The Philosophy of Civic Engagement
Mike Ashooh
This will be a discussion of why people involve themselves in local politics, and other forms of civic engagement within their community: what it means, why they do it, what value it has, etc.
Socrates Today
Martha Woodruff
How does Socratic citizenship by critique speak to us today? How might (ironic) Socratic wisdom (“I know that I do not know”) help us with learning? Why did Martin Luther King invoke Socrates and call for “non-violent gadflies” in civil rights work?
Ecofeminism
Paloma Wallace
IA discussion of the similarities between man’s subjugation of woman and humankind’s control over nature and how the two are connected.
The Philosophy of Farming
Caroline and Mark Usher
Is farming the best job for a philosopher? What is the relationship between head work and hand work? Is the kind of problem solving a farmer engages in akin to philosophical thinking? What is a “land ethic”? This informal gathering on site at Works & Days Farm…
Masculinity in the 21st Century
A Different Voice
A philosophical examination of and discussion about social expectations of men.
Everywhere Philosophy Presents: The Twilight Zone Examined
Michael Ferreira and Bethany Thies
Join Everywhere Philosophy's Dr. Mike and Bethany for an interactive exploration of the shifting boundaries between reality, truth, fantasy and fiction in The Twilight Zone's inaugural season finale "A World of His Own". Spin the Wheel of Philosophy, and contemplate…
Children and the Case for a Universal Welfare State
Oliver Minshall
This talk explores the need for a universal welfare that covers all non-workers through the lens of child benefits, revealing why our support for children should commit us to support all nonworking people. Objections to the feasibility and desirability of a universal welfare state will be covered, and there will be time for questions at the end.
Epistemic (In)justices: Philosophy and Listening as Social Change
Patrick Standen
There is a distinctively epistemic type of injustice, in which someone is wronged specifically in their capacity as a knower, by not listening or undermining the other's claims to knowledge. Come find out how philosophy can be a useful tool for social change by learning how to listen.
Friendship, Loyalty, and Betrayal in The Third Man
Sarah Stroud
A guileless American arrives in the shadowy world of postwar Vienna and soon finds he must navigate a moral maze. Does he do so successfully? The Third Mancompels reflection on the moral significance of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal.
The ABC's and 123's of Power & Authority - a ten minute video and discussion: how does it work in the classroom?
Infinite Culcleasure
What do power and authority have to do with teaching? How are they different from each other and/or similar? A fun musical video from many years ago provides an opportunity for a lighter conversation about how power dynamics play out in the classroom.
Truth in Poetry // Poetic Speech Acts
Eric Lindstrom, Chapman Matis, and Eleanor McDowell
Sir Philip Sidney said the poet "nothing affirmeth, and therefore never lieth." We say that in free verse poetry, anything goes. What ways do we have to think about truth in poetry? Do those ways amount to philosophy?
Standing Against Injustice
Kate Nolfi
A philosophical discussion exploring questions about protesting injustice: What is involved in standing against injustice? What forms can genuine protest take? When and why might we, as individuals, have a duty to protest injustice?
Socially Constructed Categories, Data Collection, and Equity
Clare LaFrance and Amy Redman
Are you interested in the social construction of everyday life? Have you have ever wondered what parts of our identity are socially constructed? If so, please join Clare LaFrance, MA, a philosophy fan, and Dr. Amy Redman, a Sociologist, for an interactive discussion…
Philosophy for Kids!
Kate Nolfi
Join us for a read-aloud storytime and fun philosophical conversation as we think together about what love is. This event is pitched for children ages 5-9 and their caregivers and facilitated by Kate Nolfi, Philosophy Professor at UVM.
AI and Humanity: What's the Deal and Where Are We Now?
Randall Harp and Juniper Lovato
This will be a short talk and Q&A about the current state of AI. We will cover what AI is, what it does, and what it means for human activity and intelligence. After the discussion, we will host a short judged competition between humans in the audience and AI to see whether our current AI is already more human than humans.
Are We Born Good? The Confucian Mencius's Idea of Human Nature
Sin yee Chan
In this sometimes heartbreaking world, do we ever wonder what human nature really is? In the talk, I will examine the views of a Confucian, Mencius (372-289 BCE), on human nature. He thinks that we are born innately good!
Why Higher Ed?
Addison Schwarz and Emma von Licht
Join us in a discussion of the value - and disvalue - of a college education. How does higher education benefit the individual and society as a whole - or does it? We want to hear from you! If that wasn’t convincing… know that snacks will be provided.
Dewey and Deafness
John Pirone
In the United States, over 80 percent of deaf children are placed in mainstream schools, and less than 40 percent use sign language. Deaf students struggle because of conditions in mainstream schools. To address this, I will present and discuss John Dewey’s…
Cautionary Tales and Aspirational Futures: Climate Change and Science Fiction
Holly Painter
Climate change isn't science fiction, but there's plenty of science fiction about climate change. What is the purpose of writing it? What do we want climate sci-fi to do, and what makes a good climate fiction story? Come explore the genre of climate science fiction, from cautionary tales to aspirational futures.
Art and Politics: A Philosophical Discussion
Becca Gurney and Crystal L'Hote
What is the function of art? What is relationship between art and political activism? A philosopher and an artist will invite the audience into a casual conversation. Join us!
Should We Abolish Prisons?
Kathy Fox and Robert Sand
What is our societal intent when we send people to prison? Come to a discussion of the philosophies of punishment, what the evidence shows about what works in the criminal-legal system, and whether or not prisons work.
Stoicism: How to be Free of Suffering
Riin Sirkel
What if someone told you that much of your suffering results from your thinking? What if they claimed to show you how to be free of suffering and achieve peace of mind? One finds these claims in the works of ancient Stoics – Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius…
Cows, Cyborgs, and our Conscience: Exploring the Role of Technology in Animal Agriculture
Ayana Curran-Howes, Zach Goldstein, and Catherine Horowitz
Come discuss ethical questions about the influence of technology on the livestock industry. Do virtual reality headsets provide real happiness for cows? Would you eat a lab-grown mammoth meatball? What is the difference between a human, animal, and robot?
Against Purity
Amy Trubek and Tyler Doggett
Veganism! Paleo! No logo! Straight line voting! Join a philosopher and an anthropologist for a chat about purity as a guide to life.
How Matter Matters: on the Relationship Between the Material World, the Mind, Meaning Making and Conduct of Life
Genese Grill
For thousands of years, the materiality of the world has been suspected as fleeting, shallow, or deceptive, while continuing to be a driving force of many of our choices and pleasures and also an impetus for learning and meaning making. From Plato to…
Is Death Too Dark for Kids?
Melissa Pasanen
At New Village Farm in Shelburne, youngsters learn about the whole cycle of life, including death. Hear from farm educators about how they teach about raising cows as livestock, not pets; how they approach slaughter from a place of gratitude…