Ethics Today

This episode of the Ethics Today podcast is a recording of the annual Leopold Week lecture hosted by Viterbo University on March 5, 2021. We discuss the continuing relevance of Aldo Leopold's "A Sand County Almanac," the challenges of being a black person doing field work in wildlife ecology, and how to make nature activities more inclusive. A native of Edgefield, S.C., J. Drew Lanham is the author of "The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature," which received the Reed Award from the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Southern Book Prize, and was a finalist for the John Burroughs Medal. He is a birder, naturalist, and hunter-conservationist who has published essays and poetry in publications including Orion, Audubon, Flycatcher, and Wilderness, and in several anthologies, including The Colors of Nature, State of the Heart, Bartram’s Living Legacy, and Carolina Writers at Home. An alumni distinguished professor of wildlife ecology and master teacher at Clemson University, he and his family live in the Upstate of South Carolina, a soaring hawk’s downhill glide from the southern Appalachian escarpment that the Cherokee once called the Blue Wall.

A conversation with Chris Mayne, PhD, an immunologist at Viterbo University. Today we are discussing the new vaccines for COVID-19 currently under review by the FDA. How do they work? Are they safe? How did they get developed so quickly? Why are so many people unsure about taking them? Hosted by Richard Kyte and joined by Jill Miller, Program Coordinator for the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

Loss affects all of us, yet many of us struggle to deal with it effectively. In today's podcast we talk to Christine Kortbein and Catherine Tyink about their new book, "Grief Reimagined: 50 Creative Ways to Build Resilience." The book presents 50 real-life stories of people who have dealt with their own loss in unique and creative ways. We talk about how rituals can help us break through emotional ruts and the importance of learning how to deal with small, everyday losses so we are prepared to cope with the grief that comes from major setbacks. The book is available for purchase at www.christinekortbein.com.

Is ethical behavior in the field and on the stream getting worse?  Today's guest is Jay Anglin of Anglin Outdoors, a guide service out of LaPorte, Indiana.  We discuss changing norms in the hunting/fishing community, increasing competition on public lands, and the importance of mentoring.

This episode features an interview with Tom Thibodeau, Distinguished Professor of Servant Leadership at Viterbo University.  We discuss the history of servant leadership, the significance of Robert K. Greenleaf's writings, and why servant leadership is so relevant today. 

What can we learn from the return of sports? Today's guest is Ben Wedro, MD, an emergency room doctor at Gundersen Clinic and a clinical professor in the department of emergency medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Wedro has provided medical consultation at several major international sporting events including the Winter and Summer Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and the Pan Am Games. We talk about the ways different leagues have approached the resumption of competition and what that can tell us about the return to schools and universities this fall. Also, what should you do if you experience symptoms like a runny nose or an upset stomach?

Today’s program features Bruce Feiler, author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers including COUNCIL OF DADS, which inspired a new drama series on NBC. We talk about his latest book, LIFE IS IN THE TRANSITIONS: Mastering Change at Any Age. Bruce describes his journey across America, collecting hundreds of life stories, exploring how we can navigate life's growing number of transitions to live with more meaning, purpose, and joy. 

In 2017, after a 24 year career in the US Army, Jervie Windom moved to Texas City, Texas to start a new church dedicated to helping residents recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. What motivates someone to spend their retirement in service to others?Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

How can one learn to be a creative presence in the world? In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Kai Kight, a classical violinist, innovative composer, and motivational speaker from Los Angeles, CA. We discuss how he learned to think of himself as both a performer and a composer, how the creative process works, how the acknowledgment of mistakes can inspire confidence, and how the pandemic revealed a depth of social interconnectedness that prepared us for the George Floyd protests.Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Keonte Turner, member of the La Crosse School Board and the La Crosse MLK Community Celebration Committee about the discomfort white people often feel in addressing racial issues, the burden of publicly representing minority populations, and the challenge of working to reform institutions from within.Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

