Previous BSH Events
BSH Meeting Topics: June 2001 to 2004
2001 Meetings
Sunday, June 10, 1 p.m.: "Evolutionary Ethics"
Friday, June 15, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The Philosophy of History." Philosophical concerns about history have focused both on general questions about the meaning of historical change and on more narrowly technical problems about what constitutes genuine historical knowledge. We shall survey both of these areas in an attempt to understand the continuing relevance of the philosophical analysis of history.
Sunday, July 8, 1 p.m.: "Humanist Principles". We have had several discussions of a list of humanist principles We will continue this discussion in the general Baltimore meeting, focusing on the role of government.
Friday, July 27, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The History of Racist Ideology." Philosophers have not always stood for the highest human ideals. Tonight’s exploration will examine how philosophy has been made to serve the baser human instincts, often enlisting science in the task as well.
Sunday, August 12, 1 p.m.: Lunch and general discussion. Members are encouraged to bring your current topics of interest for discussion. Speakers to the group may be limited to two minutes each. Bring your pet peeves and turn your minds on!
Friday, August 17, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The Philosophy of Art." We will explore what philosophers have had to say on the nature of the aesthetic experience and on the question of beauty in the visual, musical, and literary arts.
Sunday, September 9, 1 p.m.: BSH Organizational meeting. We are looking for topics for general meetings for the next year, speakers, and new members for the program committee. All ideas are welcome.
Friday, September 21, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The Philosophy of Language." Does thinking require language? Does language create our view of the world? We will examine these and other questions that have occupied philosophers of language.
Sunday, October 14, 1 p.m.: Humanist movie "Evolutionary Conspiracy" and discussion. This film is an attempt by fundamentalists to explore the conflict between creationism and evolution (which those on the side of the former continually insist is not a conflict between religion and science) in less than an hour. One of the weapons employed is interviews with the least telegenic or eloquent spokespersons for evolution to be found. By comparison, the testimonies offered by young-Earth advocates who dispute various aspects of the dreaded theory seem quite convincing.
Friday, October 26, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The Basis of Government." How have philosophers sought to justify the basic foundations of governmental authority? We will examine some classical theories, relating them to political programs based on these theories.
Sunday, November 11, 1 p.m.: "God and Darwin--We Need Them Both." God won't go away. Our brains are hard-wired to experience God and other aspects of reality. One understanding of God is that infinite love REQUIRES evolution. Creation is a work in progress--we live in an unfinished and imperfect world. Atheism provides a powerful and compelling worldview, but has less explanatory power than religious belief. The talk will be given by a practicing Catholic who is a paleontologist and evolutionary scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, and is the author of "God and the Dinosaur" which appeared in the American Paleontologist. Discussion follows. (These views are not generally held by WASH members.)
Friday, November 30, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The Ethics of Gun Control." How should society determine who may be armed and to what extent? Or is this just a basic individual right? We will examine this issue as a test case for concepts of governmental authority.
Sunday, December 9, 1 p.m.: BSH Holiday Luncheon, with a presentation, "Is Religion to Blame?" The suicide attacks of 9/11 were facilitated by religious belief in a martyr's eternal life and reward. Zealots are at war with the secular West which they hope to replace with a global Koranic theocracy. History is full of wars and strife with a strong religious component. Yet not all wars are religious (e.g. WW I), and some religious cultures are pacifist. Both atheistic dictatorships and moderately religious secular democracies are capable of extreme violence, but have been relatively conservative when it comes to aggressive warfare. What role has supernaturalistic belief played in war in the past, and what dangers may the future hold? What can be done about the problem?
Friday, December 21, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be "Understanding Historical Causation: The American Civil War."
2002 Meetings
Sunday, January 13, 1 p.m.: "The Theology of Babylon 5". Two episodes of the TV science fiction series Babylon 5 will be shown, followed by a discussion of the perspective of good and evil in the series.
Friday, January 18, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "Philosophical Problems of Identity." Can we "download" ourselves into a computer and still be the same persons? We will examine this and other questions as we examine what philosophers have said concerning problems of personal identity.
Sunday, February 10, 1:00 p.m.: "Should Humans Land on Mars?"
