The point is that anyone with an interest in philosophy is welcome. Many times professors or people with expertise in the topic discussed are in the audience which makes for lively and interesting discussion. Many of our speakers come to the lectures.
It will be my first time to visit. Is there anything I need to know?
Yes. Please arrive early. We start at 7:30 PM Sharp.
If many people arrive exactly at 7:30 it delays the lecture, and cuts into our brief time.
Please bring $5, or $2 if you have a current student ID.
The treasurer doesn't always get there early, so remember to pay the treasurer when he shows up.
Each lecture is different. If you don't like one then another may be
completely different. Give us a few tries to see what type of lectures
you like. And tell us what you'd like to hear about.
Socialize and talk to people. Part of our purpose is to create a forum for people to talk about philosophical ideas.
Don't be afraid to find out what people think.
Come on out and participate in the intellectual life of the Dallas area!
The philosophy club meets in Richardson, Texas. The location of the philosophy talks is usually centrally located in North Dallas. The philosophy lecture location changes from time to time, so please check the current schedule. Please see the location page for more details about lecture location. We are now meeting at on the .
Lecture attendence is $5. Lecture admission does not include food or drinks at the restaurant. If they wish to eat, philosophy lecture attendees must purchase their own food or drinks from the restaurant. Students with an ID can attend for $2. If you want to become a subscriber, the cost is $35 for 6 months (not counting the summer months, when we are off. Your cost covers about 12 lectures, which is a great deal). These admission fees may be different for special events.
You may arrive before the treasurer, so be sure to pay your $5 to the treasurer before you leave. It does cost money to run this organization, and we need that modest fee from you to keep things going. Thank you for your consideration.
What are the benefits of becoming a subscriber?
The contributions of philosophy lecture visitors and subscribing
members keeps the Dallas Philosopher's Forum going for all to enjoy.
Subscribers get free admission to all lectures except special
events. With special events, subscribing members get benefits which
depend on the event. This may
include priority seating, admission reduction price or free admission,
and other benefits which will be announced prior to a special event.
Since any special event might be different, the Dallas Philosopher's
Forum cannot guarantee what benefits will be available to subscribing
members until an official announcement is made for that special event.
Subscribing members go on our mailing list automatically so that any
critical changes or cancellations, and each season's schedule will come
straight to your doorstep.
One last advantage is that being a subscribing member keeps the Dallas Philosopher's Forum going for all to enjoy.
How do I stay informed about Forum events?
Sign up for our e-mail list to be notified in advance of our next lecture. You will also receive any important news such as schedule changes. And, of course, periodically check the philosophy group's web site for updates.
Is the Dallas Philosopher's Forum associated with any other group?
Absolutely Not. The purpose is, literally, contained in our name. We want to provide a forum for philosophical discussion and thought. We do not espouse any specific philosophical position and we attempt to bring a variety of opinion even if those opinions may not be held by our Board or subscribers. We do, however, provide links to other philosophical groups if you care to investigate them.