2018 John M. Rezendes Visiting Scholar in Ethics
Living a Full, Ethical and Sustainable Life in the 21st Century:
Lessons from Psychology, Ethics and Human-Centered Design
The 2018 John M. Rezendes Visiting Scholar in Ethics is Professor Mick Smyer. Smyer, a national expert on aging, is a professor of psychology and the former provost at Bucknell University. He also is a senior fellow in social innovation at Babson College. Smyer will be here on April 4th for a busy afternoon of events.
2pm: Workshop on Aging and Climate Change with Mick Smyer, location TBD
4: Reception, Nutting Hall, Room 100
4:30: Lecture, Nutting Hall, Room 100
Brief Abstract:
Consider these key ethical dilemmas that each of us face as we age in the 21st century:
- What are our ethical duties to successive generations?
- What is a “good life”? What is a sustainable life? And are they compatible?
- What is the “proportional responsibility” of different age groups for climate action? How is the action to be shared among such groups?
- Do older age groups have a larger responsibility to take action since they have benefited more from the actions that have produced climate change?
Drawing on work from psychology, ethics, and human-centered design, Professor Smyer will outline key psychological barriers to fully answering these questions and key strategies to move each of us from anxiety to action to habit in crafting a full, ethical and sustainable life across generations.
Co-sponsored by the McGillicuddy Humanities Center.