How did we become the clever loving ape, who uses tools, lives in language and is self conscious? 

In this seminar series, Pille will explicate the work of her mentor, Humberto Maturana, and show how love has been central in our evolution and remains the only emotion that increases intelligence and enables wellbeing … both for ourselves and for our planet. We will explore how the explanations we accept and the language we use influence our feelings, thoughts and actions, and hence change who we are and the kind of culture we form. 

This participatory program will be presented in two parts with the first one comprising 4 weeks of stories, explanations, experiences, and conversations on our origins, evolution, emotions and behaviour. The second part, planned for fall 2024, will follow through on the implications of language, culture, and our beliefs concerning reality for ethical behaviour and hence our future as humans. Throughout there will allusion to how emotioning, languaging as well as our systemic awareness of intangibles and our acceptance of ambiguity make a difference.

About Dr. Pille Bunnell

Pille has a background in ecology and ethology. After finishing her doctorate studies in Berkeley half century ago, she began her professional life as a research associate at the University of British Columbia, followed by nearly two decades as an international environmental consultant. After an early retirement to accommodate care of a family elder, Pille became engaged with complex systems through the American Society for Cybernetics, where she has served as President and a board member. She spent a further couple of decades teaching systems methods and systems thinking, mostly at Royal Roads University, before formally retiring.

Pille is particularly interested in the implications of how we think and act, especially how the assumptions we make and the beliefs we hold about “reality” change what is possible. As part of this she is exploring how our reflections alter our perceptions and our relationships; with ourselves, with each other and with the world around us. Personally, she reads avidly, both fiction and nonfiction, spends as much time in nature as feasible and has interests in photography, music (as a listener) cooking, and growing vegetables. She is also an enthusiastic grandmother of two and is deeply engaged with mutigenerational living.

Program Details

Program: The Knowing, Loving Ape: On Humanness and The Biology of Love with Dr. Pille Bunnell

Dates: COMING IN FALL 2024 - Previously scheduled for April 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2024
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Pacific

Cost: $80.00  (Please do not let cost deter you from attending - Ask us about our program funding)

Location:  On-line – A Zoom Link will be emailed before the program begins.

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