The Ethical Society of Boston is continuing its study of ethics that started with the summer session, 2012. A planning committee of seven has set up a format and guidelines to continue and deepen our investigation of ethics and our culture. Our goal is to investigate different institutions and systems in our country and determine how they support, counteract, or are neutral in their support of a set of ethical values we have identified for individuals and for our society/country. Continue reading →
It is sometimes said that science and ethics are two separate and unrelated fields. Science is about what is; ethics is about what ought to be. Science is about what’s true; ethics is about what’s good. But I think that science and ethics are interrelated. The Ethical Society has given its Humanist of the Year award to some scientific researchers who made ethics their priority. Continue reading →
This past June I attended the annual Assembly of our parent organization, the (AEU), held this year in Albany, NY. As usual, it was four very intense days of workshops, meetings, speeches, and networking. This year, it had a double focus: building and strengthening Ethical Culture and advocating for prison reform. This is a report on the major actions taken there and some items that we might find useful here in Boston. Continue reading →
Today, the American Dream seems to be vanishing for so many; articles and books decry economic disparity in America. However, many baby boomers benefited from the American Dream that was codified into federal legislation after World War II, with education and home ownership opportunities made accessible to so many veterans (our parents). Thinking about what these veterans and their spouses sought for their children’s future and how their children then internalized the message for their own children may provide insight into what happened to today’s pursuit of the American Dream, and why it seems so remote for so many. Continue reading →
Everyone loves growth. Our favorable attitude toward growth is built into us from our earliest days., when we are surrounded by people bigger than us who can do things we can’t because we are too small. In the Ethical Society’s mission statement we declare that personal growth is one of our purposes. (Of course, what we mean by “growth” is “becoming more ethical” rather than adding inches or pounds.) Continue reading →
Professor Barry Bluestone (Northeastern University) former ESB Humanist of the Year, now has aBoston.com blog at www.boston.com/business/blog/economy_equity. This vehicle provides food for thought about the economy and public policy — particularly about Greater Boston and Massachusetts, but often about the nation and the world. There will be plenty of numbers and statistics, but within those numbers, there are big stories that you may find surprising and thought-provoking. As an economist, Bluestone works with numbers and statistics all the time. These can be pretty tiresome until you see the story within. He would appreciate hearing back from folks about your interpretations.
Professor Gregory Fried (Suffolk University) is a movie producer. The film in question is beingdirected by Derek Burrows and is entitled “” . It’s a project both important and timely. Derek and Greg have been working for twelve years on a project called , an online exhibition of photography and an examination of the meaning of race, both in history and today. “Reflections on Race” is an outgrowth of that project. Derek Burrows (http://derekburrows.com/) has been working throughout his career as a musician and performer to use storytelling to bridge the divisions in society and to nurture understanding. This film is an exploration of what race means, both in Derek’s own life, and in the life of society in general — and how to imagine ways past differences. The Mirror of Race Project, Inc. (its formal name) is a non-profit organization, officially recognized by the federal government as a 501(c)(3)entity. Please go here to see the project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1772524191/reflections-on-race-a-personal-documentary.
In its “One City, One Story”, the Boston Book Festival (BBF) again identifies a featured short story to be read and discussed throughout the city. Anna Solomon’s “The Lobster Mafia Story” will be distributed throughout the Boston area for FREE so that residents of the city can focus attention on one piece of literature to read and share. Continue reading →
