Merlin Receives $1,475 Grant from PLATO for their 2023 Loss & Legacy Series
Thank you so much to The Philosophy Learning & Teaching Organization for their support of our 2023 philosophy symposia series on Loss & Legacy. Learn more here!
Tag: philosophy
Loss & Legacy (Film & Conversation): Ancestors in Service
In this final installment of our loss & legacy series we’ll reflect upon our military and the ways in which we think about ancestors in service, as prompted by the WW1 memorial film “They Shall Not Grow Old.” Our film & community conversation will be held on Thursday, November 2nd from 6pm-8:30pm in Reeder’s Alley Convention Center and facilitated by community philosopher David Nowakowski. Water & hot tea provided. Bring a low-profile comfy lawn camping chair for the film if you’d like. We’ll also have regular fold-out chairs available. FREE and open to all members of the community. SPACE IS LIMITED. RSVP & watch the film trailer here!
Loss & Legacy (Symposium): How Do We Think About Our Ancestors?
In this symposium featuring Bill Milton, Ellen Baumler & Daniel Gardiner, and facilitated by David Nowakowski, we’ll consider different kinds of ancestry and lineage, extending beyond just family ties, to include our teachers and predecessors in the arts we practice, in our professional lives, and in our nation or other groups and organizations of which we’re a part. We’ll ask the overarching question “How do we think about our ancestors?” in the context of legacy and the conversational space we participate in between the past and present. FREE & open to all, our symposium will be held at the Helena Avenue Theater from 6pm-9pm on Thursday, October 19th. SPACE IS LIMITED. Learn more about our guest scholars and RSVP here!
Philosophy Workshop: “Friendship & Actions” Reading & Discussion
In his Handbook, the Stoic philosopher Epictetus tells us that “the appropriate actions for us to do are usually measured out for us by our relations.” Epictetus suggests that we can see how to act fittingly in any given situation, based on how we are related to the other people involved, whether as family members, friends, fellow citizens, enemies, or in whatever other way. In this reading & discussion, we used some extended quotations from Simplicius’ commentary as a springboard for reflecting on friendship, and on the appropriate actions that arise from our relationships more generally. Access resources here!
2023 Food for Thought Table Talk Leaders & Topics Announced
Our Food for Thought fundraiser is a limited capacity event with dinner and beverages, entertainment & thought-provoking table talks led by guest scholars. We have a great line-up with some amazing thinkers, each of whom offer a diverse range of perspectives. Learn more & see what they’ll be talking about here!
How Did We Get Here?: Planet
In this installment of “How Did We Get Here?”, we considered the intellectual history of “planet” with mathematician, physicist, and astrophysicist Kelly Cline. We started with the ancient Greeks, moved to Copernicus, and then sashayed into the 20th century. Along the way we learned about how scientific words and their definitions serve as a specific lens through which we can view the world. By scientifically defining words so that they most closely match real categories that exist in physical reality, this makes it easier for us to understand, investigate, and make sense of the universe. As such, this installment of HDWGH and the evolution of how we understand and use the word planet gave us important insights into the nature of science and the foundations of our modern civilization. Access photos & more here.
Merlin Awarded $4,000 Grant from Humanities Montana for their 2023 Loss & Legacy Series
Woo-Hoo!! We just received word that we’re being awarded a $4,000 grant from Humanities Montana for our 2023 Loss & Legacy Philosophy Symposia series. Learn more about the series & what grant funds will help support here!
Philosophy Walk: Foraging & Ethics
Organic in structure with time for exploration, discussion, and reflection, this walk is an opportunity to get acquainted with local flora, our relationships therein, and to consider ways in which we might integrate foraging into our daily lives and communities. The walk will take place on Saturday, July 22nd from 9am-12noon on Merlin Nature Preserve. Learn more & RSVP here!
