Apr
3

Respect

We'll discuss respect and when and why government policies disrespect citizens and subjects in clinical trials. We'll also talk about how to engage people who support these policies while also recognizing respect as an essential aspect of treating people ethically.

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Apr
3

Chinese Philosophy

This event will explore key ideas from Confucianism, Daoism, and other schools of thought, considering their relevance to contemporary life. How do these perspectives differ from Western Tradition? Are they relevant in our Western world? Whether you're new to Chinese philosophy or have studied it before, this open conversation welcomes all perspectives in a relaxed, discussion-based setting.

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Apr
3

Can AI Make Art?

As generative AI transforms creative industries many critical questions arise: Can AI truly create art? Does the creation of art require agency? How does AI impact artists’ creative autonomy, ownership, and fairness in the artistic landscape? We will talk about our recent research on these questions and about how AI has affected our artistic practice. The session will conclude with an interactive, hands-on activity where participants will engage with these topics.

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Apr
3

Sounds of Silence

Do you know what silence is? (Everyone does, right?) Can you hear silence? How often do you think about silence? Is silence possible in a group of people? Is silence possible at all? Are these questions worth posing in a public forum or should we just be silent? Come find out!

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Apr
4

We Have Always Been at War with Computers

Join us for a conversation about computers: what they are, how we use them, and why we use them wrong. Also why it's not our fault. The values supposedly imbued into technology are not the ones actually reflected back at technology users. We'll talk about how various dark patterns serve the goals of capitalism not community and what we can do about it.

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Apr
4

Thinking Machines and the Human Story

AI is approaching — and in some cases, surpassing — human-level ability in many areas that, for all of previous history, have been the sole provenance of human minds. Is it a good idea to build machines like this? How might it go well? How might it go badly? How prepared are we for a world where human intelligence is outclassed by the artificial? Join for a talk followed by group discussion.

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Apr
5

The Twilight Zone Examined

  • Brooks Memorial Library, Community Meeting Room (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join Dr. Mike and Bethany for an interactive, philosophical exploration at the intersection of truth, power and obsolescence in The Twilight Zone. This program includes a full screening of season 2, episode 29 ‘The Obsolete Man’, showcasing librarian Romney Wordsworth’s dramatic resistance to a totalitarian state that has, “like every one of the super-states that’s preceded it,…one iron rule: Logic is an enemy and truth is a menace.”

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Apr
5

Thinking About Sticks

Sit around a fire to think about sticks and talk about how noticing things, and bringing curiosity and creativity to your experiences, adds psychological richness to your life. This event will be held in the Sacred Circle, approximately 50 yards from the trailhead parking lot. As long as the roads are safe enough to drive up the mountain, and there is not a downpour, this event is happening! Dress weather appropriate and bring a chair/blanket if you like; limited bench seating is available.

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Apr
5

The Tao of Ethics

We will explore the "easy" Taoist approach to natural ethics—an elegant morality without supernatural authority. Taoist “worship of nature” is really veneration of the natural way of things and emphasizes living in harmony with the flow of existence. In our discussion, we will start to uncover an ethical system that is intuitive, adaptive, and rooted in the way things unfold in the world around us.

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Apr
5

The Philosophy of Bicycling

Many people have stopped into the Vermont Bicycle Shop for a tube, fix a squeaky brake, meet up for a group ride, or to get a brand spanking new bicycle. In a twist on what you normally do at the shop we will be taking a philosophical exploration of bicycling. What is a cyclist? Should you be bicycling instead of driving? Is there something spiritual about cycling?

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Apr
5

The Ethical Crises of Immigrant Detention in the US

What kinds of ethical principles should inform the relationship between the state and immigrants? How can ethical perspectives inform a critique of state violence against immigrants in the U.S.? This talk considers how a framework of normative ethics can inform an analysis of immigrant detention law in the United States.

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Apr
2

Some Reflections on the Regulation of Mind-Altering Substance: Psychedelic Drugs and Marijuana

The talk will discuss some philosophical theories that inform the regulation of people’s activities and choices. We will also look at some empirical findings on the benefits/harms of psychedelic drugs and marijuana, and some recent events relating to the practice (or research) of psychedelic drugs.

