Gratitude
Let's think carefully about gratitude. These days, we hear a lot about gratitude's benefits. It makes us happier, healthier, and more productive. But what if gratitude is more complicated? Could "it would make me happier" be the wrong reason to be grateful? Can gratitude be expected or required, or does gratitude need to be free? Can it be wrong to be grateful towards someone? Can you feel grateful only to people, and only for something they did on purpose? Can calls for gratitude be used to exploit or manipulate? Are pride and gratitude incompatible? Do you have to give up credit to feel grateful? Should we be grateful for this world, full of beauty and injustice? How should we think about gratitude? Join us this month as we dig deeper and discuss gratitude.
How We Work
Everyone is welcome to join us to discuss philosophy. We meet monthly, with a summer hiatus from May to August. Each meeting will have a topic and a discussion leader to start the conversation. All you need to bring is curiosity and a willingness to listen to others. Read our rules to learn more about how we work, and be sure to check out this month's Philosophical Exercise.
The Next Meeting
Date: November 18, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Smith Building, Room 202. (Park in the adjacent lot. Guests park free.)