Events
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomFirst, please note that this time is different than our usual second Wednesday of the month schedule. For this session, we will begin the book, The Case Against Reality: How Evolution Hid the Truth from our Eyes (2019) by Donald Hoffman. This book is available in paperback for less than $20 new and can be had…
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Dealing with Today’s Social Problems Using Systemic Tools Developed in the Medical Field (The Annual Rhoda Lewin Lecture)
Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419In the early-1950's diagnosing medical conditions was greatly assisted by organizing the human body into 7 levels. This led some educational Institutions to begin naming their biological departments as "Life Sciences". Within these new departments there emerged areas referred to as Bio-Chemistry, Bio-Physics, and Bio-Math, followed by Bio-Medicine, Bio-Engineering, Bio-Metrics, and more. As all this…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will discuss chapters five through seven from the book, The Case Against Reality: How Evolution Hid the Truth from our Eyes, by Donald Hoffman. Just to be safe, we will do this virtually.
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will be reading and discussing Pax Romana: War, Peace and Conquest in the Roman World (Adrian Goldsworthy) We are going back in time, to the 1st & 2nd centuries. We will be reading about the Roman Empire at its height, enjoying peace and prosperity. However, I think it safe to say it is not a…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will conclude our reading of The Case Against Reality: How Evolution Hid the Truth from our Eyes by Donald Hoffman. People have reacted very differently to the thesis that Hoffman presents in this book. Some think that he has opened an insight into reality that will revolutionize our study of physics and other areas of…
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Annual Picnic
Cherokee Park Picnic Shelter Chippewa and Winona Streets, St. Paul, MNThis is our annual summer picnic. MISF will provide the drinks, plasticware, and grills, and St. Paul Parks & Rec the electricity and more grills. You provide a dish to share and your best topics for good conversations.
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will continue reading and discussing Pax Romana: War, Peace and Conquest in the Roman World (Adrian Goldsworthy). For this session we will finishing the book. We are going back in time, to the 1st & 2nd centuries. We will be reading about the Roman Empire at its height, enjoying peace and prosperity. However, I think it…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe are going to start reading a new book: Corruptible (2021) by Brian Klass. This book is about power and why those who abuse it so often have it. Does power really corrupt? Or is it that corrupt people seek power? Or is it because of badly designed systems? Whatever the conclusions are, this is the book that…
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Edward S. Curtis “The North American Indian” Photograph Exhibit
Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419The nationally known Edward S. Curtis documented 80 Native American tribes in the Western United States back in the 1890's through 1920's, through photographs, recording their music, myths and religion, history, language, and life-styles. He grew up in Le Sueur County, Elysian and Cordova Townships. Because of his father's illness, Edward moved with his family…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will complete our discussion of the book Corruptible by Brian Klass. Note that this group will be meeting on the third Wednesday of the month rather than our usual second Wednesday. If this is not convenient for you, there's a possibility that it could be changed if offered enough Benjamins.
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Ranked Choice Voting: A Top Reform to Strengthen our Democracy
Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419Join the Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum to learn all about Ranked Choice Voting, a top reform to strengthen our democracy. Jeanne Massey, Executive Director of FairVote Minnesota and a national expert on ranked choice voting will discuss the increasing divisions and extremism in our politics, the corrosive effect it is having on our democracy and…
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will be discussing The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR'S Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience (2010) by Kirstin Downey I am quite excited about this book. I have to admit I have read the first chapter and am ready for more. A history book about a person few people have heard…
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Fall Social
Nokomis Square Cooperative, 5015 35th Avenue South, MinneapolisWhat: Get to know the Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum and what its members are up to at an informal late lunch/early supper get-together. MISF will provide the drinks and utensils, you bring a dish to share and lots of curiosity. (Masks are recommended for those who are unvaccinated or at high-risk for COVID-19. Those who have…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will be beginning a new book, Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life (2019) by Edith Hall. For the 15th we'll read through chapter 2. While we don't usually like telling people how to live their lives, we figured that it's about time to get a little more aggressive in what this group can accomplish.…
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The Electrification of the Mississippi River Gorge: How the University of Minnesota Lost its Bid for a Renewable Resource in the High Dam
Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419Founded in 1928, the University of Minnesota Archives is the official repository of the institution and a rich source of local, national, and international history that intersects with the people and programs of the university. In this presentation, Erik Moore will highlight a piece of institutional history that connects Federal projects, renewable energy, corporate interests,…
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The Heirs of Muhammad…the Sunni-Shia Split – Session I
via ZoomContinuing our journey through the ages and across the lands, our next stop is the Prophet Muhammad, and what happened after his death. Accordingly, we will be reading and discussing The Heirs of Muhammad: Islam's First Century and the Origins of the Sunni-Shia Split, by Barnaby Rogerson. For this first session we will be reading…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will discuss chapters 3 – 6 of Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life by Edith Hall. Please note that while Aristotle's philosophy has helped many people, neither the MISF Philosophy Study Group nor the Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum guarantees that any positive change will occur from attending these meetings. Furthermore, we absolutely…
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will continue discussing The Heirs of Muhammad: Islam's First Century and the Origins of the Sunni-Shia Split (Barnaby Rogerson), our current stop being the Prophet Muhammad, and what happened after his death. This book looks at the Sunni and Shia schism in relation to actions of the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law Ali and his wife Aisha. We are…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will conclude our discussion of Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life by Edith Hall. After having read this book, it won't matter if you've been adhering to the Ten Commandments, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Five Pillars, or the Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues, or have just been working to improve…
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Peanuts, Popcorn, and Preemies: Wonderland Park and the Infantorium
Shoreview Library 4560 Victoria St N, Shoreview, MNIt was 1905 and Americans were in love with electricity. More than 400 trolley car parks sprang up around the country. But only a handful had an Infantorium, a hospital (of sorts) that treated premature babies. For the price of admission, guests could watch performers like Daredevil Dash and Nervo the Human Comet. There were…
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History Study Group
via ZoomLiberty and Power: The Politics of Jacksonian America by Harry Watson What better way to head into 2024, an important election year, than to visit 1816 America? That is what we thought...Focusing on Jackson, this book covers the rise of strong political parties and an increased popular involvement in national politics. What could more entertain…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomOn Valentine's Day we will be starting a new book, Thought: A Very Short Introduction (2013) by Tim Bayne, a part of the Very Short Introduction series from Oxford University Press. This book costs about $13 in paperback and $7 as an ebook. We will read the first three chapters for our next meeting. And a…
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The Indigenous Oral History Manual: Canada and the United States (2023)
Shoreview Library 4560 Victoria St N, Shoreview, MNFor the past several years, I worked on the Indigenous Oral History Manual: Canada and the United States, with authors Winona Wheeler, Charles E. Trimble (posthumous), and Mary Kay Quinlan. The book focuses on the role of Indigenous voices in Indigenous history. As Māori oral historian Nepia Mahuika wrote in 2019, “I argue that indigenous…
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will continue discussing the book, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, by Charles Mann, by reading Parts Two and Three. Previously we spent time examining the worldwide boom in New World tobacco sales, the global spread of malaria into subtropical and even temperate areas, and the huge expansion of slavery, particularly the African…
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History Study Group
via ZoomPerilous Question: Reform or Revolution? Britain on the Brink, 1832 by Antonia Fraser Join us for "a narrative which at times reads like a political thriller." The characters: Whig Lord Grey, the conservative Duke of Wellington, revolutionaries William Cobbett and Francis Place, in addition to regular people. The setting: 1830s (title might have given that away).…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will finish discussing the book Thought: A Very Short Introduction by Tim Bayne. A short introductory book on a broad topic can lead to some interesting disagreements with what the author covers and how he goes about it. Added to this is the fact that, at this point, we know very little about thought or…
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Minnesota’s Carnegie Libraries After 100 Years.
Shoreview Library 4560 Victoria St N, Shoreview, MNIn the early 1900s, Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of over 1600 libraries in this country, 66 of which were in Minnesota. The first half of the talk will describe the Carnegie library program and its impact on Minnesota; the second half will assess the extent to which the libraries have survived after more than…
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History Study Group
via ZoomThe Wager:
A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David GrannReady for an extreme version of "he said" "HE said"! The British ship Wager left England in 1740 on a secret mission but did not accomplish its goal. Instead multiple groups of shipwreck survivors turn up in 1742 with differing stories of their experiences, leading to accusations of treachery and murder.
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Pot Luck!