Friday, February 22, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be "Heaven and Hell: Religious Visions of the Afterlife."
Sunday, March 10, 1:00 p.m.: "Is Western democracy compatible with Fundamentalist Islam," a discussion based on the Newsweek article, "How to Save the Arab World," by Fareed Zakaria (December 24, 2001, p. 22). We will order lunch first, and begin the discussion at about 2:15.
Friday, March 15, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "Slavery: The History and Ethical Issues of Human Bondage.” Up until about 200 years ago, even “enlightened” people had little objection to slavery. We will focus on how attitudes towards the institution were formed and changed, especially in America.
Sunday, April 14, 1 p.m.: "The Ten Commandments: The Movie and the Text", by Greg Paul. In a special Easter presentation, Greg will show parts of the movie and present the actual, unsanitized Biblical text.
Friday, April 19, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be the first in a series, "Great Philosophers You’ve Heard of But Don’t Know Much About,” and will highlight Immanuel Kant.
Sunday, May 12, 1 p.m.: "What scientific and philosophical theories are basic to modern secular humanism?" We will introduce a discussion of the ideas that are important for modern secular humanism.
Friday, May 17, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “Patriotism: Virtue or Vice?” Patriotism as a national virtue was given a great boost by the events of September 11, but what are its ethical dimensions? We will explore the subject from a historical and philosophical perspective.
Friday, June 21, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “War in the Bible.” Biblical writers display a spectrum of attitudes towards war, from enthusiasm for aggression to near pacifism. We shall examine these attitudes and their effects on subsequent Western culture.
Sunday, July 14, 1:00 p.m.: "Hyde Park" discussion. Bring your issues of interest or pet peeves.
Friday, July 19, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “The Philosophical System of G.W. Leibniz.” Leibniz aspired to understand God and the universe as a rational system with everything in its place, anticipating in the process some of the philosophical questions on space and time that have intrigued modern scientific philosophers. We will assess some key aspects of Leibniz’ thought and his lasting influence in philosophy.
Sunday, August 11, 1:00 p.m.: Discussion "The relevance of Science Fiction to Humanism." Bring examples of humanistic thought that you have seen in science fiction in any medium.
Friday, August 16, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “The Classical Philosophical Arguments for the Existence of God.” While relatively few Christian philosophers since the nineteenth century have set much store by these arguments, they continue to generate philosophical interest among both theists and non-theists. We will be looking at the classic arguments from cosmology, design, and that perennial favorite, the ontological argument.
Sunday, September 8, 1:00 p.m.: "The Rise of Secularism in the West" by Greg Paul. Secularists rejoice! International data shows that Christianity is rapidly collapsing in the West, as skepticism of the existence of a higher power soars to heights not possible prior to the advent of evolutionary and other modern sciences. In prosperous democracies, absolute belief in God ranges from under half to just 4% of the population. The only known exception is America, where two thirds are still absolute believers. But new data suggests that a wave of American secularization is beginning to normalize and modernize our society in a manner already seen even in Ireland, where belief in the supernatural is taking a nose dive. In France and Sweden, nearly four out of ten are atheists and agnostics, and in Japan they number 40 million. Americans who take the Bible literally has dropped by over half to one in three, while those who think it is a fable has doubled to one in five. Faith is increasingly being limited to poorer and less educated populations and remains strong only in the developing countries. We will explore the nature and reasons for this historical societal shift and how to aid the trend. Suggested readings include the articles by Dawkins, Kurtz, Doyle, and Paul in Free Inquiry, Summer 2002 issue.
Friday, September 27, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “The Origins of Islam.” Muslims believe that Islam was revealed by God to Muhammad, the result being recorded in the Koran. Besides the Koran, a large body of literature on the lives of the prophet and his followers has survived. We will examine this literature from a naturalistic viewpoint relating it to other religious movements in history.
Sunday, October 13, 1:00 p.m.: "Biological Evolution and Technological Evolution." Technology plays a central role in human adaptation, by means of tools and devices that supplement the organs of the human body. Although there are some important differences between biological evolution and technological evolution, both are subject to selection processes involving survival and adaptation. Location: the Orient Restaurant, Towson.
Friday, October 25, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be “Can Humanism Replace Religion?”
