Merlin CCC

Reading & Discussion Series: Plato's Phaedrus
2025-03-11 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-03-25 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Denver) | Reeder’s Alley Conference Center, 101 Reeder's Alley, Helena, MT, 59601, United States
What We’ll Explore

The Phaedrus is arguably the most beautiful of Plato’s dialogues. This comes as no surprise, since the subject of the dialogue is Beauty in all its varieties, at every level of the cosmos: from the nymph-haunted grove in which Socrates and Phaedrus have their conversation, to the beauty of human bodies (young Phaedrus was exceptionally handsome!), to the beauty of speech and discourse (both mythic and scientific), to the beauty proper to human souls (their knowledge and virtues), to the intelligible and divine beauty at the summit of all these.

In the course of this wide-ranging inquiry into beauty, many other specific themes and questions arise, notably:

The issue of madness, insanity, or mania. Is madness — being outside our proper human rationality — always something that makes us in some way “less than fully human” in our behavior, or can some kinds of madness actually be elevating, helping us to live and act in ways that exceed our proper human nature, and share in a divine life?
Speech and writing. What necessary roles to orality (spoken speech) and memory have? How does the process of writing contribute to, or detract from, our capacities for learning and discourse?
And of course, love. No treatment of beauty could possibly be complete without considering the activity of love, which draws us toward to what we perceive to be beautiful. How can love for another person, if done well, make an essential contribution to our flourishing in this life and beyond — as Socrates puts it, to the unfolding of the wings of the soul, and her taking flight?

While each session will be self-contained (such that you can attend a stand-alone session and still benefit), participating in as many sessions as possible will allow more time to make and experience larger connections between readings, ideas, and questions explored.
FREE & open to the public. Donations appreciated.
When
Every Other Tuesday (3 sessions total)
February 25th - March 25th, 2025
6:30pm - 8pm

Where
Reeder's Alley Conference Center (101 Reeder's Alley)

RSVP
Sign up here! (Seats limited)

CostFREE (Donations appreciated for series facilitation). $10 for the series book.Book InformationWe'll be using a new paperback edition of Plato's dialogue, published by the Prometheus Trust in January 2025. Books are available for our group at a special discounted price of $10 each, payable by cash or check (to Merlin CCC). If that would be a barrier to participating, we also have a small number of copies that have been provided by an anonymous donor, that will be available at no cost. If you need one of these, just reach out and let us know, no questions asked.How/where to get your copy of the bookYou have two ways to pick-up your book before our first series session!(1) Books will be available in the Visit Helena office located at the bottom of Reeder's Alley starting the 1st of February. Ask Jazlyn (at the front desk) for a copy.(2) You can also e-mail our workshop facilitator at david@merlinccc.org to make arrangements.
Sessions Reading Structure

While it’s certainly helpful to bear in mind the entire arc of the dialogue, we’ll focus our conversation on roughly one-third of the text (about 20 pages of Plato) in each session. (A detailed pdf of the reading plan can be viewed and downloaded below). Some of the main themes for each evening’s discussion will include:
WEEK 1 (February 25th)

The setting, characters, and theme of the dialogue as a whole.
The first two speeches concerning love, each of which suggest that it might be better to gratify someone who does not love us, rather than someone who does, on account of the madness that love entails. Though Socrates will ultimately go on to recant much of this, these speeches nonetheless point to some things which are true, even if incomplete.

WEEK 2 (March 11th)

Divinely-inspired love, and the divine madness that places us above the merely rational. As preparation for this, we get Plato’s most definitive and complete argument of the immortality of the soul: a single paragraph that we’ll spend a good deal of our time working to unpack and interpret together.
We’ll also follow Socrates and Phaedrus in their magnificent vision of our souls circling the heavens, following the Gods in viewing the intelligible forms of Beauty, Justice, and the like.

WEEK 3 (March 25th)

Now, we’re descending back down from the sweeping vision of the third speech on love. This will include some examination of the beauty of souls, of discourse, and of the grove itself, thus uniting the end back to the beginning. Here too, we find Socrates’ famous (or infamous) critique of writing which, far from being an “all or nothing” type of argument, can offer us as starting point for classifying the purposes and appropriate methods of different types of discourse.

