Peace Day 2018

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Thursday, September 20 6:00-8:00PM -- Compassion and Wisdom: Peace in Ourselves and in the World, 1906 Rittenhouse Square This program will include an hour for yoga and an hour for mindfulness meditation/discussion. Participate in either or both yoga and meditation/ discussion. Focus on the connection between finding peace within and creating peace in the world. [...]

Inner Peace and Self-Loathing

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society If we are going to build world peace, mustn’t we start by looking within? Often we are at war with ourselves. We amplify the inner voices telling us that we are not good enough, not ethical enough. We can fall into an unproductive cycle of self-loathing. How do we [...]

The Last Man Who Knew Everything

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

An Interview of Author David N. Schwartz The Freethought Society and the Philadelphia Ethical Society (PES) invite you to a free and open-to-the-public event. PES Leader Hugh Taft-Morales will interview David N. Schwartz about his new book, The Last Man Who Knew Everything. Come learn about the fascinating life and incredible work of Enrico Fermi, [...]

POWER at the Intersection of Ethical Culture

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Kate Esposito Co-Chair, POWER Economic Dignity Team Ethical Culture has a long tradition of social justice activism. Founder Felix Adler was involved in establishing free kindergartens, settlement houses, and visiting nurses in New York City. In these urgent times, how can we leverage our power to have maximum impact on important issues like poverty, racial [...]

Is Civility Always Good?

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society In today’s tempestuous times, commentators bemoan the apparent loss of civility in social discourse. On TV, radio, and on-line, sometimes it seems that people are competing to be rude. Discussion of “hot button issues,” like politics, religion, and the #MeToo movement, often provoke mean-spirited shouting matches. Can we revive [...]

Introduction to Ethical Humanism

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

People new to Ethical Culture are encouraged to attend an Introduction to Ethical Humanism. Hugh Taft-Morales will explore ethical pride and shame, both within the Ethical Culture movement and our personal lives. How does commitment to honor the inherent worth of every person, a cornerstone of Ethical Culture, affect how we judge our own ethical [...]

The Value of Other Cultures

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Sponsored by the Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society and the Philadelphia Ethical Society and hosted by C.J. Fearnley and Hugh Taft-Morales. What is culture? What makes other cultures different from ours? What is the value of other cultures? Are they just quaint exotic peoples destined to fade away, eclipsed by the modern world? Or do they [...]

More than just business as usual: The psychological effects of the Zero Tolerance Policy on the children themselves and on us as witnesses

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Dana Sinopoli Psychologist When the Zero Tolerance Policy came out in May, the response was primarily focused on its policy aspects and what this said about the current administration. In this address, psychologist Dana Sinopoli will focus on the direct and long-lasting psychological effects of this policy on the children themselves and the intergenerational transmission [...]

What’s Wrong with Selfishness?

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society People scold children for being selfish, and yet children are constantly encouraged to excel, win, and “be #1”. Besides confusing our kids, what’s wrong with selfishness? For traditional religions selfishness is often caused by one of the deadly sins, like lust, greed, gluttony. From an Ethical Humanist perspective selfishness [...]

Book Discussion: More Civility

Philadelphia Ethical Society 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, United States

For those unable to attend September’s session, Hugh Taft-Morales will host another informal book discussion of Choosing Civility, by P. M. Forni. In these days of discord, is there still room for civility in social interactions? You can read his short book or, for more information, visit his Civility Web Site, hosted by Johns Hopkins [...]