Sunday, November 10, 1 p.m.: "Current Projects in WASH." WASH Board members and BSH Chapter Coordinator will talk about ideas and directions for WASH and the Baltimore Chapter. Discussion from the October Advance meeting by the WASH Board will be summarized. The talk will be followed by discussion in which members will have an opportunity for dialogue.
Friday, November 15, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “The Heritage of Stoicism” The Stoics of ancient Greece and Rome advocated many ideas we have come to understand as “humanistic.” We shall examine the continuing legacy of this important school of thought and its relevance to contemporary issues.
Sunday, December 8, 1 p.m.: Discussion of current events from a humanist perspective. Location: The Charred Rib Restaurant, Timonium. Directions: From the Baltimore Beltway (Rt. 695) take York Road North (exit 28). Go about a mile to Ridgely Rd, and turn left. Look for the restaurant on the right in the shopping center.
There will be no meeting of the Special Interest Group “Humanism and Philosophy” in December.
2003 Meetings
Sunday, January 12, 1:30 p.m.: "Should the U.S. Declare War on Iraq?" Discussion will be based on the article "Bush, Warmonger?" from the November issue of WASHline, p. 2. Location: Randallstown Library.
Friday, January 17, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be “What is Progress?” The notion of progress, while typically valued by humanists, has often been criticized, and raises larger questions concerning the relative value of human endeavors.
Sunday, February 9, 1:30 p.m.: "Why I'm not Ken Miller's Compliant Collaborator." Evolutionary scientist and devout Catholic Ken Miller doesn't think that there is an inconsistency between these views. Nontheists and 'liberal' theists often cooperate when they share common goals of promoting evolutionary science education. But nontheists' views diverge widely from those of theists, liberal or conservative, who think a supernatural creator gives purpose and morality that is vital to humans. To form a united front in favor of evolution, liberal theists often demand that nontheists suppress their disagreements with supernatural beliefs. Secularists frequently cooperate, even though the theists do not refrain from criticizing atheism. This unbalanced arrangement allows theists to promote their views while avoiding criticism, and it suppresses open debate of religion. A necessary alliance of convenience to promote evolution should not preclude vigorous disagreement on other matters, and nontheists should freely expose the fallacies about beliefs in the supernatural, particularly since we have the better case to present. Location: Randallstown Library.
Sunday, March 9, 1:30 p.m.: "Don't Proselytise with my Tax Dollars: Why Faith-Based Legislation is Inherently Discriminatory." Anna Ravegum, of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Public Dollars for Public Schools Coalition, will address the controversial issue of publicly-funded religion as it affects Maryland citizens through social services and our schools. Should any form of American government be allowed to force its citizenry to pay for religious indoctrination? Isn't the very notion unconstitutional? Come and find out why faith-based legislation opens a Pandora's box of prejudices and outright bigotries. All paid for by us, the extorted taxpayer. Location: Randallstown Library.
Friday, March 21 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “Justifying Belief Systems.” What distinguishes a belief system that is well founded from one that is not? Do belief systems even have to be “well founded” as long as they work for the individual? These questions will be explored as we look at some fundamental differences between humanist and traditional religious belief systems.
Sunday, April 13, 1:30 p.m.: SPECIAL EVENT! Dr. Michael Newdow, the California lawyer and physician who sued to have "Under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, will visit Baltimore to speak on his pledge lawsuit and his current lawsuit regarding Congressional chaplains. We encourage religious and nonreligious people to attend to foster a more lively debate. WASH members should encourage religious friends and family members to attend for an introduction to church-state separation issues. The pledge lawsuit is awaiting probable appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court. For more information, see Newdow's web site at www.restorethepledge.com. Whether you agree or disagree with his suit, we must respect that Newdow has the courage of his convictions to try to change the national policy and generate national debate. Location: Randallstown Library.
Tuesday, April 15, 7 p.m.: Karen Armstrong, author of Battle for God, will discuss the rise of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim fundamentalism. Location: University of Maryland Baltimore County, University Center Ballroom, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Catonsville. 410-455-6798. Sponsored by UMBC.