Reading & Discussion Plan (View & Download PDF)

Series Reading Material InformationIn order to keep our group literally on the same page, we'll be using a new paperback edition of Plato's dialogue, published by the Prometheus Trust in January 2025. This includes a translation of the Phaedrus (which we'll be reading all of, divided across our three sessions), plus six introductory essays by Tim Addey and our workshop facilitator, David Nowakowski, that will offer some additional context and guidance to those interested in deepening their study (not required for our sessions, but they will be recommended as supplements at various points). In addition to providing those essays, if we're all working from the same edition, it will make it easy for us to read sections of the dialogue aloud together during our evening sessions, with everyone working from the same translation and the same page numbers, so we can easily find our place and stay together.Preparation for SeriesIt's important that everyone in our group get a copy of the book in advance of the first session, so we can read at least the first sections of the dialogue prior to that session and be ready to discuss them with the group.

Series Facilitator

David Nowakowski is a philosopher and educator in the Helena area whose professional work is dedicated to helping people of all ages and backgrounds access, understand, and apply the traditions of ancient philosophy to their own lives. David began studying ancient philosophies and classical languages in 2001, and has continued ever since. A scholar of the philosophical traditions of the ancient Mediterranean (Greece, Rome, and North Africa) and of the Indian subcontinent, reading Sanskrit, Latin, and classical Greek, he earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University in 2014. His work has appeared in a variety of scholarly journals, including Philosophy East & West, Asian Philosophy, and the Journal of Indian Philosophy, as well as in presentations to academic audiences at Harvard, Columbia University, the University of Toronto, Yale-NUS College in Singapore, and elsewhere.

After half a decade teaching at liberal arts colleges in the northeast, David chose to leave the academy in order to focus his energies on the transformative value of these ancient philosophical and spiritual traditions in his own life and practice, and on building new systems of education and community learning that will make this rich heritage alive and available to others.

A hermit by nature and by committed choice, he balances contemplative solitude with his active work in teaching, counseling, and the healing arts. David can be reached at david@merlinccc.org or via his personal website.

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.

Philosophy Think & Drink
2025-03-13 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-04-10 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-06-12 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-10 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-08-14 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-09-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Reeder’s Alley Conference Center, 101 Reeder's Alley, Helena, MT, 59601, United States
Fun Gatherings that Stimulate the Mind!
Our Philosophy Think & Drinks are casual, community-oriented gatherings that are intellectually stimulating and fun. You don’t need a background in philosophy to enjoy & participate. An open mind & desire to engage in thoughtful dialogue (whether from a listening or contribution standpoint) is all that’s needed! For those who love philosophy but prefer not to partake in the libations side of things, don’t let that stop you from participating in the fun. We emphasize the think over the drink!
When
2nd Thursday of every month from 7pm-9pm
Where
Reeder’s Alley — If the weather is conducive, we meet outdoors in the pavilion. If it’s cantankerous, we meet indoors in the Conference Center.
Other
Light snacks provided. BYOB.

How Do They Work?
Step into the dojo! Our Think & Drinks are monthly gatherings that consist of a “meeting of minds” over libations. After nabbing goodies and seats, getting acquainted & settling in…the eve begins.

No topics are off-limit; no questions are too broad, narrow, abstract, or concrete. Questions are posed by participants in a “round-robin” fashion, clarified, and then voted upon collectively.
Once our “avenue of philosophical pursuit” is in place, we’re ready to dive into a fun night of facilitated philosophical discussion.

Philosophy On Broadway 2025
2025-04-07 16:00 - 22:00 | On Broadway, 106 E. Broadway St., Helena, Montana, 59601, United States
A fun Night w/ Friends

Live music, good food & wine, good convo & company…sounds like a community symposium to us! And what a fun way to celebrate and support philosophical thinking in Helena?! Please join us for our fundraiser eve at On Broadway. Live music, a silent auction & a touch of theater. Head to On Broadway. Enjoy some apps, a meal & some drinks…and On Broadway will donate 50% of sales from your night of merriment to our organization! How cool is that?!

Make a Night out of it!Treat yourself to appetizers & dinnerSip on some fantastic bevies!Listen to live musicEnjoy great conversation with friendsHave fun & support a great cause!On BroadwayMonday, April 7th (4pm-10pm)50% of food & beverage sales donated to Merlin“Please join us in celebrating community!”Marisa Diaz-Waian, Director of Merlin

Live Music in the Lounge by The Unpredictables

“The Unpredictables” is made up of the husband and wife musical duo Jeremy and Adelle Terry. In keeping with the band’s name, you never know quite what to expect other than sheer awesomeness! Their repertoire spans multiple genres including folk, rock, blues, country, reggae, jazz and Celtic while playing a variety of instruments.

