Philosophers, educators and community leaders will discuss the effects of consumerism on nature, developing countries, local communities and individual well-being at the 24th annual Bertram Morris Colloquium.
"The Ethics and Politics of Consumerism" will be held on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus the week of March 13-18.
The colloquium will open with presentations of the acclaimed PBS videos, "Affluenza" and "Escape from Affluenza," highlighting the costs of America聮s consumer-oriented society and offering approaches to living better with less stuff, less stress and less debt.
"Affluenza" will be shown Monday, March 13, at 7 p.m. in the Hellems Arts and Sciences Building, room 252. "Escape from Affluenza" will be shown March 14 at 7 p.m. in the Humanities Building, room 250.
Highlighting the week, Jerome Segal will deliver the keynote address, "Graceful Simplicity: A Social and Personal Orientation for the 21st Century," on March 15 at 7 p.m. in Old Main Chapel.
Segal is a research scholar at the University of Maryland Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy. He also is the author of "Agenda and Alienation: A Theory of Human Presence" and "Graceful Simplicity: Toward a Philosophy and Politics of Simple Living," and co-author of the forthcoming "Negotiating Jerusalem."
The colloquium will continue through the end of the week with presentations and a community forum. The schedule is as follows:
o "Globalization, Consumption and Human Development: The Cases of Costa Rica and Honduras," David Crocker, March 16, at 3:10 p.m., University Memorial Center, room 235. Crocker is a research scholar at the University of Maryland
Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, president of the International Development Ethics Association, and co-editor of "Ethics of Consumption: The Good Life, Justice and Global Stewardship."
o "Changing the Mental Model of Consumption," Patricia Werhane,
March 14, 3:10 p.m., UMC Forum Room. Werhane is a professor of business ethics at the University of Virginia, editor-in-chief of "Business Ethics Quarterly," and co-editor of "The Business of Consumption: Environmental Ethics and the Global Economy."
o Eric Brown, communications director of the Center for a New American Dream, will give the opening address for Saturday's community forum, "Consumerism vs. Quality of Life? Global, Local and Personal Dimensions," 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Hale Science Building, room 270. Three panel discussions will follow:
o "The North's Consumption, the Global Environment and the Developing World," 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
o "A Debate on Boulder's Proposed Community Vitality Act," moderated by Boulder Mayor Will Toor, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Community Vitality Act would restrict further development of "formula businesses" in downtown Boulder.
o "What Can I Do? Responsible Consumption and Simple Living," 2:45 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The colloquium is named for Bertram Morris (1908-1981), a professor in the CU-Boulder philosophy department from 1947 to 1977. Morris is remembered for his scholarly work and his committed involvement in social issues and community affairs.
This year's colloquium is sponsored by the Morris Fund, the department of philosophy, the Center for Values and Social Policy, the CU Environmental Center and the United Government of Graduate Students. All events are free and open to the public.
For more information on the event call the philosophy department at (303) 492-6132 or visit their Web site at .