Friday, April 18 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “Giordano Bruno in History and Myth.” Bruno, a brilliant but eccentric sometime theologian, astronomer, and littérateur was burned at the stake by the Inquisition in 1600, subsequently becoming a kind of saint and martyr to the Freethought movement. We shall try to sort out the facts and myths concerning Bruno’s troubled career both before and after his death.
Thursday, April 24, 2003, at 8:00 p.m.: "Battle for the Mind: Secular Humanism vs. The Christian Biblical Worldview," a debate between Rich Halvorson and DJ Grothe on competing philosophical worldviews by two bright young exponents. Rich Halvorson is a Harvard University senior who has been active in the Institute for Humane Studies, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and Summit Ministries. DJ Grothe is National Field Director for the Council for Secular Humanism and a coordinator of the Campus Freethought Alliance. Halvorson and Grothe were featured at a recent Harvard Veritas Forum. Location: Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus Mergenthaler Hall, Room 111. Sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University Freethought, Campus Freethought Alliance, and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.
Sunday, May 11, at 1:00 p.m.: Lunch and discussion. We may play a taped lecture, "Fallacies of Reasoning," by Prof. David Zarefsky, if the logistics permit. Confused about the difference between ad hominem and "straw man" fallacies? This lecture will explain some of the errors and mistakes of arguments. Location: the Orient Restaurant, Towson.
Friday, May 16 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “War and Pacifism.” We will review the arguments philosophers use to defend “just” wars, as well as arguments advanced in support of pacifism.
Friday, May 23 at 7:00 p.m.: Special Time! Special Place! Special Person! Novelist Victoria N. Alexander, author of Naked Singularity, will have a book reading and discussion at the Towson Barnes and Noble bookstore. See the book review in the May issue of WASHline. The first person to show Bill Creasy a WASH T-Shirt or a copy of WASHline will win a free signed copy of the novel! Location: Barnes and Noble, Towson.
Friday, June 20, 7:30 pm.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be “Unity and Diversity in World Religions.”
Sunday, June 22 at 2:00pm - Summer Solstice Gathering: At the Dave & Buster's in White Flint Mall, 11301 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 230-5151, http://www.daveandbusters.com. Open to AA members AND non-members, this is an informal luncheon to celebrate the annual peak of our nearest star. To find us ask the receptionist at the Grand Dining Room upon arrival. Anybody who wears a piece of clothing identifying yourself as an Atheist, Humanist, Non-believer, or Solstice Fan will receive a loaded game card for use in D&B's Million Dollar Midway. Lunch is on your own but a Solstice cake will be provided. Hosted by American Atheists, contact dcondo@atheists.org with questions. RSVP's are encouraged but not required.
Sunday, July 27: WASH picnic at Black Hills Park Details at http://www.wash.org
Friday, August 15 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “History and Myth in the Hebrew Bible.” A scholarly controversy has raged for the past fifteen years or so between the “minimalist” interpreters of ancient Palestinian history, and more traditional understandings of the period. “Minimalists” typically strongly reject the Biblical description of such figures as Kings David and Solomon and the United Monarchy, in contrast to more traditional approaches which seek a middle ground between severe skepticism and uncritical credulity concerning the Biblical account. The problem is interesting both in itself and for what it says about historical method and the conflict between traditional historical critical scholarship and the historical nihilism of postmodernist critics.
Sunday, September 14, at 1:30 p.m.: "Which Nonprofit Organizations Have Members that Might Like WASH?" WASH may apply for a grant to send solicitation mailings to some large nonprofits. We will discuss some suggestions for organizations that we will target. All members are invited to suggest their favorite organizations and discuss why their members might be interested in WASH. Location: the Orient Restaurant, Towson.
Tuesday, September 16, at 7 p.m.: Kimberly Blaker, the editor/co-author of The Fundamentals of Extremism: the Christian Right in America, will be having a book signing from 7-9pm at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers, phone 410-933-9670, 8123 Honeygo Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21236 (near the White Marsh Mall). Blaker will also be a guest on the nationally syndicated Crosstalk, a conservative Christian radio program that spent a full segment bashing her book earlier this year. Visit http://www.vcyamerica.org/crosstalk/outlets.cfm to listen to the program on the web, or to find a local station (there aren't many).
