Philosophy Workshop: Suffering & The Self – A Survey of Buddhist Thought (February 2020)

In this 2½-hour workshop David Nowakowski led us through a tour of the Buddhist philosophies of India and Tibet. After a brief historical overview, we began with some of the key philosophical claims—and the arguments for those claims—made by the historical Buddha. Then we went on to see how later Buddhist thinkers in India expanded and elaborated on these basic insights and concluded by looking head-on at some interpretive questions, for the place of Buddhist thought in the modern world. Access resources and photos here!

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Philosophy Workshop: The Philosophy of Friendship (January 2020)

In this 2½-hour workshop led by David Nowakowski, we explored some classic arguments about friendship offered by Aristotle, the Stoic philosophers Epictetus and Seneca, and the traditions of ancient commentaries on these philosophers’ work.  We examined the what’s and why’s of friendship, in order to find guidance on how to navigate the difficult, challenging, and perplexing situations that all-too-often arise among friends. Access resources & photos here!

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Philosophy Workshop: From Karma to Dharma – Finding our Way through Indian Philosophy (Winter 2019)

This 2½-hour workshop introduced key concepts and arguments from the philosophical traditions of India. Our goals were to dispel some common misconceptions about Indian philosophy and religion, to distinguish different Indian philosophical schools from one another, and to develop a deeper understanding of these rich and varied traditions.
Access resources & photos here!

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Philosophy Workshop: Thinking Ecologically About Virtue & Value (Fall 2019)

For many philosophers, scientists, and ordinary people, “species” are not only descriptive categories of how things are, but ideal models for how things should be. In this workshop, led by David Nowakowski, we took a whirlwind tour of “species” from antiquity to the present, in order to better understand the hidden assumptions behind our own thinking today…and what thinking ecologically might tell us about virtue & value. Access resources & photos here!

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Philosophy Workshop: The Life of Virtue in Greek Philosophy (Summer 2019)

In this 3.5-hour “philosophy as a way of life”-inspired workshop led by special guest scholar & Philosophical Advisor for Merlin CCC, David Nowakowski, PhD we looked at what it might mean to live a life of virtue. Select readings and activities inspired by numerous ancient (and some contemporary) thinkers were examined and applied with the aim of introducing participants to a variety of philosophical perspectives on virtuous living and practical tools for living well. Access resources & photos here!

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Philosophy Workshop: Ethical Living Through Self-Knowledge (Winter 2018)

Philosophers of the ancient world consistently describe understanding ourselves and our place in the wider world as one of the first steps toward living well.  In this 3-hour “philosophy as a way of life”-inspired workshop led by special guest & Princeton scholar, David Nowakowski, PhD (Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Union College), we looked at some of the insights provided by Ancient Greek thinkers concerning questions of self, free-will, responsibility, happiness, and more. View photos & access resources here!

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