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Past Events at CDHS
This page lists recent lectures and events. It includes a brief description plus a link to a complete summary. Dr. Steven Leibo- "The Climate Change Challenges"Our August speaker was Dr. Steven Leibo, Professor of International History at Sage Colleges, and also a commentator on WAMC radio. His topic was global climate change. [more]Frank & Therese Robinson- "17th Annual World Humanist Congress"Our July speakers were Frank & Therese Robinson, both CDHS members, and both of whom attended the conference in behalf of the Albany Capitol District Huimanist Society in Washington, DC, June 5-8. They thank CDHS for underwriting their registration fee. This report will covered only some of the "sexier" programs. A much fuller report can be found at [17th Humanist Congress] [more]Dr. Peter Scott Cameron- "Lee Miller- Female War Photographer"Our June speaker was Dr. Peter Scott Cameron, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Columbia-Green community college who also has a keen interest in the history of photography, especially in what he considers to be the great woman photographers of the early to middle 20th Century. [more]Mike Ignatowski- "Sustainability or Apocalypse"Our May speaker was Mike Ignatowski, who has degrees in physics and computer science, and currently toils at IBM's Watson Research Center, doing something incomprehensible in the computer field. The portentous title of his talk was "Sustainability or Apocalypse: The Coming Perfect Storm of Problems and Opportunities in the Critical Decades Ahead." [more]Dr. Peter Heinegg- "The Joy of Pessimism"Our April speaker was Dr. Peter Heinegg, Professor of English (and ex-Director of Religious Studies) at Union College. Formerly a Jesuit, he labels his current stance "radical skepticism." His talk was billed as "The Joy of Pessimism - the Tonic Effects of a Humanism Without Hope." [more]Dr. Alethia Jones- "Immigration - the Moral Issue of Our Time?"Our March speaker was Alethia Jones, who has a PhD in political science from Yale and teaches at Rockefeller College, specializing in urban and ethnic politics. She was originally Jamaican, arriving here with a green card at age 11. Her talk was about "Immigration - the Moral Issue of Our Time?" [more]Dr. Sherrie Lyons- Convincing Men They Are MonkeysOur February speaker was Dr. Sherrie Lyons, a CDHS member who is a Professor of Evolution, Biology and Nutrition at Empire State College, and author of the book Thomas Henry Huxley: The Evolution of a Scientist. Her talk was titled "Convincing Men they are Monkeys." [more]Jacqui C. Williams-"Fill in the Blanks in American History"Our January speaker was Jacqui C. Williams, Founding Director of "Fill in the Blanks in American History." Her talk focused on the story of black people during the American Revolution. [more]John Seager- Too Hot, Too CrowdedOur December speaker was John Seager, President of Population Connection (formerly Zero Population Growth), who flew in from Washington, DC, to address us. His talk was titled "Too Hot - Too Crowded - A Planet in Trouble." Seager stressed that, unlike some problems, the impact of growing population on the environment is one we know how to fix, we can do it at reasonable cost, and it's something people actually want. [more]Terry Weiner- Health Care CollapseOur November speaker was Dr. Terry S. Weiner, Union College Professor of Comparative Social Analysis, whose talk was entitled "The Coming Collapse of American Health Care." Mr. Weiner is not actually predicting the end of health care. But he started by noting that since 1960, health costs have gone from 5% of GDP to 16% of (a much higher) GDP; while forty-odd million Americans are uninsured and get inferior ad hoc care; and the nation as a whole is NOT healthier or longer-lived than others that spend much less per person on health care. [more]CDHS 21st Anniversary DinnerPresentation of the Dennis Bender award to Richard and Myrna Becker We had a great dinner with many local members present.The awards were given to Myra Becker for her many years of diligent service as bookeeper for our organization, and Dick Becker, who served for 13 years on the executive council in various positions. Further, as entertainment, our very own Dot Sager and Sandy Sussman received a rounding applause for their musical renditions of two old (slightly reworked ) favorite songs. The evening was rounded off with a storytelling artist: Nancy Marie Pryne. [photos]Peter Gerstenzang- "Cops and Courts"Our October speaker was Peter Gerstenzang, whose topic was "Cops and Courts--everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask." Peter is an attorney, with the Albany firm Gerstenzang, O'Hern, Hickey & Gerstenzang. His practice is in criminal defense, with an emphasis on vehicular crimes, particularly those involving alcohol. [more]Dr. Carla Sofka- "Social Afterlife"Our September speaker was Dr. Carla Sofka, Associate Professor of Social Work at Siena College, whose talk was about "Cultural Reincarnation: The Afterlife on Earth of the Rich and Famous." This was an aspect of her work in thanatology, the study of death, grief, and loss. Now, this might not sound like a fun subject. However, Dr. Sofka provided a highly lively and entertaining talk, illustrated by a display of piquant cultural artifacts, including some Elvis edibles which the audience was privileged to enjoy. [more]Diane Cameron- Mental Illness in the US Military"Our August speaker was Diane Cameron, whose topic was "Mental Illness Within the Military Experience." Diane is best known to many of us as a regular columnist in recent