Friday, September 26 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “The Concept of Falsification.” Among the many contributions to philosophy of science by the late philosopher of science Karl Popper, perhaps the most famous is the concept of falsification, or the insistence that a purported scientific statement must in principle be “falsifiable” if it is to count as science. We shall examine the criticism this maxim has raised among philosophers and assess the pros and cons of its usefulness as a “litmus test” demarcating science from pseudoscience.
Sunday, October 12, 1:30 p.m.: "Health Care Access and Religious Dogma." This talk and discussion will explore the reasons behind and the tactics used by many individuals, health care clinics and hospitals to restrict access to health care services and education that they are morally opposed to, usually due to religious beliefs. The session will review reasons used for opposition to birth control, emergency contraception, abortion, sterilization, cloning, stem cell research, physician assisted suicide, comprehensive sexuality education and some of the new tactics being used to restrict these services and research. Snacks, finger food, or soft drinks may be brought to share, and visitors are welcome. Location: Randallstown Library.
Friday, October 17, 7:30 pm.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be “Social Darwinism.”
Tuesday, October 21 at 7:00pm - Atheists Meetup. Register at www.meetup.com. Also look for meetups on the topics of Humanist (2nd Monday), Agnostic (4th Saturday), and Skeptics (4th Saturday).
Sunday, November 9, 1:30 p.m.: Victoria Alexander will discuss her book, Naked Singularity, at the Randallstown Library. See a review of the book in the May WASHline or on bsh.wash.org or at www.thepermanentpress.com. The book is a novel about a woman who must decide whether help her father with euthanasia. She will also be doing a reading on Saturday, November 8th, 7:30 p.m., in D.C. at the Washington Printmakers Gallery, 1732 Connecticut Avenue, NW. (DuPont Circle Metro Stop, Q Street exit). Contact: Mark Wallace, phone: 202-332-7757. (This reading is not a WASH event.)
Tuesday, November 18 at 7 p.m.: Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, will be speaking at the University of Maryland - College Park. Sponsored by the Maryland Atheist Students Association at http://www.inform.umd.edu/StudentOrg/atheist/.
Friday, November 21 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “Positive and Negative Liberty.” Philosopher Isaiah Berlin contrasted two notions of liberty. Positive liberty is freedom from the errors of an incorrect world view, and stresses that true freedom depends on a proper understanding of the world. Negative liberty stresses the value of being left to decide one’s values for oneself, free from the usually conflicting demands of those who presume they have the proper understanding of the world.
Sunday, December 14 at 1:30 p.m.: Cancelled due to weather.
Tuesday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m.: Atheist Meetup at Bennigan's Grill & Tavern, 8201 Snowden River Parkway, Columbia, MD. Hosted by Dave Condo. To register, go to www.meetup.com and register under "atheist".
Friday, December 19 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “Natural Law.” Are the principles of right conduct for individuals and society grounded in nature? While many philosophers from differing traditions have affirmed this, others have been skeptical, a process of debate that began in the Hellenistic world. We will review the major points of natural law theory and its critics.
Saturday, December 20 at 2:00 p.m.: The Winter Solstice Party will be held at the Hunan Manor in Columbia, MD. Visit http://www.atheists.org/md/ for more details, a menu, and a map to the location.
2004 Meetings
Sunday, January 11, 1:30 p.m.: Greg Paul will speak on "The Wright Stuff." It's been 100 years of heavier than air flying machines. The inventors of the first practical examples were a pair of small town bicycle makers who beat out government funded competition by conducting a shoe string science and engineering project that addressed critical aerodynamic issues missed by others. Although their first, unstable flier was virtually unflyable, by 1908 they stunned the world with their unique mastery of the air, only to experience the first fatal air crash. Afterwords the Wrights failed to fully exploit the technological and commercial potential of their invention as Wilbur died young, perhaps to due in part to stress related to patent suits, and Orville lived to see nuclear bombers, jets, and the breaking of the sound barrier while breaking off all contact with his beloved sister. Location: the Orient Restaurant, Towson.
Friday, January 16 at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is “The Concept of the Hero.” Literature and film frequently employ characters, historical or fictional, who can be described as “heroes” or “heroines.” We will examine the notion of the hero as a moral exemplar from the standpoint of mythology, psychology, and philosophical ethics.
