The purpose of Socrates Cafe is to build a community that encourages people to think about their lives and provides a forum for doing so together. We start off each meeting gathering questions that have been on our minds. These questions range from "What is Truth?" to "Does democracy really exist?" to "What are the ramifications of pharmaceuticals on consciousness " to "Is it ever okay to lie?" There are no guidelines for good questions beyond the interests of the group. We then spend about two hours delving into the question -- not really trying to answer it, but rather trying to see it from as many different sides as we can, investigating its assumptions, getting beyond pat answers and appreciating the depth and complexity of all the issues we encounter.

And that's pretty much it. The meetings are open to everyone. There is no agenda, no predetermined answers to the questions. People generally leave with new things to think about and a growing sense of community. And that's really the goal. Please don't bring any spiritual or political axes to grind!

The original Socrates Cafe was started about 10 years ago by Christopher Phillips. Look for his book at your local library or Borders. Check Google to find information about other Socrates Cafes around the country.

Jay Galvin is trying to get a Socrates Cafe started in Pleasanton, California; first and third Tuesdays of each month, hopefully we can attract people from the Tri-Valley area.