Silent Auction

Last year we had a great spread of items for our silent auction. And 2025 will be even better! Here’s how it works. We’ll have a table with prizes set up next to the band. Bid on what moves you. Win yourself some sweet auction prizes (to keep or give to others as gifts!). It’s that simple. And a fun way to show some extra love for Merlin.

Door Prizes

It wouldn’t be a symposium without togas! (We’ll be wearing them. You don’t have to!). HOWEVER, for all of you who want to join the fun…door prizes will be given to every person who shows up in a toga (or something toga-like) to dine!!

Why Give to Merlin?
Imagine a world where thoughtful dialogue & community co-exist. Where differing perspectives break bread. Where understanding, truth, and wisdom is a goal. Imagine you live in that world, that city, that neighborhood, that community.
Be part of that vision. Invest in that community. Support philosophy.
All donations made and winning bids on our silent auction, as well as 50% of your food and beverages during our Philosophy on Broadway fundraiser night, will go toward our Spring & Summer philosophy in the community programming, critical, creative thinking, the exchange of ideas, and the application of philosophy to everyday living. Our programs are free to the community and are opportunities for people of all backgrounds and ages — from children to elders — to gather, to learn from and with one another, and to uniquely cultivate their personal and civic selves.

How to giveCOME TO ON BROADWAY ON MONDAY, APRIL 7TH4pm-10pm. Enjoy some apps, a meal & some bevies. Bid on silent auction items. Listen to live music. Enjoy great food & great people. Have fun! On Broadway will be donating 50% of food and beverage sales to Merlin!DONATE ON-LINEMake a tax-deductible donation!Become a sustaining donor!GIVE BY CHECKYour tax-deductible donation can be made out to ‘Merlin CCC’. Please write ‘On Broadway Night 2025’ in the memo line and mail to 119 Reeder’s Alley, Helena MT 59601 or bring it with you to On Broadway on April 7th!“See you at On Broadway for the festivities!”Marisa Diaz-Waian, Director of Merlin

How Did We Get Here?: Miracles
2025-04-22 18:30 - 20:00 | Reeder’s Alley Conference & Community Center, 101 Reeder's Alley, Helena, Montana, 59601, United States
What We’ll Explore

In 1748, the Scottish philosopher David Hume defined a miracle as “a violation of the laws of nature,” and quickly went on to suggest that, at least in modern times, such things could never happen. Hume’s account arguably remains a commonplace today, taken for granted to such a degree that it may come as a surprise that someone (living so recently) even needed to say it!

In classical times, by contrast, the Latin root miraculum was used for things which excited wonder or amazement, but without any mention of laws of nature, much less of violating such laws. Most notably, the ancient Romans refereed to the Septem Miracula, or the “Seven Wonders” of the world. Amazing as such wonders are, they’re still very much within the realm of possibility. After all, a well-to-do Roman could take a grand tour, visiting the Great Pyramid, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and all the rest, not to mention smaller, more local “miracles.”
What had to change — in our understanding of nature, of natural laws, and of causes and explanations — in order for Hume’s definition of miracles to seem self-evident, and even to become thinkable at all? What new concepts had to arise? And even more importantly, what older understandings, what traditional ways of seeing ourselves and the world, had to be lost, forgotten, or suppressed?
In this evening’s program, we’ll begin in the 18th century with Hume’s definition, and work our way backwards in time, to survey some of the major changes and developments that allowed Hume’s statement to seem so obvious. And we’ll reflect on some ways in which the older, half-forgotten ways of seeing might still contain helpful possibilities for us today.
When
Tuesday, April 22nd from 6:30pm-8pm
Where
Reeder’s Alley Conference Center
RSVP
Sign up here!
Cost
FREE (Donations appreciated)
Other
Hot tea & lights snacks provided. BYOB.
Event Facilitator
David Nowakowski is a philosopher and educator in the Helena area whose professional work is dedicated to helping people of all ages and backgrounds access, understand, and apply the traditions of ancient philosophy to their own lives. David began studying ancient philosophies and classical languages in 2001 and has continued ever since. A scholar of the philosophical traditions of the ancient Mediterranean (Greece, Rome, and North Africa) and of the Indian subcontinent, reading Sanskrit, Latin, and classical Greek, he earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University in 2014. His work has appeared in a variety of scholarly journals, including Philosophy East & West, Asian Philosophy, and the Journal of Indian Philosophy, as well as in presentations to academic audiences at Harvard, Columbia University, the University of Toronto, Yale-NUS College in Singapore, and elsewhere.
After half a decade teaching at liberal arts colleges in the northeast, David chose to leave the academy in order to focus his energies on the transformative value of these ancient philosophical and spiritual traditions in his own life and practice, and on building new systems of education and community learning that will make this rich heritage alive and available to others.
A hermit by nature and by committed choice, he balances contemplative solitude with his active work in teaching, counseling, and the healing arts. David can be reached at david@merlinccc.org or via his personal website.
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.

