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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20241127T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20241127T203000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240909T160439Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240909T160439Z
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SUMMARY:Reading & Discussion Series: Jewish Environmental Wisdom
DESCRIPTION:This reading & discussion series will be guided by the following central question: What wisdom might Jewish traditions offer for our current environmental crises? Philosophy\, as the love of wisdom\, should be open to wisdom wherever it embeds itself. The Tanakh\, the textual source of Judaism\, arose from within a largely agrarian society with deep connections to particular lands and places. It seems reasonable\, then\, to start with the assumption that the traditions of thought and practice that have grown out of the Hebrew Bible (and inspired it) might offer environmental wisdom for our pressing times. \nTogether\, over 4 every-other-Wednesday sessions\, we will closely read and discuss the contemporary import of essays from a variety of Jewish authors including Abraham Joshua Heschel\, Leo Strauss\, Daniel Delgado\, James Hatley\, and others. Sessions will be discussion-based\, facilitated by Kaleb Cohen and Mitchell Conway\, with one guest facilitator joining along the way. \nSome core questions that we’ll explore: \n— How might Hebraic ideas inform philosophy? Are they philosophical or solely religious ideas? Can those ideas have any meaning outside of their cultural context?\n— What role might the Jewish notion of exile hold for an environmental ethic?\n— In Montana\, how ought we respond to a history of violence against buffalo and Indigenous peoples and what could Jewish traditions teach us about these responses?\n— What is the meaning of rest in an age of industrialization and unrelenting resource extraction? \nWhile 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. \nFREE & open to the public. Donations appreciated. Learn more\, check out what we’ll be reading here (seats limited!): https://merlinccc.org/event/reading-discussion-series-environment-jewish/ \nRSVP here: https://mailchi.mp/merlinccc/jewish-environmental-wisdom
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/reading-discussion-series-jewish-environmental-wisdom/2024-11-27/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2024/09/Reading-Discussion-Series-Jewish-Environmental-Wisdom_Featured.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20241114T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20241114T210000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240611T170032Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240611T174742Z
UID:10020377-1731610800-1731618000@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Philosophy Think & Drink
DESCRIPTION:Philosophy Think & Drinks are casual and informal\, community-oriented\, intellectually stimulating\, and fun.  You do not need a background in philosophy to enjoy & participate in these gatherings.  An open mind & desire to engage in thoughtful dialogue (whether from a listening or contribution standpoint) is all that’s needed!   \nFor 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!
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/philosophy-think-drink-3/2024-11-14/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Entertainment,Food & Drink
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20241017T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20241017T200000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240930T183234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240930T183234Z
UID:10021822-1729189800-1729195200@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here?: The Ghost in the Machine
DESCRIPTION:Until roughly the 16th century\, nearly everyone in Western Europe — from common farmers and laborers\, to highly educated scholars and clerics — took for granted that they lived in a cosmos teeming with a wide range of spiritual beings: living yet discarnate powers who occupied various intermediate positions between God and human beings\, and who were a good and necessary part of the smooth operations of the world. These beings were known as ghosts or spirits (terms which were interchangeable in this period: the English word ghost\, German geist\, and Latin spiritus were all used to translate one another)\, or by various more specific names for their different kinds. In its broad outlines this was\, as anthropologist Marshall Sahlins notes\, a view Europeans shared with “most of humanity.” \nThen\, the story goes\, everything changed\, as the Scientific Revolution cast out all these intermediary