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!

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August 2018 Philosophy Read-In

Our August Philosophy Read-In was so much fun! We read two stories by Byrd baylor and enjoyed wonderful conversation. View pictures, a synopses of the stories, and some of the things we talked about here!

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Can Philosophy Help Us Get Beyond Anger?

Anger is an emotion that has (sadly) seemed to imbue our politics and culture.  Thankfully, claims Martha Nussbaum —  Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago — philosophy can help guide us out of this “dark vortex.” In this timely article, Nussbaum considers…

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DOJO TWO (WEEK 6r): “The Good Life,” Plato’s Symposium (Part 1)

This portion of week 6 we will begin our exploration of “The Good Life” and dive into Plato’s Symposium (part 1). NOTE: This week is split between two dojos — Dojo One & Dojo Two. The ‘r’ represents the Thursday of week 6.

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Lessons on Empathy & Compassion from the Classroom

Empathy and compassion are some of the greatest life lessons we can ever hope to learn. While expanding our minds is (and should be) a goal of our educational systems, lessons that help to expand our hearts are often (sadly) less of a focus. In this award-winning documentary, Mr. Toshiro…

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The Value of Studying Philosophy

In an older (but not outdated) article in the Atlantic,  Hope Reese interviews Rebecca Newberger Goldstein — philosopher and author of Plato at the Googleplex — who discusses the value of studying philosophy and why it is critical to our lives.  From helping us increase our humanity to becoming responsible…

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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:…

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