A deep awareness of the connectivity between all living things and their natural environments continues to frame core ethical factors essential for understanding the growing tension between innovative progress and nature’s carrying capacity in a contemporary technological culture. The 21st century has witnessed global pandemics, massive climate changes, genetic engineering, and much more. Ethics is derived from the word “ethos” and defines a way of living. By drawing connections between historical normative theories and relevant contemporary issues, Dr. Maria Sanders offers a pragmatic approach for addressing current global challenges through the generative power of nature.

Register for this free webinar through Zoom.

This webinar is part of the year-long Exploring Connections to and Stewardship of the Natural World talks. This series is supported by a grant through the NH Humanities Council and aims to provide a public and personal space for the examination of environmental ethics, fostering a deeper understanding of, appreciation for, and care of, our natural world. Programs are free to the public, and streamed via Zoom, YouTube, and Facebook Live.

For more information and to see the entire slate of talks, visit our series webpage.

Speaker Bio:

Maria Sanders, a Philosophy professor at Plymouth State University and licensed attorney, has dedicated three decades to researching scientific variables for living full and flourishing lives, including the development of resilience and the exploration of how spaces become meaningful places. During the Fall of 2019, Dr. Sanders traveled for five months to all fifty states in the United States filming interviews that documented people’s experiences with place. As a public philosopher, she has written blogs, curated art exhibitions, hosted radio and television shows, and taught philosophy at the college level for over 30 years. Dr. Sanders’ philosophy holds that intentionally selecting, creating, and protecting the physical environments within which we feel a natural affinity is essential for living a full and flourishing life. The places where we live, work, and spend our leisure must be a good fit for our health and well-being if we are to thrive in our existence. Just as the farmer cares about the soil, water, and air around their crops in order to maximize excellent growth of those crops; caring about our natural environments provides an essential place for our physical, mental, and spiritual growth and well-being.