Blue Hill Public Library will hold a discussion group twice a month on Thursdays at 10:30 AM, from January 16 through June 18, 2020. The series will be hosted by Bates College Professor Emeritus Denis Sweet, on the topic, “Enlivenment, Entanglement, Sympoiesis: New Thinking in the Anthropocene.”
The Anthropocene is defined as “that moment in Earth’s history when humans have assumed dominion over every aspect of the biosphere–who/what lives and who/what dies on planet earth–not dissimilar to totalitarianism. The old earth is no longer. This is the moment in which we, as a species, and as individual beings of conscience, are ineluctably entangled.”
It is also considered a moment of great creative energy and revitalization. Scholars say a fundamental revaluation of values is taking place in science, the social sciences, philosophy, and literature and film – a rethinking of the real needs of humans, of what gives us life and vitality (what the German philosopher Andreas Weber calls ‘enlivenment’), of the interdependent and entangled organizations of life forms, of mutual workings together of species (sympoiesis).
This group will explore emerging paradigm shifts through seminar-style discussion of books, and will also view about one film a month.
Denis Sweet taught German at Bates for three decades. He pioneered “Wake Up!”, an interdisciplinary, immersive experiential learning course combining meditation, yoga and wilderness together with philosophy, literature and film.
This program is free and open to everyone, but space is limited, so advance registration is required. Participants are asked to register using the library’s interactive calendar found at www.bhpl.net or by 374-5515.
