Morality and Ethics

**[PLEASE REGISTER VIA : [https://www.tekna.no/en/events/women-at-the-forefront-of-ai-and-data-52382/enroll#/](https://www.tekna.no/en/events/women-at-the-forefront-of-ai-and-data-52382/enroll#/) ]** Join us to honor International Women's Day with [Women in Data Science-Oslo](https://www.widsoslo.com/), as we spotlight women leading the way in AI and data innovation through discussions on Responsible AI, federated learning, and ethical AI development. Looking for a reason to get excited about tech this spring? Join us in March for an evening hosted by [Tekna Big Data](https://www.tekna.no/fag-og-nettverk/IKT/big-data/) in collaboration with [Women in data science](https://www.widsoslo.com/) and [IEEE women in engineering](https://ieee.no/). Rather than just talking about the "future," we’re getting into the practical side of things, like how to build AI that’s actually ethical and how to share data securely through federated learning. We’ve invited three fantastic experts to share what they’re working on: * Tita Alissa Bach (DNV) * Heidi Dahl (Posten) * Rebecca Wiborg (Vipps) More details to come.

This will be our second (and possibly last) meeting on *Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic*, by Matthew Stewart. For this meeting, please try to read chapters 4 and 6. (You can skim chapter 5, which is particularly confusing). **Where did the ideas come from that became the cornerstone of American democracy?** America’s founders intended to liberate us not just from one king but from the ghostly tyranny of supernatural religion. Drawing deeply on the study of European philosophy, Matthew Stewart brilliantly tracks the ancient, pagan, and continental ideas from which America’s revolutionaries drew their inspiration. In the writings of Spinoza, Lucretius, and other great philosophers, Stewart recovers the true meanings of “Nature’s God,” “the pursuit of happiness,” and the radical political theory with which the American experiment in self-government began. [LINK](https://a.co/d/bkTWJNb) This book is not always an easy read. You may want to make use of AI tools such as ChatGPT. You can ask it questions like: "What does Matthew Stewart say about happiness in his book Nature's God?" OR: What does Matthew Stewart say about Spinoza? This may be our last meeting on this book. If you want to have a third meeting later, on the last two chapters, let me know. I hope to see you there! Fred

**Black Hill Regional Park → Paris Baguette (Germantown)** **Sunday \| March 22\, 2026 \| 10:00 AM** **Join us for a Sunday morning in nature, centered on meaningful conversation along the trail.** **We’ll meet at the Black Hill Regional Park Visitor Center parking lot around 10:00 AM and spend about 60–90 minutes on the scenic lake trails, surrounded by water, trees, and open sky. The morning setting offers space to be present, notice the landscape, and let conversation unfold naturally as we walk.** **After our time on the trails, we’ll continue on to Paris Baguette in Germantown Town Center for coffee or a pastry and keep the conversation going.** **This group is for gay men who enjoy being outdoors, care about how food is grown and gathered, appreciate thoughtful conversation, and value authentic friendships built at a natural pace. This is not a hookup space, a dating pool, a nightlife extension, or a professional networking circle. The aim is simply to share time outdoors, exchange ideas, and see what connections take root from there.** **What to bring:** * **Comfortable walking shoes** * **Water** * **Weather-appropriate layers** **Feel free to arrive a few minutes early so we can gather and get started together.**

The Northern Virginia Ethical Society will be hosting a Stream Clean-up at the home of Jim Ball and Amy Anderson in Falls Church, VA on March 22 at 11:00 AM. This residential area is rich with deer, foxes, hawks, blue birds, and eastern box turtles, and many native plants. Adults and children are welcome. Parents must accompany any child under the age of 12. Water proof footwear is a must. You will receive the address once you register. Lunch will be included. Register at our website [NoVES.org](https://noves.org/event-6613869) and you will be sent the address of the clean-up.

Come and join us for a leisurely brunch social at **Barrel & Bushel** in Tyson's Corner (7901 Tysons One Place, at the mall). [https://www.barrelandbushel.com](https://www.barrelandbushel.com) I hope to see you there! Fred

Right off of I-270, easily accessible. Join us for a fun and friendly pickup soccer game. Games will be held at Walter Johnson High School turf field every Saturday. Look for a red tote bag. When coming to the field. If the field is closed for the day. Backup location will be Stratton Local Park, a 5 min drive from the HS. We will group up and split into two teams to play. Preferably bring a light and dark shirt. To make organizing teams easier. No harsh language No harsh fouls Come to play for fun

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Hidden Cleopatra,”** an excavation through myth and slander to uncover the real Egyptian queen, with Jacquelyn Williamson, an Egyptologist and associate professor of archaeology and ancient art at George Mason University. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-hidden-cleopatra2](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-hidden-cleopatra2) .] Depictions of Cleopatra are abundant in popular culture. A long list of painters have depicted her, Marilyn Monroe and Kim Kardashian have posed as her, and Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor famously portrayed her in Hollywood films. At the end of the day, however, what most of us think we know about Cleopatra is wrong, the product of the ancient Rome’s “fake news” and anti-Egypt propaganda. Learn about the real Cleopatra—and how our understanding of her came to be so distorted—with Professor Jacquelyn Williamson, scholar of women and power in ancient Egypt, teacher of courses on ancient Egyptian art and archaeology, and author of *Nefertiti’s Sun Temple: A New Cult Complex at Tell el-Amarna.* Dr. Williamson will walk us through how the first Roman emperor, Octavian, created the distorted image of Cleopatra as seductress that we know today as part of his political scheming to defeat his rival Antony and end the Roman Republic once and for all. Cleopatra has been the subject of debate and controversy ever since. William Shakespeare later relied on ancient Roman sources such as Horace and Plutarch in writing *Antony and Cleopatra*, and his play helped give rise to countless other works offering a distorted picture of her. Professor Williamson argues that “Cleopatra was a human being, like you and I,” and “deserves the dignity of being represented as accurately as possible.” Her efforts to set the record straight have met frustration, however—after being extensively interviewed for the recent Netflix historical docuseries Queen Cleopatra, she concluded that it, too, had missed the mark. You’ll gain a much deeper appreciation of the challenges of researching and accurately depicting the ancient past from Dr. Williamson, who also has taught at Harvard, Brandeis, and the University of California at Berkeley and is involved with an ongoing archaeological investigation of Queen Nefertiti’s sun temple. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Layla Taj portrays Cleopatra VII as part of an Egyptian Cultural Performing Arts Society production. (Photo by Amos Gvili / Wikimedia Commons.)

Whether you practice divination, ritual work or more craft related activities… this series of classes taught on two Sundays of each month will help you explore various aspects related to sharing your gifts in the physical and virtual marketplace. This week, we'll briefly review our previous class homework on Developing & Delivering Content, then we’ll jump into this week’s class on Legal and Ethical Considerations through... * Understanding local business regulations and taxes * Setting clear disclaimers for spiritual services * Maintaining client confidentiality and energetic boundaries * Practicing ethical magick and responsible influence Newcomers are encouraged to attend, and individual virtual classes are available for those who may have missed a class along the way by contacting Papa Bones Moon. Cost: $25 / Please check-in & pay once you arrive at Sticks & Stones.