VHS-Haus Alstertal

Hardly any philosopher has had such a profound impact on European thought as Immanuel Kant, whose 300th birthday we recently celebrated. Whether it's epistemology, ethics, metaphysics, or philosophy of law: with Kant, the era of modernity begins in philosophy. To this day, discussions we have in the political and social context are influenced by his considerations. Sapere aude - have the courage to use your own understanding, is one of Kant's most important maxims. We will be dealing with central statements by Kant on this Long Night of Philosophy, and tracing his influence on Western thought. Prior knowledge of philosophy is not required.

15-20% of people are considered highly sensitive, i.e. one in five carries the personality trait. The characteristics are: heightened sensitivity with regard to one or more senses—and within that a slight tendency toward overstimulation—, a deeper level of processing, high empathy, the ability to hear or read between the lines, as well as a strong sense of values. This gives rise to expectations of oneself and, accordingly, of one’s surroundings. Other people in dealing with highly sensitive individuals are affected by this as well. Acknowledging this is a helpful insight. Likewise, one can look at why others sometimes have difficulty understanding highly sensitive people. In addition to information on the topic of high sensitivity, joint reflections help to recognize the traces of high sensitivity and

The question of whether human free will exists is as old as philosophy itself. On one hand, the matter seems clear: I can do what I want—for example, go to the cinema this evening or not. Whatever my desires and inclinations tell me thus forms my will. On the other hand, all occurrences are shaped by determinism—meaning every event has a cause. This would then also apply to the will, which would therefore not be free, but rather determined by causality. This sounds highly confusing, and indeed it is. Furthermore, the question is extremely exciting, and the consequences that arise from it are as significant as they are potentially unsettling. Feel invited to a philosophical evening where we