Sunday, February 8, 11 a.m.: Note new time! Lunch/discussion. Topic: "Individual responsibility vs. government regulation: spam, spam, spam, how much is too much?" We'll begin by an introduction to the general theme, which may become a n on-going series of discussion topics. Everyone wants as much liberty as possible to do what they want. But in a complex society, one person's liberty or livelihood can be the next person's annoya nce or threat. That means that we have to depend on individual ethics for civil and responsible behavior, but of course some people won't be ethical. The alternative is to ask the government to legislate the limits of acceptable behavior and use force to punish illegal actions. What limits are we willing to accept? Rather than try to discuss this topic in general, we will talk about specific cases. Today's case is e-mail spam. How much is too much, and what should the government do to restrict it? Location: the Orient Restaurant, Towson.
Friday, February 20, 7:30 pm.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be "Sin and Redemption." A key concept of Christianity is the notion that human beings are in a "fallen" state out of h armony with their creator and needing to be reconciled with him. We will explore this theological notion from a philosophical and historical perspective.
Sunday, March 14, 1:30 p.m.: Brian Morton, who writes the column "The Political Animal" for the Baltimore City Paper, will speak "The Fundamentals of Bush," on Pres. Bush and his use of religion in politics and the Iraq War. Location: Randallstown Library. We will meet at 12 noon at the Akbar Palace for an Indian buffet lunch.
Friday, March 19, 7:30 p.m.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "Non-Violence." The concept of non-vi olence, first encountered in Asia and later influencing Western religion, ethics, and politics, will be examined for its implications on ethical and political life.
Sunday, April 11, 12 noon: We will discuss the current Maryland legislative session, the March 24 meeting at the Supreme Court to support the Newdow case, and the upcoming April 25 "March for Women's Lives." Location: the Orient Restarant, Towson.
Friday, April 16, at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "Gnosticism." Early Christianity is often characterized as being in competition with something called "Gnosticism," a name for a diverse set of beliefs and practices not used by those so labeled, and often mischaracterized by scholars as a kind of unitary system. The term has also been construed in various ways down to the present as a label of both pride and contempt. We will examine the ideas and historical movements associated with this term.
Sunday, May 9, 1:30 p.m.: "Free Will and Determinism." This talk will be based largely on the book "Freedom Evolves" by Daniel C. Dennett. This book is a distillation of dec ades of thought on the subject by one of the most impressive humanistic thinkers of our times. Dennett includes his take on experiments and analysis provided by many other researchers in the field. The topics will range over many theories of choice, determinism, self and responsibility. It will be presented in a discussion format with brief summaries of the main issues presented for response by the group. Location: Towson Library. We will meet at noon for lunch at the Orient.
Friday, May 21, 7:30 pm.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be "Wittgenstein." The ideas of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) commanded great attention from other philosophers during his lifetime and continue to generate a large body of literature. This is especially remarkable since Wittgenstein did not follow the usual course of philosophical education and gained acceptance and even adulation for a small and often cryptic body of work that almost never engaged the work of other philosophers directly. We will examine both Wittgenstein's ideas and, perhaps more interesting, the "phenomenon" of Wittgenstein's rise to virtual cult status in the philosophical community.
Sunday, June 13, 12 noon: "The dichotomy between rational theology and the emotional impact of religion." We will listen to and discuss a taped lecture by Prof. Luke Timothy Johnson, Emory University, on the question of why rational criticism of religion is not persuasive to believers. The tape is a good summary of this issue, which is a perpetual puzzle to humanists. We will also consider the emotional impact of the movie, "The Passion of the Christ." (The lecture is from a course, "Early Christianity: The Experience of the Divine" from The Teaching Company.) Location: the Orient Restaurant, Towson.
Friday, June 18, at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The Naturalistic Fallacy." The "Naturalistic Fallacy" is the alleged "mistake" of confusing fact with value, trying to get an "ought" from an "is," or otherwise thinking that ethical precepts can be founded solely on descriptions of facts. We will examine some philosophers who have weighed in on this question with an aim to appreciating the complex issues that arise when considering the relationship of fact to value.