Greater Helena Gives 2025
2025-04-30 20:00 - 2025-05-01 20:00
WHAT IS GREATER HELENA GIVES?
Hosted by the Helena Area Community Foundation, Greater Helena Gives is a 24-hour online fundraiser that raises money for non-profits across Helena. We love participating in this event and have set this year’s fundraising goal at $3,500, which will be put toward for our Summer & Fall programming.
When: Wednesday, April 30th – Thursday, May 1st (8pm-8pm)
How to give: Yes, I want to support critical, creative thinking in our community by making a donation to Merlin here!
Give by check: Make out to ‘Merlin CCC’, write ‘Greater Helena Gives’ in the memo line, and mail to 119 Reeder’s Alley, Helena MT 59601

WHY GIVE TO MERLIN?
Imagine a world where thoughtful dialogue & community co-exist. Where differing perspectives break bread. Where understanding, truth, and wisdom is a goal. Imagine you live in that world, that city, that neighborhood, that community.
Be part of that vision. Invest in that community. Support philosophy.
A lot goes into putting on programs in the community. In addition to the public-facing side of things, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that has to get done in order for a program to take flight. That’s where you come in! Your contributions on Greater Helena Gives will help to support our Summer & Fall philosophy in the community programming, critical, creative thinking, the exchange of ideas, and the application of philosophy to everyday living. Our programs are free to the community and are opportunities for people of all backgrounds and ages — from children to elders — to gather, to learn from and with one another, and to uniquely cultivate their personal and civic selves.

WHY PHILOSOPHY IS IMPORTANT & wHAT YOU’RE HELPING TO SUPPORT

Philosophy is the backbone of civil discourse & the heartbeat of a critical, creative & thinking community.

By supporting our organization, you are contributing to the well-being & enrichment of Helena by providing opportunities for community members to strengthen their analytic & creative thinking skills, cultivate robust strategies for thinking about and navigating the complexities & nuances of life, foster empathy & compassion, nurture and encourage wonder & curiosity, and build community inspired by an appreciation for and love of place.

Gold Rush Days 2025
2025-05-08 16:00 - 2025-05-10 22:00 | MT
Gold Rush Days celebrates Helena’s rich gold mining history, showcasing the diverse cultural influences brought together during the gold rush era through reenactments, historic demonstrations, and storytelling. With activities designed for all ages, the event is family-friendly, offering something for history buffs, kids, and families alike. The event fosters community engagement and supports local businesses, while preserving and educating visitors about the city’s unique historical and cultural legacy.

Building on the success of Gold Rush Days in 2023 and 2024, this year’s festival will celebrate: (1) the history of Helena in engaging, interactive, and community-building ways, (2) the history and beauty of Last Chance Gulch (and all of the businesses and people that bring such vitality to it), and (3) the unique role of Reeder’s Alley in our community & sense of place it offers, historically (as Helena’s oldest intact piece of early Helena and hub for cosmopolitan thinking/activities) and today (as a place of community, living history, and joy).

The festival will offer activities in the downtown and Reeder’s Alley area for people of all ages including gold & sapphire panning, Pioneer Cabin Living History & Tours, historic walking tours, live music & beer gardens, quick draw art auctions, Montana history movies, Stories from our Elders, Pioneer music, Can Can Dancers, hands-on craft activities & games for kids, a gold nugget hunt, and more!!!

We are THRILLED to be on the organizing committee with some great peeps once again for this year’s Gold Rush Days. Last year was a hit, and this year, we plan to elevate it even more! And to help with this & make things even more exciting, our organization was awarded a $25k economic impact and destination event grant from the Department of Commerce so that we, along with others, can really give it wings!

Check out the event scheduleWe’re working with several other event organizers to finalize a run of events for the festival and will be updating the event website with that information as soon as its available. For more information about Gold Rush Days, click on the button below. Gold Rush Days Event Website

Philosophy Walk: Conservation & the Environment Through a Big Picture Lens
2025-06-15 09:00 - 12:00 | Prickly Pear Park, 1525 RTE 518, East Helena, Montana, 59635, United States
What We’ll Explore
In this walk led by philosopher Evelyn Brister we’ll explore environmental science and conservation through a philosophical lens, incorporating considerations about justice, quality of life, and sustainability along the way. Some specific foci we’ll be exploring within this broad context include: outdoor recreation, bio-tech, and ethical decision-making. Our walk will be held at the newly established Prickly Pear Park in East Helena. EXCITING!!!