spirits\, leaving a cosmos that resembles a collection of inanimate machines\, rather than an ecology teeming with living agents: a process which the pioneering sociologist Max Weber famously termed “the disenchantment of the world.” \nAnd yet. \nEven within Europe and its diaspora\, large numbers of people still believe in — and interact with — angels\, demons\, and other ghosts and spirits. And this doesn’t have to be a “religious thing” — as indeed\, for most of European history\, it was not a religious thing. Just consider the popularity of “ghost hunting\,” or how many of us name our automobiles\, and talk to them to encourage them in challenging conditions. Maybe the Revolution was not quite so total as we’ve been told\, and some vestiges of these spirits live on amidst the mechanized cosmos: ghosts in the machine\, as it were. \nIn this evening’s program\, we’ll consider this process of disenchantment within its historical context\, and its consequences for ourselves and our modern Western worldview. We’ll examine the older\, pre-Revolutionary world-picture\, which historian C.S. Lewis has famously termed “the discarded image\,” as it appears in history\, literature\, and the “natural philosophy” that would be supplanted by the modern physical sciences. We’ll consider the context in which the intellectual battles of the Scientific Revolution were fought\, including the political and theological polemics of the Protestant Reformation and its aftermath\, as well as the craze for witch-burnings that swept Europe and the Americas during this period. And we’ll observe some of the impacts of the disenchanted\, mechanistic worldview in the development of the new social sciences\, especially sociology and anthropology. \nFinally\, we’ll reflect on the consequences of the mechanistic worldview\, however fully or partially it has been adopted: What has all of this done\, to the ways that we’re able to interact with the wider world and its inhabitants? What has it done to our own self-understanding\, both as individuals and as societies? And what does it mean\, that the ghosts in the machine seem to live on\, however awkwardly and uncomfortably\, in everyday life and discourse? \n(As always\, free and open to all.)
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-the-ghost-in-the-machine/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2024/09/Merlin_Ghost-in-the-Machine_Witches-Featured.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240822T070000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20240822T210000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240611T170349Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240717T222528Z
UID:10020369-1724310000-1724360400@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Philosophy Think & Drink
DESCRIPTION:Philosophy Think & Drinks are casual and informal\, community-oriented\, intellectually stimulating\, and fun.  You do not need a background in philosophy to enjoy & participate in these gatherings.  An open mind & desire to engage in thoughtful dialogue (whether from a listening or contribution standpoint) is all that’s needed!   \nFor 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!
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/philosophy-think-drink-5/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Entertainment,Food & Drink
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240516T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20240516T200000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240506T221229Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240506T221229Z
UID:10019505-1715884200-1715889600@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here?: Democracy
DESCRIPTION:“…democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” – Winston Churchill \nIs democracy new or old? Does it deserve the reverence that modern Western society has ascribed to it? How did we get to where it is the form of government par excellence? \nIn this evening’s program led by Professor of Political Science Stephen Forrest\, we’ll look at the evolution of the modern concept of democracy. We’ll explore how a bunch of borderline outlaws in three different countries addressed the fundamental stumbling blocks that held back the ancient world from embracing democracy as a form of government. \nIn doing so\, we’ll trace the strands of democracy from early modern times to the present\, including how different groups approached practical matters. We will trace their solutions to the present day and see how those solutions continue to shape the discourse of the modern world. We’ll reflect on the current challenges to “democracy.” We’ll also address how members of the community can put theory into practice and keep democracy healthy.
