The Nickel City Forum
The Nickel City Forum is a drinks & discussion series in Buffalo, New York. We have public intellectual events.
The Nickel City Forum is also a podcast. We think it's possible to pursue the big questions in life together.
So we're always up for a good argument.
We'll post event audio, follow-up interviews with our speakers, and episodes related to seeking the good life.
Listen on:
Episodes
2 days ago
2 days ago
The Nickel City Forum team - Fr. Bryan, Dr. Phil Woodward, Dr. Phil Reed, Dr. Sam Cloud, and Sharon Murphy - share their favorite books from 2025.
2 days ago
2 days ago
Fr. Bryan chats with Dr. Sam Cloud about the 12/3/25 Nickel City Forum at Big Ditch Brewery on the topic, "How to Make Sense of Suffering."
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
On December 3, 2025, Dr. Sam Cloud led a Nickel City Forum event at Big Ditch Brewery in downtown Buffalo. Dr. Cloud is the Chief Medical Officer of Erie County Medical Center. His topic was "How to Make Sense of Suffering: Reflections from 20 Years in the ER."
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Tuesday Dec 02, 2025
Fr. Bryan and Dr. Phil Woodward consider service to humanity as a way to pursue the good life.
Monday Dec 01, 2025
Monday Dec 01, 2025
How can we live a truly good life? Dr. Phil Woodward and Fr. Bryan Wandel explore another topic - relationships with other people. What have the great philosophers said about this? How does it lead to a life that is truly worth living?
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Fr. Bryan and Dr. Phil Woodward discuss how virtue can be a path to the good life. We talk about a perennial favorite pop philosophy, Stoicism, including the opportunities for a fuller life and the limits.
Monday Nov 10, 2025
Monday Nov 10, 2025
Dr. Phil Woodward and Fr. Bryan discuss the philosophy of Epicurus. How does pleasure help us to understand what it means to live the good life?
Friday Oct 17, 2025
Friday Oct 17, 2025
Dr. Phil Woodward sits down with Fr. Bryan Wandel to talk about Phil's college course: Intro to the Good Life. Phil helps us understand how questions about what it means to live a good life are the central concern of philosophy, and how it can help us live better, more fulfilling lives.
Thursday Oct 16, 2025
Thursday Oct 16, 2025
A follow-up conversation after our 10/2/25 event with Dr. Phil Woodward: How to Reclaim Your Life From Your Phone. Fr. Bryan and Phil discuss how Phil chose this topic, how he teaches kids who are immersed in technology, and some of the Q&A from the Nickel City Forum event.
Friday Oct 03, 2025
Friday Oct 03, 2025
Our October 2, 2025, Nickel City Forum event was at Five Points Bakery in Buffalo. Dr. Phil Woodward, Professor of Philosophy at Niagara University, led us in the discussion: "Engaging Digital Dystopia: How to Reclaim Your Life From Your Phone."