“I love working with communities on environmental issues, and I love working with scientists on conservation research and practice. Something I do as a philosopher and educator is to explore how to balance differing viewpoints and priorities, while also addressing ethical questions that tend to get lost in the mix. Philosophers play lots of roles, and one is helping people step back from their immediate projects to look at the bigger picture. When we’re talking about environmental conservation, the big picture is especially important because decisions affect a lot of different people, as well as non-humans, and they continue to have an impact through time. I work with ecologists and conservation scientists on research related to wetland restoration and coral reef restoration—that work is often about how to let various ethical priorities guide research and practice. In my new book, A Watershed Moment: The American West in the Age of Limits, the authors present practical approaches to addressing ecological, economic, and cultural issues that are motivated by philosophical views on justice, quality of life, and sustainability.” — Evelyn Brister, Professor of Philosophy at Rochester Institute of Technology & Faculty Affiliate in Public Policy and Environmental Policy.

When
Sunday, June 15th from 9am-12pm
Where
Prickly Pear Park (1525 RTE 518, East Helena) – Just south of HWY 287
RSVP
RSVP here!
Cost
FREE (Donations appreciated)
Other
Wear weather appropriate attire & comfortable shoes. See also our companion Philosophy Symposium event on Monday, June 16th w/ guest scholars Evelyn Brister and Travis Brammer.

Walk Leader
Evelyn Brister is a Professor of Philosophy at Rochester Institute of Technology and a faculty affiliate in Public Policy and Environmental Science. Her research examines ethical and political issues in land management and conservation science. She is the editor, with Robert Frodeman, of A Guide to Field Philosophy (Routledge, 2020), a collection of essays examining collaborations between philosophers and policymakers, and she has written over two dozen articles in philosophy and environmental science. She spends as much time as she can in and around Yellowstone. In her new book, A Watershed Moment: The American West in the Age of Limits, she and other authors present practical approaches to addressing ecological, economic, and cultural issues that are motivated by philosophical views on justice, quality of life, and sustainability.
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.

Community Sponsors & PartnersThank you to our community sponsors & partners Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Helena and the Lewis & Clark Library.

Philosophy Symposium: On Policy, Philosophy & the Environment
2025-06-16 17:30 - 20:00 | Lewis & Clark Library (Large Community Room), 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, Helena, Montana, 59601, United States
What We’ll Explore
In this mini-symposium facilitated by community philosopher Marisa Diaz-Waian we’ll talk with guest panelists and authors involved with the book A Watershed Moment: The American West in the Age of Limits about policy, philosophy, and the environment. Topics explored will range from environmental justice and conservation policy (Evelyn Brister) to market solutions for conservation on private lands (Travis Brammer). The symposium will be structured in a way that allows ample time for community Q & A.
More Context for Our Discussion

All guests panelists are authors featured in A Watershed Moment , which features a collection of essays reflecting on the American West that reveal tensions between a culture of economic growth and personal freedom and the ecological, economic, and social constraints set by community values and the land itself. As Westerners and their communities come up against these limits, the volume editors highlight issues of sustainability endemic to the region and to the nation as a whole.
The volume presents practical approaches to land use, land management, and community planning that are motivated by philosophical views on justice, quality of life, and sustainability in the American West. The contributors are policymakers, government employees, land and water managers, urban planners, biologists, tribal members, writers, and academics from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The result is a compelling vision of place-based, policy-oriented sustainability across the West.

When
Monday, June 16th from 6pm-8pm (Plus book signing from 5:30pm-6pm*)
Where
Lewis & Clark Library (in the Large Community Room)
RSVP
RSVP here! (While you are welcome to attend without RSVP’ing, your RSVP helps us get an idea of how many people to anticipate so we can prepare accordingly)
Cost
FREE (Donations appreciated)
Other
*Books will be available for purchase from the authors. Book signing from 5:30pm-6pm. See also our companion Philosophy Walk on Sunday, June 15th event w/ guest scholar Evelyn Brister.
Guest Scholars
Evelyn Brister is a Professor of Philosophy at Rochester Institute of Technology and a faculty affiliate in Public Policy and Environmental Science. Her research examines ethical and political issues in land management and conservation science. She is the editor, with Robert Frodeman, of A Guide to Field Philosophy (Routledge, 2020), a collection of essays examining collaborations between philosophers and policymakers, and she has written over two dozen articles in philosophy and environmental science. She spends as much time as she can in and around Yellowstone. In her new book, A Watershed Moment: The American West in the Age of Limits, she and other authors present practical approaches to addressing ecological, economic, and cultural issues that are motivated by philosophical views on justice, quality of life, and sustainability.