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-democracy/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2024/05/HDWGH-Democracy_2024_Featured-Image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240424T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20240424T200000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240108T234446Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240108T234505Z
UID:10013000-1713983400-1713988800@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Reading & Discussion Series: Exploring the Republic
DESCRIPTION:Why is it worthwhile to act justly\, even if we could “get away” with injustice? Doesn’t the successful thief or tyrant have a life that’s attractive and enviable? \nHow does the kind of society that we live in shape our character\, values\, and attitudes as individuals? Is it even possible to be a healthy person\, in a society that’s profoundingly sick and unbalanced? \nOver the winter and early spring\, we’ll be exploring these and other main themes from Plato’s Republic. For 5 every-other-Wednesday sessions\, we’ll balance our time and attention between close reading of Plato’s text\, and considering the implications of Plato’s arguments for our own lives and times. \nWhile each session will be somewhat self-contained (such that you can attend a stand-alone session at still benefit)\, we’ll also try to see the tightly woven structure of Plato’s dialogue as a whole\, how all the parts come together in a deeply interconnected argument that moves freely between diverse registers\, including: observations from daily life and history\, creative and lively thought-experiments\, meticulous arguments from first principles\, and epic poetry and myth. Participating in as many sessions as possible will allow more time to make and experience these larger connections. \nRoughly\, the main themes for each week\, as we step through the text together\, will include: \n— The Ring of Invisibility\, and the Burning Fever of Greed \n— A Mythic Education: Poetry and Character \n— Seeing and Knowing: The Allegories of the Line and the Cave \n— What’s Wrong with Democracy? \n— Choosing our Lives: Vindicating Justice \nAny translation of Plato’s dialogue will be appropriate\, and it might even be helpful if\, as a group\, we can compare several of them. If you don’t already have a copy\, we highly recommend the version for G.M.A. Grube\, revised by C.D.C. Reeve (Hackett Publishing)\, available very cheaply in paperback. \nSo\, come from the torchlit relay race on horseback\, stay for the ring of invisibility\, and the deep lessons about how\, and why\, we can cultivate our own character. \n5 sessions\, every other Wednesday (Feb. 28th – Apr. 24th) in the Reeder’s Alley Conference Center. FREE (donations always appreciated). Learn more & RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-merlin-shorts-exploring-the-republic-2/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/reading-discussion-series-exploring-the-republic/2024-04-24/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2024/01/Exploring-the-Republlic_Featured-Image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240222T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20240222T203000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240108T234247Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240108T234247Z
UID:10013001-1708626600-1708633800@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Philosophy Talk: Paradigms on Planet Earth (and Aliens)
DESCRIPTION:A fun community philosophy gathering exploring some paradigm shifts on planet earth….and aliens! Featuring guest scholar Stephen Maly\, our night will involve a combination of presentation and Q & A and conversation. \nFor the first part of our gathering\, we’ll explore diverse ways of perceiving our worldly existence through a series of slides\, images\, quotes\, sound bites\, and narrative. The featured paradigms (perceptual models) will be laden with both scientific and emotional considerations\, to prompt philosophical reflection. \nAfter observing a sequence of these shifting paradigms & examining why and how intelligent aliens might seek to intervene in human affairs\, we’ll dive into a fun conversation sparked by the group’s collective imagination. \nLights snacks provided. BYOB. 6:30pm-8:30pm in the Reeder’s Alley Conference Center. FREE (donations always appreciated). Learn more & RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-talk-paradigms-earth/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/philosophy-talk-paradigms-on-planet-earth-and-aliens/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2024/01/Paradigms-on-Earth_Featured-Image_2024.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240122T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20240122T194500
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20240108T164044Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240108T233353Z
UID:10013003-1705948200-1705952700@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here?: Religion
DESCRIPTION: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? \n  \nIn 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. \n  \nIn the course of our survey\, we’ll meet a wide range of thinkers spanning more than two millennia\, and spread across five continents. Some of these thinkers are highly innovative and original\, setting a course for future generations\, while others give especially clear expression to dominant or widely-held views of particular places\, times\, and cultures. \n  \nAs we consider the contributions of these and other individuals and communities\, we’ll find ourselves returning to a variety of conceptual and theoretic issues\, on which our various thinkers will take radically different positions: \n  \n— Is religion more of a private matter\, which mostly belongs to individuals\, families\, or freely-chosen affinity groups\, or it is primarily more public\, belonging to ethnic groups\, tribes\, states\, or whole civilizations? \n— Are religions most properly local or particular\, such that we’d naturally expect a wide diversity of religions across the wide diversity of humanity\, or are they (or should they be) universal in their scope\, applicability\, and/or authority? \n— What are the most natural responses\, to noticing that your neighbors\, or various foreigners\, have different Gods\, different religious beliefs and practices from your own? \n— Where are the boundaries between religion and spirituality\, or between religion and superstition? And where is atheism\, amidst this tangle of concepts? \n— What is the relationship between religions and human cultures? \n  \n(As always\, free and open to all.  Handout and suggestions for further ready and study will be provided.). 6:30pm-7:45pm in the Reeder’s Alley Conference Center.  Learn more & RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-merlin-shorts-how-did-we-get-here-religion-january-2024/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-religion/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20231114T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20231114T194500
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20231030T190010Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231030T190010Z
UID:10012163-1699986600-1699991100@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here?: Free Will
DESCRIPTION: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”? By looking at the history of this much-contested concept in this month’s session of “How Did We Get Here?”\, we can begin to peel back the layers! Learn more & RSVP here!