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Apr
2

Read & Imagine with Everywhere Philosophy!

  • Brooks Memorial Library, Community Meeting Room (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join Dr. Mike & Bethany for a reading of Patty Lovell's Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon and an immersive program exploring the intersection of happiness and self-confidence. We'll weave storytelling and philosophy together with art, play, and activities. This program is developed for young readers, but children and adults of all ages are welcome!

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Apr
1

What Is a Fascist?

Inspired by the works of Frankfurt School philosophers like Theodor Adorno and Hannah Arendt, we'll discuss what makes a fascist and talk about how authoritarian thought and rhetoric can spread in small, seemingly mundane ways all throughout a population.

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Apr
1

Can Atheists Have Faith?

Some philosophers argue that despite their disbelief, atheists can rationally have faith in a god or gods, and other philosophers disagree! Join us for a discussion about the nature of faith and how it relates to belief and doubt.

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Apr
1

In Opposition to Evil

Resisting evil is a requirement for humanity. Morality, ethics and analysis all acknowledge this duty. Apathy and inaction merely perpetuate evil's machinations, and in doing so, are evil themself. Thus, it is the responsibility of each individual to resist evil, in whatever capacity they are capable of.

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Apr
1

Nurturing Pro-Environmental Values through Forest Bathing

Spending time in nature creates wellbeing and might positively influence pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. As people spend less and less time outdoors and in nature, there is a critical concern about the diminished exposure to nature may lead to less support for pro-environmental values with ensuing negative consequences for the environment. One avenue for the nurturing of a pro-environmental attitude toward nature is through the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. In this workshop, we will learn the fundamentals of forest bathing from Duncan Murdoch, a Vermont based certified nature and forest therapy guide, who will guide us through a forest bathing experience in Centennial Woods on the UVM campus.

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Mar
31

Schools Matter

While there is no shortage of political noise about public education, what are the fundamental beliefs and core values that lead communities to build and maintain their public schools?

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Mar
31

Hell Yes, Wellness!

What does wellness mean to you? What’s getting in the way of individual and collective wellness? What can you/we do to promote wellness? Gather for a discussion that will make you want to go after it

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Mar
31

Restorative Justice: Its Limitations, Progress and Potential

Restorative Justice is a non-punitive paradigm toward addressing harm and crime that has been part of our western criminal legal system since the 1970’s. Is addressing the harm of an incident enough if one isn’t addressing the roots of the incident? Does RJ in the criminal justice system only have value when comparing it to the mainstream system? What is your vision of restorative justice’s promise in Vermont? Come join us for a dialogue about the potentially revolutionary paradigm of restorative practices and what barriers it faces in Vermont today.

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Mar
31

To Be or Not to Be: The Ethics of Having (or Not Having) Children in a Troubled World

As climate change, economic instability, and global uncertainties grow, so does the debate over whether bringing children into the world is a moral obligation or a moral mistake. Some argue that we have a duty to reproduce, while others claim that having children is ethically questionable, quoting suffering, overpopulation, and environmental impact. This talk will explore key philosophical perspectives on both sides, from antinatalists like David Benatar to pronatalist arguments rooted in duty, love, or existential hope. We will examine whether procreation is a personal choice free from moral weight or a decision that carries deep ethical consequences.

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Mar
30

Saying It Might Make It So

Often, saying it doesn’t make it so. But sometimes it does, like when a judge pronounces a verdict, when you make a promise, and when a referee makes a call. Join us for a discussion of how we perform actions through our speech (promising, pronouncing, asserting, etc.) and how that performance may go awry

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Mar
30

What Does It Mean to Belong? Signing Deaf Individuals in Hearing-Centric Spaces

This session explores the meaning of belonging and how it differs between signing Deaf individuals and English-speaking nondeaf individuals. While belonging is widely promoted in education, we must critically examine how it is fostered when different groups may conceptualize belonging in fundamentally different ways.

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Mar
30

Kids’ Rights, Kids’ Liberation

Sela (11) and Ilyse (timeless) Morgenstein Fuerst talk briefly about the history of kids rights and the future kids imagine. Topics of discussion include: labor laws and kids’ activism, access to medical care, voting, and kids’ self-determination. Letter-writing and zine making is part of the program!

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