Meetings
Discussion-oriented meetings aim to 1-1.5 hours long, but you are welcome to stay longer if you find a topic especially interesting! Our discussions are meant to be occasions to both speak and listen, similar to many conference-style classes. We adhere to these guidelines to promote useful discourse:
- Our discussions are not debates - the goal is not (necessarily) to convince others that you are correct, or even to convince yourself that you are correct by the end.
- The goal of our discussions are, by their end, to have exposed each other to alternative viewpoints on important subjects and fostered each other's opportunity to critique.
- We promote a diversity of opinions.
- Always be respectful and treat each person as an individual; you should focus on the ideas relevant in the discussion and not on auxilliary factors (which often include aspects of the expressers of the ideas)
The Cultural Appropriation Threshold
Thursday, October 25th at 7:00pm in Eliot 110
The inspiration for this topic is the question "where are the limits of free speech?" Cultural appropriation has become a popular topic in many debates surrounding this question, but it often is debated in a very confrontational and counterproductive way. We start from a basis of valuing free expression, but of there are of course many complications that we plan to address.
The goal of this Thinkery discussion is to explore the boundary between, roughly, the 'acceptable cultural appreciation' and 'unacceptable cultural appropriation.' We will engage with this topic in an abstract manner, and use examples only to illustrate argumentative points and not to target any individuals.
All are welcome! Please come with an interest to engage with everyone's perspectives. We are not looking for consensus. Additionally, if you are critical of our club and would like to voice your concerns to us directly, please come as well (even if you don't plan to stay for the whole meeting). We are keen to consider criticisms of our methods and to do the best we can in fulfilling Thinkery's vision.
The goal of this Thinkery discussion is to explore the boundary between, roughly, the 'acceptable cultural appreciation' and 'unacceptable cultural appropriation.' We will engage with this topic in an abstract manner, and use examples only to illustrate argumentative points and not to target any individuals.
All are welcome! Please come with an interest to engage with everyone's perspectives. We are not looking for consensus. Additionally, if you are critical of our club and would like to voice your concerns to us directly, please come as well (even if you don't plan to stay for the whole meeting). We are keen to consider criticisms of our methods and to do the best we can in fulfilling Thinkery's vision.
"What is a Liberal Arts Education?" and context to The New Hum 110
Thursday, September 20th at 7:00pm in Eliot 110
We will delve into some analysis of why we are here at university and, specifically, at Reed. What are our goals for our education? Do we expect these goals to change, or for us even to be in agreement? What, if anything, can/should we agree upon? What aspects of Reed are supporting our goals and which are inhibiting? How have Reed's goals changed and how do both Reed's social and academic environments and content influence them?
We will also discuss the context to the new changes to the Hum 110 curriculum being presented this year. We are not taking a side on the issue of "should Hum 110 have changed?" specifically. Our goal in this meeting is to spread awareness of the situation leading up to these changes and to present points on:
We will also discuss the context to the new changes to the Hum 110 curriculum being presented this year. We are not taking a side on the issue of "should Hum 110 have changed?" specifically. Our goal in this meeting is to spread awareness of the situation leading up to these changes and to present points on:
- How was this change different from previous changes to the Hum 110 curriculum?
- What were the old Hum 110's strengths and weaknesses?
- What were the goals of changing Hum 110?
- Potential problems with the Hum 110 curriculum.