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-free-will/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2023/10/Free-Will_Chariot-and-Horse_Featured-Image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20231109T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20231109T210000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20231108T010201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231108T010201Z
UID:10012215-1699556400-1699563600@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Philosophy Think & Drink
DESCRIPTION: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!\nLearn more here: https://merlinccc.org/…/philosophy-think-drink…/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/philosophy-think-drink/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20231102T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20231102T203000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20231004T171513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231004T171513Z
UID:10011609-1698948000-1698957000@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Loss & Legacy: Living Forward While Looking Back
DESCRIPTION: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.” \n  \nOur 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. FREE and open to all members of the community. Space is limited. \n  \nWater & hot tea provided. Bring a low-profile comfy lawn camping chair if you’d like.  We’ll also have regular fold-out chairs available. \n  \nLearn more\, watch the film trailer & RSVP on our website event page: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-symposia-series-loss-legacy-2023-6/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/loss-legacy-living-forward-while-looking-back/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20231010T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20231010T200000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20230922T170421Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230922T170421Z
UID:10011523-1696960800-1696968000@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Short Reads: "Seneca on Clemency\, or Mercy"
DESCRIPTION:Early in the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero\, his teacher Seneca composed a short treatise\, addressed to the emperor\, on the subject of mercy or clemency. While none of us is likely ever to be the sole ruler of the civilized world\, we might find analogues to some of these concerns for people in other\, lesser positions of authority. In this evening’s philosophy short read\, we’ll examine Seneca’s account of mercy as a Stoic virtue: how it differs from vengeance\, pity\, and forgiveness\, and how it’s closely related to the virtue of justice. And we’ll reflect on the profoundly unequal power dynamics inherent in Seneca’s theory of clemency. \nFREE. All welcome. 6pm-8pm. Learn more\, download paper\, and RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-merlin-shorts-read-ins-short-october-2023/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/short-reads-seneca-on-clemency-or-mercy/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2023/09/Short-Reads_Featured-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20231005T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20231005T203000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20230829T165212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230829T165212Z
UID:10011386-1696530600-1696537800@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Workshop Series: Reading Myths Philosophically
DESCRIPTION:Myths—inspired stories which relate “things which never happened at any particular time\, but which always are\,” in one ancient author’s memorable phrase—have played an important role in wisdom traditions around the world. But the role of myth is often woefully misunderstood in our contemporary society\, where myths are seen as mere fiction\, falsehood\, or silly stories that “other people” tell who are “too ignorant to do science\,” the way “we” do. \nIn this two-part series\, we’ll try to recover a richer\, more robust understanding of myth\, with the help of some Platonist philosophers of the 3rd-5th centuries\, who defended and explained mythic modes of knowing for an age\, much like ours\, in which elite opinion scorned traditional myths. \nIn the first session\, we’ll follow Sallustius\, Hermias\, Proclus\, and other late antique Platonists as they examine two specific mythic stories: one drawn from Homer’s Iliad\, and another taken from the works of Plato himself. With their help\, we’ll build a robust toolkit of strategies for approaching interpreting myths. By following them in their rich\, multi-layered interpretations\, we’ll begin to cultivate a sense of what it’s like to think mythically\, where apparently divergent interpretations do not simply co-exist\, but mutually enrich one another. And we’ll gesture beyond Homer and Plato\, to consider Sallustius’ suggestion that the entire cosmos can be read as a myth. \nIn the second session\, we’ll work together to apply the strategies we’ve collected to two further myths: one from Plato\, and one from the Old Norse Eddas. We’ll ask all participants to spend a few minutes each day\, during the week between the two sessions\, working with these two myths on their own in light of what we’ve learned in the first session\, so that we can all bring the fruits of that work to share with one another: both specific interpretations and understandings of the myths themselves\, and more general challenges or insights about the mythic mode of thinking. \nNOTE: Since the second session—and the week’s work leading up to it—are intended as an opportunity to apply the lessons of the first session\, we will ask that only those who have been part of the initial exploration on FIRST DATE attend the second session on SECOND DATE.