Travis Brammer is the Director of Conservation at The Property and Environmental Research Center (PERC), overseeing its Conservation Innovation Lab and all field projects. Raised as a seventh-generation family cattle rancher in Colorado with professional expertise in western conservation issues, Travis is passionate about the intersection of conservation and agriculture. He began his career at the Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust rising to become the group’s Interim Conservation Director. He later graduated with honors from the University of Wyoming College of Law and most recently served as a Conservation Fellow at the Ruckelshaus Institute and MacMillan Private Lands Stewardship Program. Travis’ thesis was on the creation of a western rangeland conservation fund to help the next generation of farmers and ranchers access land and engage in conservation. As Director, Travis will establish partnerships around the country, creating and implementing innovative market solutions to some of the nation’s most significant natural resource challenges.
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.

Community Sponsors & PartnersThank you to our community sponsors & partners Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Helena and the Lewis & Clark Library.

Reeder's Alley Summer Series (RASS)
2025-07-01 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-07-08 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-07-15 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-07-22 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-07-29 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-05 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-12 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-19 17:00 - 20:00 and 4 more dates | Reeder’s Alley, 200 S. Park Avenue, Helena, MT, 59601, United States
Kick-Back & Enjoy Community!
Join us for the 2nd Season of our Reeder’s Alley Summer Series! Nestled in the grounds of historic Reeder’s Alley, this fun, grassroots-inspired Summer series hosted by community philosophy non-profit Merlin CCC features live local music, tasty eats, a beer & wine garden, historic Pioneer Cabin tours, living history, games & more.
Dog-friendly and laid-back, this community-oriented event invites you to take in the charm of the alley & history of Helena in only the way that Reeder’s Alley can offer! Bring a picnic blanket or your favorite low-riding lawn chair & grab a spot in Caretaker’s Lawn. Roam the alley, share stories, play games, eat food, sip brews or wine, and take in the tunes. What better way to celebrate Tuesday nights in Helena this coming Summer?!
Check out the 2025 Music & Activities Schedule Here!

Philosophy Workshop: Improving Civil Dialogue...One Conversation at a Time
2025-07-13 09:30 - 11:30 | Reeder’s Alley (Conference Center & Grotto), 101 Reeder's Alley, Helena, Montana, 59601, United States
What We’ll Explore

Explore 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 creative ways 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

Let us know your coming. RSVP here!

Cost
FREE (Donations Appreciated)

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: Mitch Conway & Marisa Diaz-Waian

Make a Donation HereOur 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.

Community SponsorThank you to our community sponsor Doubletree by Hilton Helena Downtown.

Philosophy Walk: On Civil Disobedience
2025-07-26 09:30 - 12:30 | Missouri River Beaver Creek Trail (Hauser Dam Trail), Helena, MT, 59602, United States
What We’ll Explore

“If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth,—certainly the machine will wear out. If the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil; but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine.” (Henry David Thoreau)

In Thoreau’s essay Civil Disobedience, Thoreau takes the position that unjust laws exist. But does that mean we should be content to obey them? What are the alternatives? Amend them and obey until we have succeeded? Transgress them at once?
In this walk led by community philosopher Mitch Conway we’ll explore how we might respond to the world in cases of injustice asking: When do the unjust actions of a government make one “the agent of injustice to another”? When is civil disobedience the necessary, just course of action? And when is one justified in hoping, “perchance it will wear smooth”?
When
Saturday, July 26th from 9:30am-12:30pm
(Please arrive 10 minutes prior to our walk start time to give yourself time to get ready to stroll.)
RSVP

Let us know you’re coming. RSVP here!

Cost
FREE (Donations Appreciated)

Other
Wear weather appropriate attire & comfortable shoes. Dogs are allowed on this trail but need to be on leashes. We recommend that you also bring or wear bug repellent.
Where
Missouri River Beaver Creek Trail (Hauser Dam Trail)
Directions/Parking/Meeting Spot: From Helena, head toward Lake Helena via the I-15 & East Lincoln Road or Highway 287 & Lake Helena Drive. Once at Lake Helena, head north on Hauser Dam Road. Just before the dam crossing, there will be a small lot off to the left side (parking is free). If there are no spots available in the lot, cars will frequently parallel park along the road closer to the dam crossing (where there is also a restroom and some signage). Our group will meet in the lot. From there, we’ll walk across the dam as a group and begin our walk. The trail follows the Missouri River until Beaver Creek Recreation Area (where some restrooms are located). It’s well-maintained but can get rocky and a little uneven in various locations so make sure to wear good shoes.