Is racism today worse than it was twenty years ago, or are we just seeing more evidence of it due to social media? In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Dr. Andre Johnson, Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Media Studies at the University of Memphis, co-author of "The Struggle over Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter," and Senior Pastor at Gifts of Life Ministries, an inner-city church in Memphis, Tennessee. We discuss the recent protests over the murder of George Floyd, the goals of the protest organizers, how policing could be reformed, and how black people and white people see racism differently. If you wish to learn more about Gifts of Life Ministries and help support the efforts of Dr. Johnson and his congregation to address racial injustice, go to http://glife02.blogspot.com/. Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

What happens when the largest known natural deposits of gold and copper are discovered in the headwaters of one of the world's last fully functioning and intact ecosystems? In this episode of Ethics Today we visit with Meghan Barker, the Bristol Bay Organizer for Trout Unlimited. We discuss Bristol Bay, its ecological, cultural, and economic significance, the threat posed by Pebble Mine, and a new documentary coming out this summer.To learn more about the issues discussed in this program, go to www.savebristolbay.org. Also, get updates about digital screenings of "The Wild" www.thewildfilm.com. Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

As evictions begin to increase throughout the country, how should we respond to the upcoming surge in homelessness? In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Pete Gathje, VP of Academic Affairs at Memphis Theological Seminary and founder of a Catholic Worker House in Memphis, TN. We talk about the practice of hospitality, the importance of cultivating long-term relationships, the need for systemic change, and the challenges of addressing racial injustice. Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

Talking again with Chris Mayne, PhD, a biology professor at Viterbo University. Today we are discussing prospects for developing an effective vaccine for COVID-19 and why scientific information coming from different sources often seems contradictory. This is Episode 10 of Ethics Today hosted by Richard Kyte, Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

Why are some churches so resistant to following social distancing orders from state and local governments? In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Scott Moore, a philosophy professor at Baylor University who specializes in political philosophy. Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

How do we know what is true and what is false when viewing news reports and social media posts? In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Frank Oswald, faculty member in Columbia University's Strategic Communication program who teaches a course on persuasion and ethics. Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

We hear a great deal about how large banks and corporations have misused the Paycheck Protection Program loans intended to help small businesses during the economic shutdown, but how is the program being used by the very small businesses so essential to the economy and culture of rural communities? In this episode of Ethics Today we talk to Marianne Torkelson, Vice President Business Development & Training at Co-op Credit Union in Black River Falls, Wisconsin.  Hosted by Richard Kyte of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.  

A conversation with Chris Mayne, PhD, a biology professor at Viterbo University, on May 4, 2020. We talk about the different types of COVID-19 tests, herd immunity, the prospects for an effective vaccine, and whether it is an ethical responsibility to be vaccinated. This is Episode 6 of Ethics Today hosted by Richard Kyte, Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

A conversation with Kevin Mahalko, an organic dairy and beef farmer from Gilman, Wisconsin, on May 3, 2020. We talk about rapidly changing landscape of family farms in Wisconsin, the challenge of food distribution during the pandemic, and the environmental benefits of rotational grazing. This is Episode 5 of Ethics Today hosted by Richard Kyte, Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

A conversation with Robert Schreur, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor at The Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. April 27, 2020. We talk about the challenge of providing care for patients with mental illness during the pandemic. This is Episode 4 of Ethics Today hosted by Richard Kyte, Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

A conversation with Beau Weston, Professor of Sociology at Centre College, on April 23, 2020. We discuss the challenge of maintaining social connections during a pandemic, uses and misuses of social media, the importance of meaningful activity, and suggestions for raising happy children. This is Episode 3 of Ethics Today hosted by Richard Kyte, Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

A conversation with TJ Brooks, Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, on April 21, 2020. We discuss the ethics of stay-at-home orders, how economists weigh incommensurable values, and what TJ thinks of the economic stimulus plan. This is Episode 2 of Ethics Today hosted by Richard Kyte, Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.

An interview with Dr. Jeff Thompson, pediatrician and former CEO of Gundersen Health System, on April 17, 2020. This is Episode 1 of Ethics Today hosted by Richard Kyte, Director of the DB Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University.