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/workshop-series-reading-myths-philosophically/2023-10-05/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2023/08/Reading-Myths-Philosophically_Featured-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20230808T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20230808T200000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20230801T202236Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230801T202236Z
UID:10011184-1691517600-1691524800@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:SHORT READS: PUNISHMENT & PENALTIES
DESCRIPTION:When we act unjustly (in whatever large or small ways)\, will we be happier and better off if we manage to escape from any punishment\, or if we pay the penalty for our misdeeds? \nOur “Short Reads” evenings explore a focused philosophical argument or theme\, by way of a short (4–6 page) paper. During this month’s gathering\, we’ll step through our paper together\, using the theme of punishment and penalties as the focal point for a lively and interactive conversation. \nEarly in Plato’s Gorgias\, one of Socrates’ interlocutors\, named Polus\, asserts that anyone able to rise to the heights of tyrannical power would be the happiest of human beings\, provided that he were able to avoid paying any penalty for his acts of theft\, violence\, and the like. Polus cites the case of Archelaus\, who took absolute power in Macedonia by the simple expedient of murdering all those with a more legitimate claim to the throne\, including a young boy whom he drowned in a well. \nSocrates responds with an extended argument in three main parts. First\, he contends that acting unjustly is the greatest of evils—even worse than suffering injustice at the hands of others! This is in explicit contrast with Polus’ claim that it’s only the prospect of punishment that makes acting unjustly bad for the person who performs those unjust acts. Second\, building on this\, Socrates argues that once someone has acted unjustly\, it is actually better for that person himself if he suffers punishment\, “paying the penalty” for his unjust deeds rather than avoiding such consequences. Finally\, Socrates considers the value of the goods of the soul as compared to goods of the body or external possessions\, in order to further corroborate the first two points\, and make the case that paying the penalty for our unjust deeds is in fact one of the greatest human goods. \nWe’ll follow Socrates and Polus in examining each of these in turn. Learn more\, view/download the paper & RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-merlin-shorts-read-ins-short-august-2023/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/short-reads-punishment-penalties/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2023/07/n5GvRvCE-Short-Reads_Featured-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20230711T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20230711T200000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20230707T161656Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230707T161656Z
UID:10011111-1689098400-1689105600@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Short Reads: The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis
DESCRIPTION:Our “Short Reads” evenings explore a focused philosophical argument or theme\, by way of a short (4–6 page) paper. During the evening\, we’ll step through the paper together\, using it as the focal point for a lively and interactive conversation. Papers are short and compact\, and we’ll read many of the longer quotes aloud together as we go. \nThis month\, we’ll be discussing Lynn White’s classic (1967) paper\, “The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis.” White was a careful and insightful historian\, and he packs a lot of precise detail and nuance into only four short pages. \nDuring our evening together\, we’ll step carefully through as many of those details and distinctions as we can\, with an eye to evaluating the overall question: How are our own default ways of thinking about progress\, science\, technology\, and nature shaped by the peculiar history of the European Middle Ages\, and by the peculiar dogmas of one specific strand within one particular religious tradition? And we can reflect on White’s modest proposal for a new direction: how has this suggestion held up\, in the decades since his paper first appeared?
