To many people, morality seems unnatural, unscientific, and possibly mysterious or supernatural, or subjective and arbitrary. I will argue that there are objective moral facts which are entirely natural, based on scientific concepts like instrumental valuation, recursive thought, and universalizability. We can then both explain why there are so many moral valuations we share in common, and understand we are […]
Humanism in Star Trek
Gene Roddenberry, creator and executive producer of the television series Star Trek, believed that: human beings can solve problems through reason and cooperation; that there is no need to turn to superstition or religion for help; that human understanding and intelligence will help us to develop and progress. “I’ve been sure from the first, that the job of Star Trek […]
Invisible No Longer: Politically Empowering the Humanist and Atheist Community
The Supreme Court and one of the two major political parties have been captured by members of the white Christian nationalist movement. The separation of church and state, civil rights, secular government, and our pluralist democracy are under attack. The humanist and atheist community, whose numbers have been increasing rapidly in the last two decades, has the potential to counter […]
The World Below: An Introduction to Caves and Karst
Have you ever heard of karst? It is a terrain that covers 20% of the earth’s land surface. You have certainly heard of caves, which are the quintessential feature of karst areas. Caves and karst are generally unrecognized as vital resources. However they sustain about 700 million people with drinking water, hold some of the richest archaeological and paleontological remains, […]
End of Life Issues
Perhaps most people would prefer to avoid the topic of death, but it is an inevitable part of life. For some people, having control over death lessens anxiety. The Right to Die Movement dates back about 50 years. This talk will look at the organizations that are active and available today, the documents people should have prepared, and steps people […]
What Is Humanistic Judaism?
Most Jews in the United States don’t believe in the God of the Bible, yet still consider themselves Jewish. How does this work? We’ll talk about the trend in general, then focus on how Humanistic Judaism offers a non-theistic alternative to contemporary branches of Judaism, by defining Judaism as the cultural and historical experience of the Jewish people and removing […]
Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds
You know how when someone disgrees with you, and you educate them with your evidence, they say, “Of course you’re right! Yeah, that doesn’t happen very often. But there is a better way! This presentation explains how to think better and have more productive conversations. Melanie Trecek-King is an Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, where she teaches […]
Skepticism In the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Advancements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) are undeniable. Arthur C. Clark said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”, and while contemporary AI might not yet qualify as sufficiently advanced, it does seem to be converging in that direction. What should a non-expert know about the field to apply appropriate scientific skepticism? Let’s cut through the hype […]
America Needs Atheists Now More Than Ever
Kate Cohen is the author of We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too. The book chronicles Kate’s journey from Reform Jew to outspoken atheist, her decision to raise her children as atheists, and her attempts to create for her own family the benefits that religion provides for others. It also argues that nonbelievers should […]
How to Sustain Humanity, Advance our Civilization, and Succeed as a Species
Humanity must enter into a completely new understanding of the reality in which we exist. The window of opportunity to make the necessary and monumental shift in thinking is small compared to the large obstacles in our current belief systems — political, economic, social, and religious — that must be dissolved. Yet, this must happen if we and all the […]