Nokomis Square Cooperative, 5015 35th Avenue South, MinneapolisMembers & Friends You’re Invited!! Early last November MISF held a social event (no program) for conversation and community building –getting better acquainted outside our regular meetings. It was quite a success, so we’re DOING IT AGAIN ! For those who came last time, it’s at the same place. Please enter from the 36th Ave…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomNote that this is the third Wednesday of the month, not the second Wednesday, our usual meeting day. We are starting a new book, An Aristotelian Account of Induction: Creating Something from Nothing by Louis Groarke, part of the McGill-Queen's Studies in the History of Ideas.
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Futures Study Group
via ZoomThe Future of plant based and cultured meat Homework: 1) visit local grocery chains such as Cub and Lunds/Byerlys and look in the freezer and dairy areas for alt meat (plant based meals, milk and frozen desserts. 2 Internet search for vegan/vegetarian restaurants in the TCMA and for other restaurants that offer vegan or vegetarian…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomFor this meeting we will discuss the topic of “Power and Discourse” by reading three short and very accessible articles which can be found online. Powercube https://www.powercube.net/analyse-power/ Okay, this is not really an article, but it serves the purpose of a good introduction to non-coercive power. Go down to the bottom of…
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Building Community Food Webs
Shoreview Library 4560 Victoria St N, Shoreview, MNKen Meter’s book Building Community Food Webs (Island Press, 2021) harvests insights from several decades of work in communities across the US who are grappling with how to create healthier, more localized food systems.
The book begins with an overview showing how the US food system has extracted wealth from rural and urban areas, and then goes on to highlight 8 community efforts in Montana, Hawai’i, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Colorado, and Minnesota that have mounted robust community foods initiatives, showing what elements have contributed to each success. Ken's research and writing have been carried out independently, with no institutional support.
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History Study Group
via ZoomJean McConville, a thirty-eight-year-old mother of ten, was dragged from her Belfast home in December of 1972, never to be seen alive again. A climate of fear and paranoia meant no one would speak of it, even though everyone knew who did it.
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History Study Group
Curran's Restaurant, 42nd and Nicollet in MinneapolisOur new book is The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings (2014) by Lars Brownworth. This book can be purchased in paperback for around $14, but an ebook is only $5. For the 21st we will read through the first part, “The Raiders.” Since this may be confusing for some readers, we want to make it clear…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will continue our discussion of the book, An Aristotelian Account of Induction: Creating Something from Nothing by Louis Groarke, by reading chapter 3. In this chapter, the author, having finished his survey and critique of concepts of induction falling between Aristotle and contemporary philosophy, starts to dig deeper into what Aristotle regarded as inductive reasoning. We are hoping that reading this will induce you to reason seriously about coming to our meeting so that we can induct you into our membership. Deductively, it's a no-brainer.
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Poetry Day
Joseph A. Amato will read poems about place (Detroit, Southwest Minnesota, and Sicily), family, memory, aging, death, and hope and gratitude. They will be drawn from some of his published books, Buoyancies: The Ballast Master’s Log, My Three Sicilies Poems, Stories, and Essays and Trinity of Hope, plus poems published in Sicilian and Italian-American and other publications An Open Mic will follow the program.
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will be reading and discussing If a Pirate I Must Be: The True Story of Black Bart, "King of the Caribbean Pirates" by Richard Sellers
How much did the pirate pay for his peg and hook? An arm and a leg!
Bartholomew Roberts, aka Black Bart, a great Caribbean pirate. Drinking tea instead of rum, banning women and gambling, he never made his prisoners walk the plank. Evidently there are many more interesting facts to discover, so say the reviews!
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomThe MISF Philosophy Study Group plans to have its next meeting on Wednesday, June 12, at 7:00 pm via Zoom. We will be continuing our discussion of the book An Aristotelian Account of Induction: Creating Something from Nothing by Louis Groarke, by reading chapters 4 and 5. Who thought induction could be so complicated? And so much…
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Can understanding of urban ecosystems improve our odds?
Shoreview Library 4560 Victoria St N, Shoreview, MNFollowing many centuries of mostly agrarian lives, more than half of the people on our planet now live in cities. Early industrial cities were a mess, choked with smog, filthy water, large epidemics, to the point that lifespans around 1900 were shorter for folks living in cities than the countryside.
This talk examines the progress we’ve made, and some ideas for future progress, illustrated in part by Larry Baker's own research. We’ll continue this vein with a structured discussion to dive deeper on the topic of “improving our odds” for the livability of cities in the future