Philosophy Workshop: Improving Civil Dialogue…One Conversation at a Time

What We’ll Explore

Learn new ways to spark meaningful dialogue and cultivate civic trust in this interactive 2-hour community philosophy workshop. Through a combination of reflective exercises and conversation using the Teach Different Method, the workshop invites participants to consider challenges they’ve encountered to civil discourse and offers practical strategies for exploring controversial topics constructively. If you are an educator, community leader, or anyone seeking to promote civic engagement and tackle challenging topics with empathy and clarity, this workshop is for you. The workshop will be led by guest scholar Dan Fouts & co-facilitated by Merlin CCC community philosophers Marisa Diaz-Waian & Mitch Conway. 

When

Sunday, July 13th from 9:30am-11:30am

Where

Reeder’s Alley (Conference Center & Grotto)

RSVP

Coming Soon…

Cost

FREE (Donations appreciated)

We will also be leading/co-facilitating a version of this workshop at Tufts University in June for the Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization’s 7th Biennial Conference.

Make a Donation Here

Our philosophy activities are FREE to the community.  While donations are never expected, they are always appreciated and help to keep programs like these going. Donations help to cover activity leader honorariums, implementation, and resource archiving, and more!  If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution you can do so by clicking here.

For those facing more challenging financial circumstances,
we ask that you please try to “pay it forward” with acts of kindness for your neighbors and community. 

Workshop Leader & Conversation Facilitator

Dan Fouts has taught high school social studies since 1993 in the Chicago suburbs. He holds degrees in philosophy and political science from Bradley University and a MS in education from Northwestern University. As co-founder of Teach Different, he promotes a neuroscience-backed conversation method fostering critical thinking, empathy, and civil dialogue. Dan serves on PLATO’s academic advisory board and has collaborated with the APA to bring philosophy into K-12 classrooms.

Conversation Co-Facilitators

Mitchell Conway is a Community Philosopher at Merlin CCC, a branch facilitator/educator at Cottonwood ALC, and serves on the Academic Advisory Board & Questions? Journal for The Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization. 

Marisa Diaz-Waian is a Community Philosopher & the Founder/Director of Merlin CCC, as well as a member of the Academic Advisory Board for The Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization.

Community Sponsor

Thank you to our community sponsor Doubletree by Hilton Helena Downtown.

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