Rationality Meetups (session 6): Categorisation and Concepts

Join us for a series of six open-format meetings, taking place twice a month on Tuesdays from October to December. There’s no need to register in advance; you are welcome to join even if you can’t attend every session. The meetings will feature discussions based on required readings, focusing primarily on the works of Scott Alexander (author of the Astral Codex Ten blog). It’s an opportunity to deepen your understanding of key rationalist topics and explore them with others. English speakers welcome.

What’s the Goal?

The sessions are for both regular participants who want to catch up on classic texts and expand their knowledge, as well as for newcomers eager to dive into valuable rationalist literature. 

The upcoming 6th session:  Categorisation and Concepts (December 10)

The last session will also be led by Hana Kalivodová. We will explore the ways in which human categories, moral judgments, and societal norms shape our understanding of complex issues, from illness and personal behavior to political debates and group identities. We’ll examine how labels and classifications can influence both individual and collective responses, and discuss when it’s productive to sympathize or condemn certain actions or conditions. We’ll also delve into how seemingly objective terms or categories are often used in misleading ways, distorting logical arguments and driving emotional or symbolic conflicts. Through this, we aim to uncover how our thinking can be refined to better navigate moral, social, and empirical questions.

This concludes our series of rationality meetups. You can see our other events here: https://www.efektivni-altruismus.cz/kalendar-akci/.

Not able to attend?

If you are interested in the topic but cannot attend due to time constraints, for example, leave us your contact details and we will get back to you with other opportunities (events, discussions, lectures, projects): https://forms.gle/jqVaFWPhcPZmiFFy8.