Walk Leader
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.
A student of philosophy, a theater maker, and a teacher who cares ardently about empowering young learners, his work has often been an interweaving of education, story, and inquiry. At the BIRD Theatre in Tottori, Japan, among other productions, he collaborated with Korean group TUIDA to create The Poetry Class about the colonial period and Pacific war; he also directed students at Kei Ai High School in Romeo & Juliet. Using applied theater, he performed with Village Playback Theatre creating improvisations from audience members’ personal stories, and for a three-month residency he taught embodied methods of community dialogue through the Colombo Americano in Medellin, Colombia. He has also taught theater to elementary school students at 82nd St. Academics and middle school students at Summer Institute for the Gifted.
For a year, Mitch taught at the English Immersion Program in Umphium Mai refugee camp on the Thailand-Myanmar border using a curriculum based in literature and critical thinking. With the New York Foundling at Queens College, he supervised the academic component of The Dorm Project, a program supporting youth in foster care through college. Mitch has a Bachelor’s degree in Theater from Skidmore College and a Master’s degree in Philosophy & Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Mitch has recently presented at the North Eastern Philosophy of Education Society (NEPES) and Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO) conferences. He also relishes walking in the forest.
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.

Community Sponsor & PartnerThank you to our community sponsor & partner Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Helena.

Philosophy Workshop: Are You What You Love?
2025-08-09 09:00 - 11:00 | Pioneer Park, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, Helena, Montana, 59601
What We’ll Explore

In the first few pages of Friedrich Nietzsche’s essay “Schopenhauer as Educator,” Nietzsche invites us to consider a particular way of knowing ourselves by asking us to look back over our lives and consider the question: “what have you truly loved up to now?”

“[Look] back on [your] life with the question: what have you truly loved up to now, what has drawn your soul aloft, what has mastered it and at the same time blessed it? Set up these revered objects before you and perhaps their nature and their sequence will give you a law, the fundamental law of your own true self. Compare these objects one with another, see how one completes, expands, surpasses, transfigures another, how they constitute a stepladder upon which you have clambered up to yourself as you are now; for your true nature lies, not concealed deep within you, but immeasurably high above you, or at least above that which you usually take yourself to be.” (Friedrich Nietzsche, “Schopenhauer as Educator”)

In this workshop, we’ll undertake the personal task of this very reflection, following the structure that Nietzsche lays out for us. Based on these (private) reflections, we’ll then be invited to create drawings (A Ladder to a Bridge) that render abstractly those reflections. Afterward, we’ll have the opportunity to share and reflect on those, inquiring into one of the motivations behind Nietzche’s exercise: can we discern the fundamental law of our own true self? Finally, we’ll reflect on this way of knowing ourselves more broadly: To what extent are we what we love?
When
Saturday, August 9th from 9:00am-11:00am
Where
Pioneer Park (at the snails benches)
RSVP
Yes, I Want to Come to this Workshop!
Cost
FREE (Donations appreciated)
Other
Please bring something to write with. We’ll provide clipboards so you have a solid surface to work with.

Walk Leader
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. A student of philosophy, a theater maker, and a teacher who cares ardently about empowering young learners, his work has often been an interweaving of education, story, and inquiry. At the BIRD Theatre in Tottori, Japan, among other productions, he collaborated with Korean group TUIDA to create The Poetry Class about the colonial period and Pacific war; he also directed students at Kei Ai High School in Romeo & Juliet. Using applied theater, he performed with Village Playback Theatre creating improvisations from audience members’ personal stories, and for a three-month residency he taught embodied methods of community dialogue through the Colombo Americano in Medellin, Colombia. He has also taught theater to elementary school students at 82nd St. Academics and middle school students at Summer Institute for the Gifted. For a year, Mitch taught at the English Immersion Program in Umphium Mai refugee camp on the Thailand-Myanmar border using a curriculum based in literature and critical thinking. With the New York Foundling at Queens College, he supervised the academic component of The Dorm Project, a program supporting youth in foster care through college. Mitch has a Bachelor’s degree in Theater from Skidmore College and a Master’s degree in Philosophy & Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Mitch has recently presented at the North Eastern Philosophy of Education Society (NEPES) and Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO) conferences. He also relishes walking in the forest.
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.

