Thank you to everyone who so generously donated to Merlin during our first ever GivingTuesday campaign. Because of you we were able to raise $5,660 for philosophy in the community. Funds will help support our Winter & Spring programs! See more here!
What is (a) religion? What are religions for? Whom are they for? And conversely, if someone is “spiritual but not religious” (or simply not religious), what exactly is it that they aren’t? In this evening’s program, we’ll explore some of the ways that the concept of “religion” has evolved and radically changed over time, along with the related concepts of spirituality and atheism. And we’ll consider some of the social, political, and historical factors which have spurred changes in dominant and popular notions of religion, without necessarily reducing the domain of religion to merely those other factors. Learn more & RSVP here!
We are grateful by the support shown to us in 2023 by the American Philosophical Association Berry Fund for Public Philosophy! Because of their $1,000 award, we were able to launch a new series called “How Did We Get here?” (as part of our philosophy shorts program). Learn more about the series and what award funds helped to support here!
Debates about “free will” crop up in a wide, wide variety of areas: In discussing law and punishment, we ask whether the defendant acted “of his own free will.” In physics and metaphysics, we wonder whether the future is fully deterministic, or whether our choices might affect the course of things. Theologians of various religious traditions ponder a variety of problems over how to reconcile human freedom with divine providence. And researchers in neuroscience and the philosophy of mind worry over the legacy bequeathed to them from Descartes: how, if at all, can the mind even be connected to the body? What, if anything, do these widely varied conversations in divergent fields have in common, besides the name “free will”? Access more here!
Our Think & Drink gatherings are monthly (dojo) sessions that consist of a “meeting of the minds” over libations. An open mind & desire to engage in thoughtful dialogue (whether from a listening or contribution standpoint) is all that’s needed! Learn more here!
Our Think & Drink gatherings are monthly (dojo) sessions that consist of a “meeting of the minds” over libations. An open mind & desire to engage in thoughtful dialogue (whether from a listening or contribution standpoint) is all that’s needed! Learn more here!
A fun community philosophy gathering exploring some paradigm shifts on planet earth….and aliens! Featuring guest scholar Stephen Maly. Learn more & RSVP here!
We often talk about showing mercy or forgiving those who have harmed us as something noble, praiseworthy, perhaps even necessary or required in order to behave well. But this has by no means always been the case: the ancient Romans, for example, often saw the bestowal of mercy or clemency as a sign of tyranny and despotism, and they had some good reasons for doing so. By taking some historical perspective on these issues, in this walk we’ll aim to deepen our own understanding of the scope, limits, benefits, and dangers of mercy, clemency, and forgiveness. Learn more & RSVP here!
By investing in philosophy, you are investing in community. Please don your toga by making a tax-deductible donation today and/or by becoming a sustaining donor! Click on the yellow donate button to donate via PayPal, the blue donate button to donate via Moonclerk, or donate via QR code.
Learn more about our 2024-2025 special public philosophy project on homelessness.
Want to help bring a new program to the Helena & Mountain West communities? Our Community Hubs project is an innovative vision for public humanities that re-centers community as a place of learning. Learn more about our vision & how you can help support it here!
Think philosophy is impractical, pointless, out-of-reach, or irrelevant? Think again! Want to know more about what philosophy involves
(or what it doesn't) and how it can help you find your way?