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/short-reads-the-historical-roots-of-our-ecological-crisis/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2023/07/Short-Reads_Featured-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20230606T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20230606T194500
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20230523T221101Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230523T221101Z
UID:10009842-1686076200-1686080700@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here? Labor & Work
DESCRIPTION:We often take “labor” and “work” as synonyms\, describing an often-difficult process that’s required to “get by” in life\, or even to “make our living.” Yet there’s also a strong contrast between the demanding-yet-fulfilling “work” of an artist\, and the drudgery of someone laboring in a factory.\nThen there are other complicated dances — both in theory\, and in the day-to-day organizing of our lives — between labor and leisure\, work and recreation\, action and contemplation\, “liberal” and “servile” pursuits. These complications have been viewed very differently across the centuries.\nAmong other things\, the complex history of “labor” and “work” invites us to ask:\n–How do the toil of labor and the accomplishments of work relate to one another\, and to other parts of human life?\n–What roles do work and labor play\, in the pursuit of a good\, fulfilling\, complete individual life?\n–What roles do they play in forming our human communities\, and shaping our public\, collective\, and social life together with one another?\n–Is labor something to be embraced\, as the most fundamental source of value\, or is it something that we have to escape from\, in order to reach our full human potential?\n–How do work and labor situate humans within — or help us to escape from — larger patterns of time and eternity\, of life and death?\nIn this evening’s program\, we’ll set out a variety of different answers to these questions\, as seen by different communities whose complex legacy we’ve inherited.\nWe’ll begin with classic literary sources\, ranging from the Greek poet Hesiod’s agricultural tips in the Works and Days\, to the practical advice given in the voice of Odin in the Old Norse Hávamál. Here\, we’ll reflect on the ways that for traditional European societies\, the necessity of labor both allows for\, and is in tension with\, the public life shared by free citizens\, and the possibilities those citizens have for extending their memory and influence beyond their individual deaths. And in doing so\, we’ll see a sharp contrast between work that endures\, and the toil and drudgery of mere labor.\nWe’ll then consider some intellectual\, historical\, and religious factors that led to changes in these understandings\, notably the “cosmopolitan” ethics of early Stoicism\, the rise of the Roman Empire\, and the ideal of “renouncing the world” in early Christianity. In each of these movements\, we can reflect on the dynamic interplay between abstract theory and “conditions on the ground”\, and contrast the different sorts of respect (or contempt!) which are given to labor\, leisure\, and public life within each of them.\nDrawing closer to the present\, we’ll look at some ways in which historical and economic factors have become reflected in philosophical concepts\, or justified after the fact: the Christian church’s shift from renouncing the world to ruling it; the rise of craft and merchant guilds in the European Middle Ages; and the Industrial Revolution and its critics. In each case\, we can ask: from this vantage point\, what seems most “natural” about the relations between work\, labor\, human freedom\, and the common good? In each case\, we’ll get a very different answer!\nAnd as we get closer to the present\, we’ll check in with social and political theorists ranging from John Locke and Adam Smith\, to Karl Marx and Hannah Arendt\, to take stock of some ways in which each of these transformations upended older ways of thinking about labor\, work\, and humanity.\nRSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/…/philosophy-merlin-shorts-how…/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-labor-work/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230221T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230221T194500
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20230116T234433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230116T234433Z
UID:10010142-1677004200-1677008700@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here?: Planet
DESCRIPTION:In this installment of “How Did We Get Here?” we’ll consider the idea of “planet” throughout the history of astronomy starting with the ancient Greeks who identified seven\, planetes asteres (or wandering stars). This included the Moon and Sun\, but not the Earth. Then came Copernicus who changed our view\, identifying planets as bodies which orbit the Sun\, making the Earth a planet\, but not the Sun and Moon. The development of telescopes led to yet further discoveries\, including new planets (like Uranus and Neptune) and many other objects\, such as Ceres\, Pallas\, Juno\, and Vesta (which were first called planets\, and then recategorized as asteroids). \nAlong came the 20th century which brought more complexity to the nature of planets\, with the discovery that Mercury\, Venus\, Earth\, and Mars are a very different type of object than the gas giants Jupiter\, Saturn\, Uranus\, and Neptune. The discovery of Pluto further muddied the waters\, leading to the International Astronomical Union’s controversial 2006 decision to kick Pluto out of the major planet club! (Poor Pluto). Today\, planets are one of the hottest fields of research; astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets orbiting around other stars\, leading us to more complexity\, as we must consider where we draw the line between very large planets and very small stars. \nSo where does philosophy fit in with all of this? In addition to the cadre of historical thinkers identified as ‘natural philosophers’ (all of whom rigorously engaged in such ponderings in their own ways)\, the fields of metaphysics and epistemology come to mind. 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 will give us important insights into the nature of science and the foundations of our modern civilization.
