Ethics Center book clubs discuss well-being, war and money, climate justice

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University's Center for the Study of Ethics in Society is hosting a series of lively online discussions on timely topics during spring 2022 semester book clubs. Discussions on the first of three books begin Tuesday, Jan. 25, and continue through early April on Webex.

 The first 10 people who sign up for each book club will receive a free copy of the book.  Fill out this form to register. Upon registration, participants will receive details about the meetings and instructions for joining the discussions. View the flyer.

• Philosophy graduate student Henry Curcio will lead discussions of "Well-Being as Value Fulfillment: How We Can Help Each Other to Live Well" by Valerie Tiberius. The author argues in the first half of the book that well-being consists in fulfilling or realizing our appropriate values over time. In the second half of the book, she applies this theory to the problem of how to help others, particularly our friends. Ethical questions include: What is human well-being? What is happiness? What does it mean to live a good and happy life? What things are included in a good life? How do we go about finding value in life? What role do our loved ones, especially friends, play in our well-being? In what way does their well-being force us to sacrifice our own and vice versa? Meetings are at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, 8 and 15.

• Dr. William Santiago-Valles, associate professor emeritus of Africana studies, will lead discussions of "Wars and Capital" by Eric Alliez and Maurizio Lazzarato. This book is about how war, money, and the violence monopoly of the state are the ontological elements constituting capitalism. The economy does not replace war, but continues war through the State's regulation of currency, economic sanctions and war making (by various means) at home and abroad. Topics to be discussed include the state, war machine and money; appropriation of the war machine; permanent civil war; new colonial wars; total wars; Cold War strategy games, and the fractal wars of capital. Meetings are at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays March 2, 16, 23 and 30.

• Dr. Ronald C. Kramer, professor of sociology, will lead discussions of his book "Carbon Criminals, Climate Crimes." Focusing on the intersection between business and government, this book describes and explains what corporations, the U.S. government, and the international political community did, or failed to do, in relation to global warming and climate disruption. Using the concept of “climate crimes,” this book raises a number of ethical questions, including: Do corporations have an ethical responsibility beyond accumulating capital and enhancing shareholder value? Do state officials and government agencies have an ethical responsibility to identify public environmental harms and take actions to mitigate those harms? What is the difference among criminal justice, social justice, environmental justice, and climate justice? Meetings are at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays March 21 and 28 and April 4.

Students are able to earn WMU Signature credit for any book club for which they attended all scheduled meetings. Learn more about the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society and its book clubs.

About the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society

In August 1985, the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society was created after WMU faculty across the curriculum met to discuss their common interests in studying and teaching ethics. Each academic year, the center sponsors a number of public presentations addressing a wide range of ethical issues.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.