July 11, 12 noon: Education Funding: Individual Responsibility or Government Regulation? General discussion on school funding. Is education one of the best ways for government to provide opportunities to all people, regardless of income? Or is education the responsibility of each individual or family? Location: Charles Village Pub, 19 W. Penna. Ave., Towson. Directions: Take Baltimore Beltway exit 26 (York Road or Dulaney Valley Road) through the traffic circle to York Road, and go right on Pennsylva nia Ave., the first right after the circle. The restaurant is half a block on the left. Look for the entrance to the patio on the left inside the main entrance.
Friday, July 16, 7:30 pm.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be "Mysticism." For location details see June 18 above.
Sunday, July 31: WASH 15th Anniversary celebration on the Dandy, Alexandria, VA.
Sunday, August 8, 12 noon: Field trip to the Maryland Science Center to see the new exhibits. Schedule allowing, our in-house dinosaur paleontologist, Gregory Paul, will guide the group through the dinosaur hall he was science advisor for, which includes his artwork. Location: Maryland Science Center, Inner Harbor, Baltimore. For directions and parking information, call the MSC at 4 10-685-5225.
Friday, August 20, at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "Resurrection." The idea of bodies of the deceased resurrecting to live again on earth is unique to Ch ristianity, although the idea draws from pre-Christian mythology and Jewish speculations of the Hellenistic period. We will examine pre-Christian ideas of resurrection, the biblical accounts of Jesus\rquote resurrection, and how the topic is used in current Christian apologetics. For more information, call 410-521-6215.
Sunday, September 12, 1:30 p.m.: Author Dan Falk will speak. Can the universe be understood in terms of a single theory -- a theory so concise it could fit on a T-shirt? Science journalist Dan Falk discusses the 2,500-year-old search for the Theory of Everything, from the ancient Greeks to the Scientific Revolution, from relativity and quantum theory to string theory. Dan's illustrated talk is based on his award-winning book, Universe on a T-Shirt: The Quest for the Theory of Everything (Arcade Publishing). Location: Towson Library.
Friday, September 17, 7:30 pm.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be "Christian Theology and the Rise of Science."
Sunday, October 10, at 1:30 p.m.: "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism" We will view the DVD of this documentary which shows the systematic bias of the Fox News Network toward the Republican Party. Are we the victims of a propaganda campaign? Is this systematic bias affecting U. S. policy and elections? The film last about 1 1/2 hours, and a discussion will follow. Please bring a snack or drink to share. For location information or directions, call 410-942-1455. For more information on the DVD, go to www.moveon.org
Friday, October 15, at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "Deism." Deism was a form of theism popular among intellectuals in the Enlightenment, and has never completely died out. Its proponents, while adamant theists, were critics of traditional religion and were ardent support ers of science. Some representative Deists will be examined and the reasons for the decline of Deism will be reviewed. For more information, call 410-521-6215.
Sunday, November 14, 12 noon: "Has the Bush Administration used political power to subvert scientific results?" The Union of Concerned Scientists has issued several detailed reports that have accused the Bush Administration of attempting to influence scientific reports and studies for political reasons. The areas have included global warming, abortion and reproductive rights, mercury emissions, and environmental policy. We will look at the charges and at the Administration's response. The reports are available at www.ucsusa.org. Location: the Orient Restaurant. Directions: Take Baltimore Beltway exit 26 (York Road or Dulaney Valley Road) through the traffic circle to York Road, and go three blocks on the right to the Orient. Take a left to the parking garage on Chesapeake.
Friday, November 19, at 7:30 pm: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. Tonight's topic is "The Concept of Genius." What exactly is a genius? What do those people we call geniuses have in common? Is genius always a good thing? These and other topics will be explored by looking at some representative examples of "genius." For more information, call 410-521-6215.
Sunday, December 12, 12 noon: Holiday lunch at the Charred Rib, Timonium, MD. Directions: From the Baltimore Beltway (Rt. 695) take York Road North (exit 28). Go about a mile to Ridgely Rd, and turn left. Look for the restaurant on the right in the shopping center. For information, contact 410-942-1455.
Friday, December 17, 7:30 pm.: "Humanism and Philosophy," a Special Interest Group, continues. The topic will be "Explaining Explanation."