Ted Talks on Tuesdays

February 7-28, 2017

Each Tuesday we will open a discussion about a specific thought-provoking Ted Talk on the Sisters of St. Francis Facebook page. We will release the schedule ahead of time so that you can watch the Ted Talk when it is convenient for you. Then we invite you to visit our Facebook page to engage in a discussion about the Ted Talk.

TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. The presentations are always thought-provoking and help to provide a deeper understanding of the world. We look forward to our discussions with you!

Our February schedule is as follows:

February 7 – Daniel Reisel : The Neuroscience of Restorative Justice Daniel Reisel studies the brains of criminal psychopaths (and mice). And he asks a big question: Instead of warehousing these criminals, shouldn’t we be using what we know about the brain to help them rehabilitate? Put another way: If the brain can grow new neural pathways after an injury … could we help the brain re-grow morality? http://bit.ly/1dbslNo
February 14 – Bryan Stevenson: We Need To Talk About an Injustice In an engaging and personal talk – with cameo appearances from his grandmother and Rosa Parks – human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America’s justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country’s black male population has been incarcerated at some point in their lives. These issues, which are wrapped up in America’s unexamined history, are rarely talked about with this level of candor, insight and persuasiveness. http://bit.ly/1JE6J8l
February 21 – Damon Horowitz: Philosophy in prison Damon Horowitz teaches philosophy through the Prison University Project, bringing college-level classes to inmates of San Quentin State Prison. In this powerful short talk, he tells the story of an encounter with right and wrong that quickly gets personal. http://bit.ly/1mHg4Tb
February 28 – Alice Goffman: How we’re priming some kids for college – and others for prison In the United States, two institutions guide teenagers on the journey to adulthood: college and prison. Sociologist Alice Goffman spent six years in a troubled Philadelphia neighborhood and saw first-hand how teenagers of African-American and Latino backgrounds are funneled down the path to prison — sometimes starting with relatively minor infractions. In an impassioned talk she asks, “Why are we offering only handcuffs and jail time?” http://bit.ly/1JIHIf7