Critical Thinking Club - Should New Yorkers Have More Sex, Yes or No?
The data are in y'all: sex among Americans is at a record LOW. Across the board, whether you're single or in a relationship, guy or gal, straight or gay, American adults are having sex less regularly than they did 10-20 years ago. Is this a trend that we want to continue or reverse?
~~ intro music ~~
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: Should New Yorkers Have More Sex, Yes or No?
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 PM - Arrive, grab a refreshment, chat, find a seat
7 - 7:05 PM - Summarize goals for the evening, introduce the moderator and speakers
7:05 - 7:35 PM - Opening statements, Q&A, and closing statements
7:35 - 8:05 - Small group discussions (4-6 people) to practice sound critical thinking skills
8:05 - 8:10 - Wrap-up, participants can share key takeaways from their group discussions
8:10 - 8:45ish - Socialize with the speakers and participants
9 - after party Puffy's Tavern
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 Alana J, actor, comedian, professor + producer extraordinaire @alanaj.tv, and Will Santino, stand-up comedian and New Yorker cartoonist @will_kiley_santino.
If you want to understand others better, and be better understood, join us!