Two final events for this season of Learning Again in Almonte, so pertinent to the world we are living in, are sure to challenge and incite great conversation.
On Consciousness: Exploring the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind
Have you ever paused to wonder why you feel like you? You have a physical brain made of matter, yet you also possess a rich inner world of feelings, memories, and a unique sense of self. This intersection of mind and matter is known as the “Hard Problem of Consciousness”—the ultimate mystery that has defied explanation for millennia.
The search for answers is reaching a fever pitch. In the last 20 years, breakthroughs in quantum physics have accelerated our understanding of the universe and our place within it. These discoveries are fundamentally shifting what it means to be alive.
Join Jordan Smith, who will decode some of the mind-boggling research he has synthesized for you. Together, we’ll dive into the latest scientific discoveries and explore the multitude of possibilities they reveal about our existence. Don’t just inhabit your mind—understand it.
When: 3 nights: April 13, 20, and 27
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Where: Almonte Public Library
Cost: $48
Registration: Reserve your spot HERE
FUTURING IN AN AGE OF UNCERTAINTY
What if the future is not something that simply happens to us, but something we can actively shape? How do we navigate so much rapid change in the world without feeling overwhelmed or stuck in reaction mode?
The field of foresight helps people explore possible futures to help mitigate risk, harness opportunity, and make decisions today to shape a better tomorrow. We cannot predict the future; but we can understand a range of plausible futures. Foresight asks broad questions and expands thinking: What futures are possible? Which ones are desirable?
This interactive conversation, led by Foresight Analyst Avalynne Diotte, will introduce “futuring” as a practical way of thinking that helps people make sense of uncertainty, expand imagination, and reconnect with a sense of agency. Through accessible examples and engaging reflections, this lecture encourages participants to imagine what it might mean to create the future we desire—and to see foresight as a tool for turning uncertainty into clarity, imagination into intention, and concern about tomorrow into meaningful action today.
When: Wednesday, April 22
Time: 7PM-9PM
Where: Almonte Public Library
Cost: Pay what you can but you must Reserve HERE
