Claim OwnershipEthicalStL.org
Subscribed: 37Played: 948
Subscribe
© Copyright 2005-2025 The Ethical Society of St. Louis
Description
Platform addresses on ethical topics and issues recorded live from the Ethical Society of St. Louis. These lectures cover a number of areas including ethics, religion, values, and humanism. To discuss our podcasts please visit us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/EthicalSocietySTL
711 Episodes
Reverse
Looking at the poetry of W. H. Auden and the writing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and attempting to form a relationship between the two. We’ll be talking about how we can support efforts for liberation on the terms of the people who are working to be liberated. We’ll also take a look at some classical works of art and wondering what clues they can offer us about working for more love and justice in our world.
Hear a special panel highlighting the voices of our lay leaders — members who help guide and sustain the Society’s programs, initiatives, and community life. Together they will reflect on what leadership means in our values-driven community, how their experiences embody our mission of inspiring ethical living and working for a more just world, and why shared leadership is central to our success. Panelists will also share some of their most formative experiences at the Ethical Society and discuss ways they believe our organization can continue to improve and evolve into the future.
At a time when fear and division threaten democracy, Humanism offers a different path, one rooted in dignity, truth, and solidarity. This Platform will explore how Humanist values can inspire hope and guide us to resist authoritarianism, defend human rights, and strengthen our communities with courage and compassion. Let’s reflect on how “Humanism in Action” can be our most powerful response to rising fascism.
Celebrate books and how all varieties of fiction are important to surviving and thriving in the modern world. Reading fiction serves a wide variety of purposes – including some that may surprise you. This goes for not just “serious” literary fiction, but popular genres like romance and mystery.
The holocaust wiped out most of my family. But if it had not happened, I likely would not exist. How can I reconcile the suffering my ancestors underwent for refusing to abandon their Jewishness with my own abandonment of it? What can my family’s history, and the history of the holocaust, teach us about being good humans? And what can that history teach us about navigating these turbulent times with ethical integrity?
As the current iteration of the conservative movement continues to escalate its attacks on trans people in the United States, it does so by asserting that there are only two sexes and that one’s gender is immutably connected to one’s sex. It would be easy to assume this only harms the roughly 1% of the population who is trans, but in fact this harms us all. Drawing from his own journey of self-discovery and the people who inspired him along the way, Grayson will share what he’s learned about gender, identity, and how breaking free of restrictive boxes is an essential component to the fight to build a better world for us all.
How does freedom grow—not just as a right, but as an unfolding communal task? Join Dr. David Breeden for a reflection on Ethical Culture, German Idealism, and the liberal imagination’s enduring work of crafting justice, dignity, and shared possibility.
Jamie Frazier shares her perspective, through her own personal journey, on how a person goes from being under cult-like influences, to a place where they are free to question and free to choose what they believe. She will also share her thoughts on how to interact with individuals who are still in their echo chambers.
Change is a fact of life: all the time, every day and every moment, we face changes large and small. We change as we age. Relationships with those we love can change. Our jobs change, our families change, our world changes. Sometimes change is welcome – at other times, scary. Right now the USA is experiencing disorienting change at a bewildering pace, and many people are afraid. How do we find the courage to face the changes that are happening now, and how can we face them together?
In 1912, the labor hymn "Bread and Roses" was sung by striking textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The song advocates for workers to receive “Bread”—the wages working people need to support their families, and “Roses”—the beautiful things that make life worth living, such as art, music, and nature. Over 100 years later, St. Louis-based arts organization Bread and Roses Missouri amplifies and elevates the voices of working people through art, performance and activism. Executive Director Emily Kohring will talk about how participation in creative experiences can be healing and transformative for working people and their families, and how they use theatre to highlight the stories of the working class and the Labor Movement that are too often left out of our cultural narrative. She’ll discuss the intersection of the arts and advocacy, and how justice-focused arts organizations like Bread and Roses are navigating these challenging times.
In our divisive political times, Dr. Kyle Reyes presents a new framework rooted in Humanity and importance of human communication and understanding. Based on a five-year research project, Kyle proposes a new approach to intentional and humanity-driven living in the workplace, in our communities, and in our homes. Now more than ever, we need bridge-building solutions that embrace human differences as opportunities for growth and connection.
We are living through a dangerous and uncertain political landscape, with queer and trans folks (especially those at the intersections of multiple marginalities) experiencing increased violence and hostility. Given these systemic challenges, it is more important than ever to seek refuge in allied community. The queer community has a long history of keeping itself safe and resourcing its own people when larger systems fail to do so — what can we learn from these histories, and what efforts currently exist to continue those legacies? We’ll talk about resources you or your loved ones can tap into, as well as strategies for those wanting to be stronger allies to their queer friends or family members.
A response to the prevailing societal narrative of AGE as DEFICIT. In reality, people experience both positive and negative changes in the later stage of life; and accepting AGE as both ASSET and DEFICIT is important in achieving well-being across the longer life course. In this presentation, I will review the AGE as Deficit and AGE as Asset perspectives and explain why the full story of aging includes both. Interpersonal and internalized ageism must be confronted to ensure accurate perceptions of older adults and the well-being for all of us.
"So much in the world is changing. Is there still hope. If hope is present where and when do I see it?"
Brethren: The courageous story of Black soldiers who fought for the Union cause. They were formed in St. Louis in Benton Barracks, which is currently Fairground Park. The 62nd and 65th not only fought for the right to become American citizens, but were the founders of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri.
On Mother’s Day, we’ll reflect on what it means to live (and care) in an imperfect world. In a time when division, cruelty, and unrealistic ideals dominate the headlines, Humanism offers something grounding: the courage to repair, the strength to hope, and the wisdom to know that mending what matters is sacred work. Louise will explore how Humanist values guide us through brokenness, help us hold space for growth, and invite us to show up (with compassion and courage) even when the stitching isn't straight. All are welcome, wherever you are on your ethical journey.
Get ready to take your next step—whether that's marching, voting, organizing, or simply asking better questions. Let's disrupt with purpose, build with care, and move forward together. Bring a friend who's ready to stir up some necessary trouble.
Artificial intelligence (specifically large language models that generate "original" writing) have radically rocked the world of higher education. This presentation will offer an overview of how these generative AI tools work, why they've thrown educators into a panic, and how we've been adapting to this new landscape, especially when it comes to writing as a form of learning assessment.
The Saint Louis University Prison Education was founded in 2007 at the Eastern Reception and Diagnostic Correction Center in Bonne Terre, MO. Since then, it has reached over 4,500 incarcerated individuals through an accredited associate of arts Program, an arts program, and a college preparatory program. The Program has transformed the lives of many men, some of whom are not continuing their education at SLU. But it has also transformed the educators who have had the privilege of teaching our incarcerated students. Paul Lynch, a long-time teacher and former Program director, will speak about his own transformative experience.
Is what you believe true? In a world filled with information (and misinformation), the ability to discern truth is crucial. This talk introduces a simple yet effective thought experiment with six key questions designed to help you critically examine your beliefs and protect yourself from being fooled by inaccurate or misleading information.
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States