“When you make a choice you will automatically consult a set of values as well as a whole list of predetermined right and wrong behaviors,” explains professor Kris Hansen. “Your attitude gives a suggestion to guide your decision. If you have a different attitude your decision will be swayed in a different direction.”
From ancient Greece and classical Roman philosophers to contemporary American skeptical ethics, Hansen will encourage conversation about how our attitudes often follow a pattern that is rooted in local knowledge, religion and political institutions.
“Ethics is not just something we think about, it is something we act out,” shares Hansen who promises to touch on words by Socrates, Saint Augustine, Rene Descartes, John Stuart Mill and H. Putnam.
“Kris Hansen skillfully weaves classic and modern ethics to explore the attitudes that drive modern decision making,” says Dr. Kim Bateman, Executive Dean of Sierra College, Tahoe-Truckee. “Hansen’s insightful and engaging presentation style appeals to diverse ages and will undoubtedly be one of this season’s most popular Sierra College Insights sessions.”
Hansen is a professor of Philosophy, Humanities and English at Sierra College Tahoe-Truckee. He has been teaching Ethics for 13 years and regularly offers the course at Sierra College. He holds a master’s degree from the Literature and the Environment program at University of Nevada, Reno, and is the former executive director of Nevada EcoNet. Hansen lives in Truckee with his wife and two children and contributes locally in the social discourses of education, sustainability, and local governance.
Sierra College Insights is offered at no cost on the Tahoe-Truckee campus (11001 College Trail Road in Truckee). Starbucks offers complimentary refreshments from 6:30 to 7 p.m. and each session is presented from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Reservations are highly recommended.