Articles posted by Merlin CCC (Page 8)

Meet Merlin Team Member: Mitchell Conway

We are delighted to welcome Mitchell Conway onto the Merlin Team. Mitchell is a branch facilitator/educator at Cottonwood ALC and serves on the education committee for The Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization. He’ll be adding an additional “hat to his collection” by joining our crew here at Merlin CCC as a Community Philosopher & our Youth Programs Advisor. Learn more about Mitch here!

Merlin Student Scholar Fellow: “If Socrates Were a Psychiatrist…”

Inspired by her interest in philosophy & psychiatry, Merlin Student Scholar Fellow Julianna Breit explores some of their similarities & differences and how practitioners in both are obsessed with “The Good Life.” Read her 2021 research & writing work here!

Community Workshop: “Thinking About Place”

Gertrude Stein’s “there is no there there” has been used as a description for placeless spaces. By contrast, place has some kind of “there” going on. But what is this? What exactly is “place”? There are lots of ways to think about it. In this workshop, we reflected upon Helena’s sense of “place” in terms of our urban outdoors. Learn more & access resources here!

October 2021 Philosophy Walk: “Quirky Virtues”

In this philosophy walk led by philosopher David Nowakowski we explored virtues — quirky and otherwise, old & modern – from the perspective of Aristotle. At our first stop we discussed courage, at our second magnanimity, and our third authenticity. Access audio recordings and photos here!

Congratulations Julianna Breit: 2021-2022 Merlin Student Scholar Fellow

We are thrilled to announce our 2021-2022 Merlin Student Scholar Fellow, Julianna Breit. Julianna is our first undergraduate fellow. A junior at Carroll College, Julianna is double-majoring in Biochemistry and Philosophy with minors in Ethics and Value Studies, Neuroscience, and Chemistry. Her fellowship will involve a combination of research, writing, and philosophy in the community activities. Learn more about her & some of the projects she’ll be working on here!

October 2021 Philosophy Walk: “Justice as Fairness”

In this philosophy walk led by Ed Glowienka we explored justice as through the lens of fairness, freedom/responsibility, and equity — aspects of justice advanced by the late philosopher John Rawls. While a summary of Rawls’ views were provided at the outset, as well as some of his working principles along the way, the bulk of our meandering was spent exploring, working out, expanding upon, and applying Rawls’ views in a “hands-on” way to the contemporary issues of environmental justice and international justice. Access audio recordings of our discussions and view pictures here!

“Philosophy In & By the Community”: Merlin & Helena Community Members featured in Vernon Press Anthology

A 2021 Vernon Press anthology series edited by Stephen Kekoa Miller featuring eight chapters about doing philosophy in innovative ways, both in the schools and the community at large. In our chapter, “Philosophy In & By the Community,” we explore how Merlin CCC — with the help & support of community — has taken shape in interesting, delightful, and unexpected ways. In the process, we discuss our approach to philosophy, the kind of work we do, and some of its characteristics…as well as the significance & beauty of community & place. Learn more here!