Caregiving in the New Era

America is facing a new reality.  Americans are living longer than ever.  Soon, elders will outnumber the young.  What does this mean in terms of how we care for our loved ones (and ourselves)?  How we manage our finances & juggle work and personal obligations?  How we structure our healthcare,…

Continue reading

My Mom the Magician Superhero: Showing Up & Being There

Growing up without a father can be difficult & painful.  Comedian, storyteller, actor, and philanthropist, Anthony Griffith, shares his story about life without a dad, the superpowers of his mom (his magician superhero), and the kinds of thinking you have to “put away” when growing up.  Listen to his moving…

Continue reading

Learning Critical Thinking through Deliberate Practice

Merlin MCC | Critical Thinking Image | Scholarly Articles

Argumentation Step-By-Step: Learning Critical Thinking through Deliberate Practice Ann J. Cahill and Stephen Bloch-Schulman, Teaching Philosophy 35:1 (2012): 41-62. ABSTRACT:  In this paper, we offer a method of teaching argumentation that consists of students working through a series of cumulative, progressive steps at their own individual pace—a method inspired by…

Continue reading

Does Philosophy Have a Place in Slow Medicine?

Merlin MCC | Scholarly Articles | General

Does Philosophy Have a Place in Slow Medicine? Marisa Diaz-Waian, Authored & Presented at the 2014 American Philosophical Association (Eastern Division Conference), National Philosophical Counseling Association Meeting. ABSTRACT:  If one were to tour a museum showcasing images of how we (as a modern culture in the U.S.) tend to the…

Continue reading

Facts, Opinions & Moral Truths

What does it mean for something to be a fact? What about an opinion?  And how do either (or both) of these relate to morality and value claims or moral truths?  Justin P. McBrayer, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Fort Lewis College, provides a fascinating (albeit troubling) look at how…

Continue reading

Do Compassion & Happiness Matter?

Merlin MCC | Dalai Lama Smile | Why Compassion & Happiness Matter

Do compassion and happiness matter?  Without hesitation, yes!  But how so?   His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of  Tibet reviews this very topic and provides his unique & insightful perspective on the importance of happiness and compassion to the individual and society at large.  In the process, he discusses:…

Continue reading

Why Walking Can Make You a Better Thinker

Merlin MCC | Why Walking Can Make You a Better Thinker

Ancient Greek philosophers believed there to be a deep, intuitive connection between walking and thinking (and writing).  Getting up and walking about (especially outdoors in nature) can make us better thinkers.  But is such a belief justified? In this pithy and insightful article, Feris Jabr (of the New Yorker) discusses…

Continue reading

Grief vs Depression

Merlin MCC | Grief vs. Depression

Grief & depression are not the same thing.  You can grieve without being depressed and without your grief leading to depression.  However, the distinction is a sticky one and can walk a fine line.  For these reasons and more…therapists and medical professionals have avoided categorizing those who have just lost…

Continue reading