2019 Reeder’s Alley Block Party Community Fundraiser Event

We had a great time hosting the 5th Annual Reeder’s Alley Block Party this year and are thankful that so many people came out to enjoy the festivities despite the persnickety weather!  A celebration of community & ideas (and, of course, one of Helena’s most beloved historic sites — Reeder’s Alley), our fun and festive block party fundraiser was dog-friendly, kid-friendly, fun for all ages. Check out photos, videos, and more here!

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June 2019 Philosophy Walk: Envrionment, Ethics & Stewardship

How we relate to nature is complicated and ever-evolving. Our group — led by co-philosophers-on-trail Christopher Preston & Patrick Kelly — enjoyed a morning & afternoon walk up the steep slopes of the 1906/Prairie trail to the summit of Mt. Helena, and explored a number of topics related to environment, ethics, the public trust doctrine, and stewardship. Access resources & photos here!

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Merlin “Philosophy in the Community” Program Featured on PLATO

The Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization has been by our side from day one.  They were our first grantors and have continued to support our organization annually in various ways since 2017.  In June of this year, we were interviewed by PLATO and asked various questions about Starting a philosophy community initiative, our program highlights, our goals & visions, and more. Check out the interview here!

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Merlin Philosophy Programs Selected by Humanities Montana for 2019-2020

We are pumped to have been asked & selected by Humanities Montana to create two programs about philosophy — both of which speak to the relevance and import of philosophical thinking in our everyday lives.

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Philosophy Walk – Missoula

Please join us for our evening philosophy walk on Sunday, August 4th from 5:30pm-8:30pm.  Topic:  Reconnecting with Nature.  Special guest speakers/philosophers-on-trail — Ryan Aikin (Volunteer & Strategist, Merlin CCC, Grants Manager, Youth Homes & Humanitarian) & Henry Kramer (2019 Merlin Student Fellow & Philosopher, University of Montana Missoula). This walk will…

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May 2019 Philosophy Walk: “KNOW THY CITY”

Titled “KNOW THY CITY” (in homage to the Delphic maxim to “KNOW THYSELF”), our May walk was an invitation to explore a bit ourselves and the city.” Featuring guest speaker, historian, artist, & urban designer, Dennis McCahon, our group roamed the city of Helena and observed the ways in which design contributes to experiences, how we “move through” our built environments…and, equally, how they move through us.

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What Our 2018-2019 PLATO Grant Helped Fund in the Helena Community

Grant awards are a huge part of the success and longevity of non-profit organizations. We are deeply humbled by the support shown to us in 2018 by PLATO! Because of their generous $7,000 award, we were able to offer the Helena (and surrounding) communities a host of interactive and unique philosophy programs throughout the year. Check out what their grant helped fund!

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A Phenomenology of Mass-Produced Things and Our Relation with the More-than-human World

In this paper, Henry Kramer, explores the human-technology relationship and argues that “our perception of mass-produced things, a perception unique to and only possible within technological culture, dulls our senses and de-emphasizes the basic materiality of all things, thereby discouraging connection and engagement with the more-than-human world.” An iteration of this paper was presented at the 16th Annual Gonzaga Graduate Philosophy Conference and received the Hutchins Award in Philosophy for best paper in the conference.  It is featured here on our website by permission of the author. Read more here!

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