An Autumn Walk & Philosophy: Where Do Virtues Come From? 🍂

Hey dear friends :)

Join us for a walk (about 40 minutes) along Eilbekkanal, enjoying the autumn colours and exploring different perspectives on where virtues come from—and how to cultivate them.

Immanuel Kant grounded morality in reason and our capacity to act from duty. David Hume emphasised moral sentiments, including empathy and sympathy: reason alone, he argued, cannot move us to act morally. Aristotle understood virtues as qualities of character developed through practice and habit, much like learning a skill, guided by practical wisdom.

We’ll meet at the southeast corner of Richardstraßenbrücke, by the Eilbekkanal.

The plan is that we discuss the following questions during the walk and at Café May (Stormarner Str. 34, 22049 Hamburg-Nord) afterwards. You are welcome to suggest more interesting questions to discuss when you sign up.

1. What makes a quality a virtue? Which qualities do you value most, and why?
2. Are virtues rooted in nature, nurture or reason? How much can we develop them through practice?
3. Why is knowing what is good often easier than doing it? What makes virtues such as courage, patience or honesty difficult to practise?
4. Can we be emotionally engaged and still judge objectively? When do feelings help our moral understanding, and when might they distort it?
5. Is human flourishing a shared moral goal? Even if we agree that people should flourish, do we agree on what flourishing means?
6. Can one person’s virtue be another person’s flaw? How do culture and circumstances shape our views of humility, ambition, obedience, directness and so on?

Strategies may help the discussion
1.Please try to answer the question or ask a more fundamental one, rather than substitute with something else
2.Please state your point first then support it by examples/explanations. We try to stick to the main topic, if you have many ideas/examples we can talk after the event :
3.We try to let people finish the statements. However, if you talk too long without clear main points, we will intervene
!!! You are kindly asked to sign up for events, or at least let hosts know before you come. You will be kicked out from the group after 3 times attending without registration

!!! Please be careful that we will discuss in English :

A reminder: Due to the capacity of our group, we will select sincere and interesting answers if there are too many people

More about Philosophy Salon in Hamburg

Hi! I am always curious about this world and want to figure everything out. What about you? Are you interested in philosophy, psychology, literature, sociology, history, or politics……? We can talk about everything you are into! Our Philosophy Salon Hamburg aims to provide a platform for inspiring, interesting conversation and discussion among interesting people. Since our salon is initiated to have deep conversation and discussion on some topics, we have limited seats for each event. Welcome to join us