Pictures can say 1,000 words. And this newsletter houses a photo album! In it you will find highlights from our programs in 2022 (and be able to access resources from each), learn about our 2021-2023 Student Scholar Fellow, meet some of our volunteers, check out what kinds of activities we have planned for the community in 2023 (we have a lot in queue!), and more! Check it out here!
Julianna Breit is our 2021-2023 Merlin Student Scholar Fellow. Learn more about her and the philosophical work she’ll be doing in & with the Helena community this year.
In this philosophy workshop led by student scholar fellow Julianna Breit, we explored our roles in empathy, questioning the aim of empathetic interactions, and analyzing what empathy looks like when it’s done well. After looking at the aesthetic foundations of empathy, we considered the interplay between savoring the other’s emotion and mitigating our own emotional overload. Access resources & photos here!
In this installment of “How Did We Get Here?”, we considered the idea of “species,” from Plato and Aristotle, through the Middle Ages, to Charles Darwin (of course!), and down to the present. Along the way, we gained some insights into the role of ideas and abstraction in western scientific thought, reflect on the search for stability in a changing world, and cultivated a deeper appreciation for the ways that we, and our predecessors, strive to classify and categorize — both in the natural world, and in human society and culture. Access resources & photos here.
Woot-Woot! We just received word that we’ve been awarded a $1,000 grant for our new Philosophy Shorts series “How Did We Get Here?” from the American Philosophical Association and the Berry Fund for Public Philosophy.
Part of a Humanities Montana series on environmental humanities, this short essay by Merlin Director Marisa Diaz-Waian reflects upon nature, friendship, and this special place called home. Read the essay here!
This workshop explored the role of myth within philosophy, the life dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom. What kinds of myths are there? When & how can myths be used effectively and appropriately? What does it mean to engage with myth in a specifically philosophical mode? How do mythic modes of understanding enrich, complement, or complete other ways of thinking and knowing, like the logical or analytical? Access resources & photos here!
Howwwwwl! We had such a great time on our Halloween Hayride-Philosophy Walk this year. And what an insightful, inspiring, and energetic bunch of thinkers — kids, parents, and costumed creatures alike!! Check out pictures & all the things we explored here!
