The semester has begun and with it the undergraduate ethics seminar that we co-host with MIT Philosophy. We are incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Abby Everett Jaques teaching the class this semester. Dr. Jaques received her PhD in Philosophy from MIT and is now teaching for the department. Her area of interest and research is the ethics of AI--certainly a timely and provocative issue.
Looking Forward and Reflecting Back
Posted by:
Patricia-Maria Weinmann
Monday, November 26, 2018
As we return to campus following the Thanksgiving break, we here at Radius are grateful to have been able to catch our collective breath before heading into the last of the semester. As we enjoyed a few days to reflect and express gratitude for all we have and for the people in our lives, that circle includes the amazing array or speakers we've hosted this semester. In particular, the speakers for our series on the 2018 Elections provided invaluable insights into the election.
Stacking Up
Posted by:
Thea Keith-Lucas
Monday, April 30, 2018
If we’re not careful, we could end up with a lot of fancy Pringles stackers and no one who wants to buy Pringles.
MIT Day of Action!
Posted by:
Patricia-Maria Weinmann
Sunday, April 15, 2018
A year ago, a group of MIT students, faculty and staff joined together to create a day of learning focused on critical issues of our times. The day provided a full calendar of lectures, panels and information sessions on topics ranging from nuclear disarmament, sustainabiilty, foreign, national and economic policy, climate change, social justice issues, activism and many more. The day was an incredible success with over 1500 people participating throughout the day and evening.
The Monsters We Create
Posted by:
Patricia-Maria Weinmann
Saturday, February 24, 2018
One of the gems of our community is the MIT Press which publishes 220 books yearly, primarily focusing on science, technology and invention. It’s a special moment, however, when one book becomes a bit of a sensation.
Looking Forward
Posted by:
Patricia-Maria Weinmann
Thursday, January 4, 2018
Although 2018 has begun, early January remains a time for us here at Radius to reflect on the past semester and do some "catch-up"--on administrative work, reading, and assessment of what worked well during the Fall semester and what we can improve and/or adjust. January is also the time for intense planning for the semester. This current blizzard, though, is giving us an additional day of quiet: just the kind of day to catch up on podcasts.
The Power of Storytelling
Posted by:
Patricia-Maria Weinmann
Monday, October 23, 2017
My lunch hour today was unlike any I’ve ever had at MIT. I attended the first—of what I hope will be many—storytelling events as part of the Women’s League new initiative, MITell, lead by Staff Associate, Kirsty Bennett. MITell invites all members of the MIT community to come together and share stories. A group of approximately 25 community members of all ages gathered to listen and and to tell stories.
Hack Your Mind: How Does Mindfulness Meditation Change the Mind and Brain
Posted by:
Ryan Higgins and Patricia-Maria Weinmann
Monday, October 2, 2017
In the fall of 2014, a group of us met and brainstormed about ways to bring the benefits of mindfulness more broadly to the MIT community. MIT Medical offers programs throughout the year and other “islands” of practitioners offer quiet moments for those who seek to create more calm in their lives.
The Magic of Words
Posted by:
Patricia-Maria Weinmann
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
It's only Wednesday and the week has already been a rich and busy one with the importance of words taking center stage—the power of words, the magic of words, the need to use just the right words. Our undergraduate seminar, Language, Information and Power, continues to be filled with fascinating and thoughtful reading and conversation. Last evening, we grappled with the difference between intentionally or non-intentionally using words to harm others. If one has good intentions, but the outcome is negative, are we culpable nonetheless?
Are we ready?
Posted by:
Thea Keith-Lucas
Thursday, September 7, 2017
I remember it so clearly: I was sitting outside during my first weekend of college, a book open in my lap. It was my first assignment, from my first religion course. Problems of Religious Thought sounded like it would be fun, based on what I knew from my high-school World Religions course. And then I tried to read Søren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling. After I puzzled my way through perhaps ten of the 200 pages we were assigned, I looked up and thought: Oh no. I’m not ready for this.
As each of us assembled a new text to read out of these fragments, the different voices blended and contrasted in fascinating ways. The voices of the past sounded like a fresh word for today.