What we’re about
The Philadelphia Ethical Society is a community of individuals dedicated to nurturing more meaningful and engaged lives. We meet each Sunday at 11:00AM to seek wisdom, nurture compassion, and stoke humanist inspiration. We believe that deed is more important than creed, and we work as individuals and together to allow all people to be safe, educated and empowered. Our shared values include respecting the worth of every person, building ethical relationships, and establishing social justice. We are non-theist, embracing neither atheism nor theism, choosing instead to focus on “the hear and now” through cooperative naturalistic solutions to local and global challenges.
Here at our community home you’ll find thoughtful classes, humanist celebrations, and opportunities to join others working for social justice while having fun! In Philadelphia, since 1885, the Ethical Humanist Society has served as a meeting place for many progressive groups, including currently Pennsylvanians for an Alternative to the Death Penalty and Amnesty International. We are part of the American Ethical Union and are affiliated though this federation with the Secular Coalition for America. Visit us at 1906 Rittenhouse Square or on-line at phillyethics.org or contact Leader Hugh Taft-Morales at LeaderHugh@phillyethics.org.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Sunday Platform: The Ongoing Fight for Transit FundingPhiladelphia Ethical Society, Philadelphia, PA
Featured speaker: Stephen Bronskill
Coalition Manager, Transit Forward PhiladelphiaEarlier this year, Transit Forward Philly launched a campaign to stop devastating cuts to SEPTA and the Philly region. After state lawmakers failed to meet an August 14th deadline for funding and SEPTA implemented a 20% cut to its service, we redoubled our efforts to bring back our trolleys, trains, and buses.
By flexing its capital funding for operating expenses, SEPTA has announced that it will restore full service on September 14th and will be able to operate service for the next two years. While this crisis was not resolved with the permanent, sustainable funding that SEPTA and transit systems across PA need, the voices of transit riders and Philadelphians made a difference.
We will discuss ways to prevent future service cuts to SEPTA and advocacy efforts for the transit service that Philly deserves.
- Beyond Stoicism: Bringing Ancient Insights to Modern LifePhiladelphia Ethical Society, Philadelphia, PA
Join Philadelphia Stoa at the Philadelphia Ethical Society for a session with Dr. Amjol Shrestha of Rowan University as we explore how ancient philosophies can guide us in navigating today’s world. This session continues our study of Beyond Stoicism: A Guide to the Good Life with Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans, and Other Ancient Philosophers by Massimo Pigliucci, Gregory Lopez, and Meredith Alexander Kunz. The book draws on the wisdom of thirteen philosophers from Ancient Greece and Rome, blending insights from their lives with practical teachings and exercises for creating a more meaningful life.
This month we will continue “The Port of Doubt” with Protagoras. Chapter 8 is called, “Practice Relativism with Protagoras”. Protagoras was born in Abdera, in Thrace around 490 BCE. The details of his early life are a mystery, but a few stories offer clues. We know students sought after his ‘Sophistry’ Education because learning good arguments could advance their careers in politics. Plato, on the other hand, disliked Sophists while not totally rejecting Protagoras himself. According to Plato, the Sophists were not doing real philosophy. For a high fee, Sophists taught rhetorical skills aimed at personal advantage—what we nowadays in fact call sophistry (or, with a bit of a more positive spin, lawyering). In this session, we will focus on Protagoras’ three main concerns: 1) the study of the meaning of words (meaning right speech); 2) the notion that man is the measure of all things; and 3) agnosticism about the gods and general skepticism of religion.
In general, Stoa's meetings will be divided into two parts. The first part we will briefly review their theoretical arguments of the thinkers. The next part will involve group work. Our authors have provided various sets of exercises to practice.
One copy of the book will be provided to be purchased. You can also purchase the book via Amazon. Also Please see the video of our Authors discussing their new book with Professor Gregory Sadler.
