Critical Thinking Club - can two adults be platonic friends when there’s potential for romantic attraction?

​New Yorkers argue a lot. Disagreement has the power to bring us closer together, but most of us never learned how. Somewhere along the way, speed replaced clarity, and certainty replaced curiosity. The result: we're more polarized, and less understanding.

​Critical Thinking Club aims to reverse that trend by providing space for busy New Yorkers who want to think more clearly and communicate more thoughtfully. The goal isn’t to "win" an argument, it’s to improve how we listen, disagree, and express our opinions without distancing each other.

​Our next theme will be, "Can two adults be platonic friends if there's opportunity for romantic attraction?"

​We’ll use this topic to practice critical thinking skills like…

• ​Articulating views you disagree with

• ​Separating personal experience from broader evidence

• ​Noticing hidden assumptions, in yourself and others

• ​Revising your position without compromising your values or credibility

​What to expect

• ​2 comedians debate and a philosophy professor moderates

• ​Small-group conversations with guided prompts

• ​A psychologically safe environment for disagreement

​The evening begins with a moderated discussion between 2 comedians who take opposite sides. A professor of philosophy moderates and steps in when reasoning breaks down, or a common fallacy appears. The moderator pauses to explain, and suggests how reasoning could be improved. Mistakes are expected and useful. The goal is for all of us to share the learnings. Then, everyone practices in small groups.

​Agenda

• ​6:30 - 7: Arrive, grab a refreshment, chat, find a seat

• ​7 - 7:15: Philosophy Professor leads a light lecture to set context for the evening; introduce speakers

• ​7:15 - 7:45: Comedians make opening statements, rebuttals, audience Q&A, and closing statements

• ​7:45 - 8:15: Audience members have small group discussions (4-5 people) to practice sound critical thinking skills with the help of guided prompts

• ​8:15 - 8:20: Wrap-up, participants can share key takeaways from their group discussions

• ​8:20 - 8:30ish: Socialize, chat with other groups

• ​8:30 on: after party at Evil Twin Brewing

​Speakers

​We’re excited to have Greg Nirshberg moderating our next discussion. Greg is the Professor of Philosophy at Iona University, an advisor for the university’s interdisciplinary neuroscience program, and he received his Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2023, https://www.iona.edu/faculty/nirshberg-gregory

​Our next speakers will be comedians Sydnee Washington @justsydbw and Zach Zimmerman @zzdoublezz.

​If you want to understand others better, and be better understood, join us!