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-planet/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2023/01/HDWGH_Planet.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230117T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230117T200000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20230116T234358Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230116T234358Z
UID:10010097-1673978400-1673985600@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Philosophy Workshop: "Three Lives"
DESCRIPTION:Philosophical and spiritual texts from India\, like the Bhagavad Gita\, often present a choice — or even a conflict — between three lives\, or three different ways that we humans might organize and structure our lives. We see the life of action\, focused on “getting stuff done\,” particularly in the political\, economic\, or domestic realms. We find the life of knowledge\, centered on wisdom and understanding. And we encounter the life of devotion\, based in love. \nWhile Indian traditions present the tension between these lives in a way that’s especially sharp\, we can find a very similar story playing out in Greek and Roman philosophers like Plato\, Aristotle\, and Seneca. And we can see these three lives in the choices made by our family members\, friends\, and our wider society… and maybe even ourselves. \nWe’ll use a few short selections from important philosophical texts\, East and West\, as a springboard for understanding each life\, both on its own terms\, and in conflict or dialogue with the others. These excerpts can be downloaded on our website in advance should you want to read and ponder them before the workshop. Printed copies will be available at the door on the night of the event. Reading ahead is strongly encouraged\, but not required. \nThe evening will be somewhat like one of our philosophy walks: three distinct stops\, each with its own theme and ample opportunity for discussion—just without all the walking\, and with the help of these short written texts to keep ourselves “all on the same page.” \nLearn more & RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-workshop-three-lives-2023/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/philosophy-workshop-three-lives/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2023/01/Three-Lives_Featured-Image-2023.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20221213T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20221213T194500
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20221021T205513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221021T205513Z
UID:10009302-1670956200-1670960700@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here?: Species
DESCRIPTION:  \nIn this installment of “How Did We Get Here?” led by philosopher David Nowakowski we’ll consider the idea of “species\,” from Plato and Aristotle\, through the Middle Ages\, to Charles Darwin (of course!)\, and down to the present. \n  \nAlong the way\, we’ll gain some useful insights into the role of ideas and abstraction in western scientific thought\, reflect on the search for stability in a changing world\, as a unifying thread from Plato to Darwin\, and beyond\, and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the ways that we\, and our predecessors\, strive to classify and categorize — both in the natural world\, and in human society and culture. \n  \nFREE. All ages/backgrounds welcome. Learn more & RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-merlin-shorts-how-did-we-get-here-december-2022/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-species/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2022/10/HWDWG-Species_Featured-Image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20221210T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20221210T123000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20221104T222321Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221104T222321Z
UID:10009604-1670666400-1670675400@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Philosophy Workshop: On Empathy
DESCRIPTION:“Anyone writing about empathy is trying to hit a moving target\,” said empathy scholar\, Lou Agosta – highlighting the term’s confusion in both common conversation and academic literature. \nWhen we are talking about empathy\, what exactly are we talking about – shared feelings\, care for someone else\, or perhaps a more telepathic “mind-reading” grounded in vicarious experience? \nTo some extent\, answering these questions relies on what it is that we are really seeking when we pursue empathy. To vent? To find a solution? To receive acknowledgement or “be heard or seen”? \nIn this workshop led by student scholar fellow Julianna Breit\, we’ll explore our roles in empathy\, questioning the aim of empathetic interactions\, and analyzing what empathy looks like when it’s done well. After looking at the aesthetic foundations of empathy\, we’ll consider the interplay between savoring the other’s emotion and mitigating our own emotional overload. \nBy the end of the workshop\, we’ll have some helpful vocabulary for describing empathy and new frameworks for understanding our interpersonal interactions. \n(NOTE: While this workshop complements November’s “How Did We Get Here?” event on empathy\, you needn’t have attended the earlier event in order to participate fully and meaningfully in the workshop.)