Community SponsorThank you to our community sponsor Doubletree by Hilton Helena Downtown.

Hayride Philosophy Walk: On Story & Meaning (*NO MORE SEATS LEFT*)
2025-09-21 10:00 - 13:00 | Merlin Nature Preserve, 6042 Lincoln Road West, Helena, Montana, 59602, United States
What We’ll Explore

“Interpretation is revelation based on information.” (Freeman Tilden)

Interpretation is oft defined as a kind of educational activity that places hands-on experience and thinking and meaning-making as primary (over the acquisition, say, of just a set of facts). It is also a tradition that has deep roots in the cultural and philosophical movements of the Enlightenment and Romanticism and has been influenced by such figures as Plato, John Locke, Lean Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey, Freeman Tilden, and more.
Join long-time interpretive professionals Ken Soderberg & Darby Bramble for a hayride philosophy walk on Merlin Nature Preserve & Little Falcon Farm where we’ll examine how we perceive and come to know and understand the world by way of interpretation. Using interpretive principles and sensory exploration, we’ll connect with the landscape and one another while we identify and explore meaning and connection with the world around us.

When
Sunday, September 21st from 10am-1pm
(Please arrive 15 minutes prior to our walk start time to give yourself time to get situated in our hayride wagon comfortably.)
RSVP
Given hayride & nature preserve logistics, RSVP’s are required. Space is limited.
~ There are no more seats left. Please e-mail marisa@merlinccc.org if you would like to add your name to our waiting list & we will contact you if there is a cancellation. ~

Cost
FREE (Donations Very Much Appreciated)
Other
Wear weather appropriate attire & comfortable shoes, and bring a snack/water. We’re sorry, but no dogs for this walk (due to nature preserve and hayride wagon logistics). The walking portion of our meandering will be on a flat and relatively well-maintained dirt road approximately 1.5 miles in length.
Where
Merlin Nature Preserve/Little Falcon Farm (our group will meet/park at the old Silver City Saloon location and ride the hayride wagon from there onto the preserve.)
Directions/Parking/Meeting Spot: Our group will meet at the old Silver City Saloon located at 6042 Lincoln Road West. Our hayride trailer will be parked in the lot (you won’t miss it!). Please note that the Silver City Saloon sign is gone and a part of the facade has been removed. However, the basic sturcture still remains and is recognizable. To get there from Helena, take either the 15, N. Montana Ave. or Green Meadow Drive to Lincoln Rd. Turn left onto Lincoln Road & head west (toward Marysville/Canyon Creek). Drive roughly 6.5 miles. The Silver City Saloon parking lot will be on your right hand side. Click here for google maps directions.

Hayride Philosophy Walk Leaders

Darby Bramble has invested a lifetime into educating the public and interpreting natural and cultural resources across the West. As an interpretive park ranger at Hovenweep National Monument, and Saguaro and Grand Canyon National Parks, she led tours of archeological sites and historic structures for visitors from around the world. In Lolo, Montana she worked as Program Coordinator for Travelers’ Rest Preservation and Heritage Association, where she built a flourishing education program, oversaw the volunteer program, supported the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial and collaborated with local tribes in cultural programming and the “Winter Storytelling Series.”

Currently, Darby works as the Museum Education Officer at the Montana Historical Society, where she oversees tours and fieldtrip at the Montana Capitol, Original Governor’s Mansion and starting December 2, the History Museum at the Montana Heritage Center. When she’s not working at the Historical Society, she can be found in her garden growing food to share with the community, butchering local meat, discussing Montana history with her husband who works for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, exploring state parks and public lands in Montana, or cheering for her three teenage children on soccer pitches and cross-country courses across the state.

Makoshika, Chief Plenty Coups, Lewis and Clark Caverns, Bannack — these are only some of the beautiful places that Ken Soderberg has been fortunate enough to help provide a voice for through his work with Montana State Parks.

A combined love of the outdoors (and the frightening thought of starvation if he pursued an acting career) led him to a degree in park management.

Thankfully his brief theater training was put to use throughout his 35 year career in parks. Each park has a story to tell. Whether the script came alive through the words of a park ranger he helped train or an exhibit he helped to create, giving voice to these special places remains one of his most cherished career memories.

To come full circle you can find Ken at the Grandstreet Theater these days either on stage or behind the scenes building the magical sets that help bring the story to life.

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.

Community Sponsor & PartnerThank you to our community sponsor & partner Doubletree by Hilton Downtown Helena.
