Café Philosophique w Alice Ayel January 7-March 25

Café Philosophique:
Where French Minds Meet Over Great (and Not-So-Great) Ideas
(Upper Beginner/Intermediate)

Instructor:
Alice Ayel

In France, the café philosophique is a beloved tradition—ordinary people gathering in cafés to wrestle with life’s questions, both profound and delightfully trivial, over good coffee and spirited conversation. No advanced degrees required. No pompous jargon allowed. Just minds meeting minds, ideas meeting ideas, and perhaps a croissant meeting its destiny.

We bring this living tradition to you.

The Question on the Table

Each week, we place before you an idea worth examining. It might be weighty: “Is happiness a choice?” It might be wonderfully absurd: “Pineapple has its place on pizza.” It might make you groan in recognition: “Monday is the worst day of the week.”

Whatever the proposition, we treat it with the respect every idea deserves—which is to say, we take it seriously enough to question it thoroughly, but not so seriously that we forget to enjoy ourselves.

The Flow of Thought

Like any good café gathering, our hour follows a natural rhythm:

1. The Provocation — We introduce the idea, setting it before the group like a puzzle waiting to be solved or a guest waiting to be properly interrogated.
2. The Wrestling — Here is where minds come alive. We analyze from all angles. We debate with good humor and genuine curiosity. We test the idea, turn it over, examine its weak spots and its surprising strengths. You’ll find yourself thinking in French because you’re too engaged with the idea to worry about the language.
3. The Resolution — Together, we arrive at some conclusion—or perhaps at a beautiful, honest impasse. Either way, we’ve thought well, spoken much, and exercised our French in the service of something worth discussing.

Who Will Join Us at This Table?

This gathering welcomes upper beginners and intermediate learners—those who can comprehend well enough to follow an idea and are ready to contribute their own thoughts, even if haltingly at first.

You need not be a philosopher! You need only be:

• Curious about ideas
• Willing to think aloud in French
• Ready for thoughtful conversation that doesn’t take itself too seriously
• Comfortable with the fact that the best discussions sometimes lead to more questions than answers

The Beauty of This Work

In defending your position on whether Monday truly deserves its terrible reputation, you’ll forget to be self-conscious about your French. In debating the pizza-pineapple question with appropriate gravitas, you’ll find yourself expressing complex thoughts with surprising fluency. In wrestling with real ideas, the language becomes what it should be: not the obstacle, but the tool.

Practical Matters

Time: 60 minutes weekly
Format: Live on Zoom (link provided before first class)
Materials needed: A curious mind, a sense of humor, and perhaps a cup of coffee
Recordings: All sessions recorded and posted online

Open to: Upper beginners and intermediate learners ready for thoughtful (and fun) conversation