Thank you to everyone who so generously donated to Merlin during Greater Helena Gives 2023. Because of you we were able to surpass our goal of $3k….raising $3,550 for our philosophy in the community programs!
We had a wonderful time at the Lewis & Clark Library with guest scholar Christopher Preston. Our evening involved a blend of author readings & community discussion. Over the course of our gathering, Christopher shared insights and perspectives about the people and wildlife he encountered while researching species recoveries. His encounters with whales, wolves, sea otters, and bison – as well as the scientists that study them – suggest that better ways to think about animals are close at hand. View more here!
Thank you so much to The Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization for their support of our 2023 philosophy symposia series on Loss & Legacy. Learn more here!
In his Handbook, the Stoic philosopher Epictetus tells us that “the appropriate actions for us to do are usually measured out for us by our relations.” Epictetus suggests that we can see how to act fittingly in any given situation, based on how we are related to the other people involved, whether as family members, friends, fellow citizens, enemies, or in whatever other way. In this reading & discussion, we used some extended quotations from Simplicius’ commentary as a springboard for reflecting on friendship, and on the appropriate actions that arise from our relationships more generally. Access resources here!
Our Food for Thought fundraiser is a limited capacity event with dinner and beverages, entertainment & thought-provoking table talks led by guest scholars. We have a great line-up with some amazing thinkers, each of whom offer a diverse range of perspectives. Learn more & see what they’ll be talking about here!
In this installment of “How Did We Get Here?”, we considered the intellectual history of “planet” with mathematician, physicist, and astrophysicist Kelly Cline. We started with the ancient Greeks, moved to Copernicus, and then sashayed into the 20th century. Along the way we learned about how scientific words and their definitions serve as a specific lens through which we can view the world. By scientifically defining words so that they most closely match real categories that exist in physical reality, this makes it easier for us to understand, investigate, and make sense of the universe. As such, this installment of HDWGH and the evolution of how we understand and use the word planet gave us important insights into the nature of science and the foundations of our modern civilization. Access photos & more here.
Woo-Hoo!! We just received word that we’re being awarded a $4,000 grant from Humanities Montana for our 2023 Loss & Legacy Philosophy Symposia series. Learn more about the series & what grant funds will help support here!
Our organization was awarded a $3,750 grant for our 2022 symposia series by Humanities MT and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Funding from this grant, helped to support five unique community events (a 2-part series in Spring & a 3-part series in Fall), each of which invited discussion and question about the complex terrain of “being human together.” See how funds were used across these programs here!