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/philosophy-workshop-on-empathy/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2022/11/On-Empathy_Featured-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20221112T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20221112T123000
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20221020T212106Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221020T212106Z
UID:10009312-1668247200-1668256200@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:Philosophy Workshop: "Myth in Philosophy"
DESCRIPTION:This workshop led by philosopher David Nowakowski will explore the role of myth within philosophy\, the life dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom. \nTaking Plato as our starting point\, this workshop will explore the role of myth within philosophy\, the life dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom. We’ll get clear how myths comprise a special kind of narrative\, distinct from history\, fantasy\, or storytelling in general. \n— What kinds of myths are there? (We’ll consider specific examples of myths: both the traditional Greek myths which Plato and his tradition examined\, and myths from other times and places). \n— When & how can myths be used effectively and appropriately? \n— What does it mean to engage with myth in a specifically philosophical mode? \n— How do mythic modes of understanding enrich\, complement\, or complete other ways of thinking and knowing\, like the logical or analytical? \nThroughout our explorations\, we’ll consider specific examples of myths: both the traditional Greek myths which Plato and his tradition examined\, and myths from other times and places. All with an eye to enriching our own sense of what philosophy is and can be\, as a vibrant\, living path of wisdom in our own time. \nLike all of our philosophy in the community activities\, this workshops is FREE. No background in philosophy or literature is required. All ages/backgrounds welcome. \nLearn more & RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-workshop-myth-in-philosophy/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/philosophy-workshop-myth-in-philosophy/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2022/10/Myth-in-Philosophy_Featured-Image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20221101T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20221101T194500
DTSTAMP:20241202T103446
CREATED:20221020T211729Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221020T211729Z
UID:10009332-1667327400-1667331900@helenamt.com
SUMMARY:How Did We Get Here?: Empathy
DESCRIPTION:In this first installment of our new “How Did We Get Here?” series led by philosopher & student scholar fellow Julianna Breit we’ll consider the concept of empathy. We’ll start in the 16th century with David Hume and explore onward. \nBy tracing the evolution of empathy\, we’ll learn how each thinker contributes to our understanding of the empathic experience as well as how they engage(d) with the neuroscientific approaches. \nIn the process — and inspired by their philosophical work — we’ll also gain a deeper appreciation of our own mental capacities and encounter more tools for analyzing our interpersonal approaches. \nFinally\, we’ll reflect on the search for community\, as well as the knowledge found in connection. \nLike all of our philosophy in the community activities\, this event is FREE. No background in philosophy or neuroscience is required. All ages/backgrounds welcome. \nLearn more and RSVP here: https://merlinccc.org/event/philosophy-merlin-shorts-how-did-we-get-here-november-2022/
URL:https://helenamt.com/event/how-did-we-get-here-empathy/
LOCATION:Reeder’s Alley Interpretive & Convention Center\, 101 Reeder's Alley\, Helena\, MT\, 59601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community,Education,Free
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://helenamt.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/2022/10/HDWGH-Empathy_Featured-Image-2.jpg
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END:VCALENDAR