Archive Archives - Page 11 of 17

Archive by category "Archive" (Page 11)

March 2019 Philosophy Walk: The Environment, Ethics & Stewardship (Part 3)

Part 3 of our 3-Part Fall Philosophy Walk Series on the environment, ethics & stewardship took place on Sunday, March 24th at Ten Mile Creek Park. Despite the weather being overcast (a change from the sunny day prior) and the trails a bit slushy from the recent melt, our adventure was beautiful and fun. We also heard numerous bird calls from above — geese, gulls, northern flickers — and some fun dog calls (from our furry four-legged’s who joined us on the walk). Sponsored in part by grants from The Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization & Humanities Montana, our group shared dialogue about philosophical and other perspectives related to current and future environmental & conservation challenges, and featured special guest speakers Thomas Baumeister, Mark Smillie, and Tyrrell Hibbard.

March 2019 Philosophy Mini-Drive-In (Altruism)

In this TED Talk & Philosophy inspired movie night facilitated by Thomas Baumeister, we explored questions about altruism through the practice of socratic inquiry. Primed by a scholarly TED Talk discussion by Matthieu Ricard, we looked at the nature of consciousness, its function and evolution, and more. Access resources here!

2018-2019 Philosophy Symposium – “The Environment, Ethics & Stewardship” (Part 3)

Our 2018-2019 Philosophy Symposium Series “The Environment, Ethics & Stewardship” looked at numerous philosophical issues & perspectives related to ethics, the environment, and conservation stewardship, ranging from public vs. private land (including individual rights, collective rights, indigenous rights, other); landowner/steward-wildlife and habitat relationships, and; current & future environmental/conservation challenges. At this symposium, six panelists from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds focused on the third of these three areas of discussion and spoke for 7-10 minutes each. Then the forum was opened up to free-flowing audience-panelist Q & A. Access audio-video, photos & more here!

Science on Tap: Three Thought Experiments that Revolutionized Science

Most people can identify the ideas that have revolutionized science as we know it. But what about the thought experiments behind those ideas? The ideas behind the ideas that gave rise to our vision of the world today? This free interactive & theatrical presentation was held on January 31st at ExplorationWorks as part of their Science on Tap project and explored three thought experiments that revolutionized science. Guest speakers Marisa Diaz-Waian (who played the role of the student), Martin Richard (the mad scientist) & Michael Chapman (the philosopher) examined the role of imagination and wonder in scientific and philosophical thinking and invited audience members to share in the fun!

The Democracy of Wolf Conservation

No other species on this planet elicits stronger emotions in us than the wolf. This should come as no surprise. After all, it’s the wolf which has been in our presence the longest, it’s the wolf with whom we’ve shared our ancestral dwellings and whose descendants we keep as pets today, and it’s the wolf who has shaped our humanity and our relationship to wildness like no other. In this article, 2019 Merlin Community Scholar Fellow Thomas Baumeister, discusses the role of adaptive management, pragmatism, and engaged citizenry in wolf conservation.

January 2019 Philosophy Mini-Drive-In (Consciousness)

In this TED Talk & Philosophy inspired movie night facilitated by Thomas Baumeister, we explored questions about consciousness through the practice of socratic inquiry. Primed by scholarly TED Talk discussion by David Chalmers and Seth Anil, we looked at the science and philosophy of consciousness e.g., what is it, how does it work, where does it live, what does it do for us, and why does it matter that we have it?

Measure of the Hunt: Elk Deserve Better

Elk are elk and their worth does not rely on us, though it is influenced by our ability to identify and communicate that value. If we truly love and appreciate elk, it’s time for hunters to reclaim the ethical highroad of fair chase hunting that honors elk for what they are and demands the hunter to be the very best he or she can be. In this article, 2019 Merlin Community Scholar Fellow Thomas Baumeister, discusses two different “measures” of hunting, how fairness and respect are part and parcel of reverence, and why reinstating the ethical pursuit of the hunted as a measure is important.

Theodor W. Adorno: The Culture Industry (Part 2)

This article, written by Merlin volunteer and scholar Jonathan Drake, explores the work of Theodor W. Adorno and offers an analysis of his philosophical reflections on the “culture industry,” Marx’s commodity fetishism, mass media, and the liberating potential of art.