Podcasts
Recordings of Sunday Platform addresses
Ecologically speaking, the edge effect results in greater diversity of life in a region where the edges of two adjacent ecosystems overlap, but social scientists also propose that the edge effect can help cultivate creativity in people who are exposed to different cultures. The edge effect may have been at play when some of our most revolutionary thinkers had creative breakthroughs, possibly even when Felix Adler founded Ethical Culture.
Myriam Springuel is the Director of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibitions Services (SITES) and Smithsonian Affiliations. For over 65 years, SITES, the largest traveling exhibition program in the world, has brought art and historical artifacts from the Smithsonian collection to communities across the US. SITES not only presents exhibitions in museums, science centers, and botanical gardens but also in nearly 2,000 rural communities since 1994 through the Museum on Main Street program. Myriam will explore how expanding the museum experience beyond the museum can help expand people’s minds.
For the past seven years the Ethical Society of St. Louis has supported the Ugandan Humanist Schools Trust. In that time, we have collectively donated almost $200,000 to schools and students in Uganda, helping fund student scholarships, provide needed supplies, and even build a new building. As we renew our commitment to the Ugandan Humanist Schools in a year of unprecedented challenges.
In the late 90s, British Airways undertook a review of the various reward and recognition schemes in place worldwide and consolidated them under a single, integrated scheme: Bravo! Bravo! was the response to a global survey of employee expectations regarding how BA should recognize the contribution of its employees to the success of the airline, beyond financial remuneration. It explored the differences between Motivation, Reward and Recognition and asked fundamental questions about what it meant to feel valued in the workplace – and beyond.
Liz Croft, who created Bravo!, will explore what we can learn about how to recognize others from her experience creating recognition schemes for one of the world’s iconic companies.
The Ethical Society of St. Louis is delighted to present its annual Ethics in Action Award to Gary Morse, PhD, honoring his work with Places for People. Places for People was founded 47 years ago in response to the then new federal policy of deinstitutionalization, which moved patients living in mental institutions back into the community. Today, Places for People serves more than 2,000 people annually, offering an individualized approach to health and healing. In this special ceremony Dr Brian Vandenberg, Joe Yancey, Bernadette Stapleton, and Dr Morse will speak about his work.
Our society is beset by numerous interlinked crises: political dysfunction, economic collapse, and environmental degradation combine to make a megacrisis. How can we honestly recognize the danger we are in as a nation and as a global community, while maintaining the sense of hope and efficacy required for us to make a difference?
The difficult parts of most relationships begin when there is growing tension around certain threshold issues and a lack of skills around how to engage them. But instead of looking at it as a win/loss, how might we turn conflict into a way to grow relationships, instead of break them down? Join Leader Intern Christian Hayden as he discusses this topic.
One of the most challenging elements of effective communication is listening. It seems simple – what could be easier than not speaking while someone else talks? But true listening is difficult. To get inside the minds of other people requires us to understand that they are not the same as we are, and that requires a lot of effort and communication skills.
John Baugh is Professor of Psychology, Anthropology, Education, English, Linguistics, and African and African-American Studies at Washington University. Baugh’s primary research interest has been the social stratification of linguistic behavior in multicultural and multilingual nations. In addition to his linguistic research, Professor Baugh directs the African and African-American Studies program, which strives to advance distinguished scholarship of and by people of African descent regardless of academic discipline.
Stephen Law is formerly reader and head of department in philosophy at Heythrop College University of London. He holds BPhil and DPhil degrees in philosophy from the University of Oxford where he was also a junior research fellow for three years. He has researched and published in metaphysics, epistemology, mind, philosophy of religion, and later Wittgenstein. His popular books include A Very Short Introduction to Humanism, The Philosophy Gym, and (for 12-adult) The Complete Philosophy Files. Stephen will be talking about science, scientism, the role of philosophy and religion, and what we can establish, if anything, from the comfort of our armchairs.
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