years for the Albany Times-Union. A very personal story served as background for Diane's discussion of the psychic trauma experienced by soldiers in war. Old verbiage for this included "shell shock," "battle fatigue," and even "lacking moral fiber." [more]Jin Fei-Bao- "Climb Every (tall) Mountain"Fei-bao's claim to fame is his quest to set a world record by climbing the highest peaks on all the world's continents, and visit both the poles. He has already completed most of the course, including Mount Everest, Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak. [more]Dr. Harold Brown- The Scientific Contributions Of Frederich WohlerOur speaker this month was Dr. Harold Brown, who has been a CDHS member since 1994. A WWII Navy veteran, Dr. Brown got his PhD in chemistry from Wayne State University in Detroit, and was a longtime employee of Albany Medical Center. Dr. Brown's subject was the work of Frederich Woehler. Woehler drove the first nail in the coffin of the "vital force" doctrine. [more]Saving The Pine BushOur speaker in May was Lynne Jackson, who has been active in the organization Save The Pine Bush (SPB) from its 1978 inception, serving most of that time as Secretary. Lynne is a SUNY graduate in Environmental Studies. Her talk was titled "You Can Fight City Hall and Win." [more]The Secular Student Alliance in AlbanyOur speaker was August E. Brunsman IV, a member of our own CDHS, and Executive Director of the Secular Student Alliance (SSA). August's lively presentation aimed to put us in the picture concerning the SSA's doings. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization, whose main activity is to support and unite about 80 affiliated campus groups throughout the nation (and even in some exotic foreign countries such as Cameroon and Nepal), while trying to nurture the development of more such groups, promoting ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human-based ethics. [more]Can We Make A Difference for the Children?Our speaker this month was Mindy Whisenhut, Director of Religious Education at Schenectady's First Unitarian Society, who took a group of middle school kids to work helping poor Guatemalan children. The program, "Safe Passage," was started by an American woman, Hanley Denning (recently killed in a car accident). It focuses on children of families who survive by picking through garbage in the city dump. [more]Could Life Exist Elsewhere in the Universe?Dr. Delano is a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the State University of New York's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. People have long wondered about whether we are alone in the Universe. Until recent times, it has been idle speculation; but lately we have developed tools for tackling this issue on a scientific basis. [more]Donna Miller, current president of the Hudson Valley Writers GuildMs. Miller described the community of the Hudson Valley Writers' Guild. It provides workshops and other resources to its members. A grant from the City Arts Council will sponsors a talk and documentation regarding the architecture of Albany City Hall. More information is available at www.hvwg.org. [more]Your Geneology and Navigating The National Archives and Records AdministrationWhat does Elvis Presley have to do with national archives? This question and many others were answered at our well-attended program on December 10th. Jean Nudd, the ebullient archivist with the Pittsfield, Massachusetts office of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), presented an expert yet entertaining slide-talk, "Beginning Your Genealogy at the National Archives." [more]Professor Tim Madigan Speaks On The Scopes "Monkey" TrialProfessor Tim Madigan teaches philosophy at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, and is a former Executive Editor of Free Inquiry Magazine. Professor Madigan has appeared before our group several times and has been honored as an "Outstanding Friend of CDHS." His latest talk, at our November meeting, was entitled The 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial: Its Continuing Relevance. [more]Life, Liberty, and Happiness, an Optimist Manifesto by Frank RobinsonFrank Robinson talked about his just-published book, Life, Liberty, and Happiness, an Optimist Manifesto His book was honored with the Spooner Award for advancing the literature of liberty. Frank, a graduate of the NYU Law School, served for twenty-six years as an Administrative Law Judge for the New York Public Service Commission, and then turned his hobby of collecting world and ancient coins into a coin business. More about his book can be found on his website.[F.Robinson] [more]CDHS 20th Anniversary DinnerInauguration of the Dennis Bender award and Presentation by Lori Lipman Brown We had a great dinner with many local members present. A new award was
created and named in memory of Dennis Bender- recognizing outstanding leadership contributions to CDHS. Dennis, who died last year, was a founding member of this organization
and the one who held it together in its early, formative years.
Environmental Health Decision-making: How do we get our communities involved?Lois J Shapiro-Canter, J.D., president and CEO of the Saratoga Foundation for Women World-Wide, Inc, September 10, 2006 Lois J Shapiro-Canter, J.D., spoke at our September meeting. Shapiro-Canter has been a leader in environmental, economic, and civil justice for more than two decades and is a former Albany County Assistant District Attorney. Her discussion with us focused on "Environmental Health Decision-making: How do we get our communities involved?" [more]Applying the Principles of Secular HumanismDiscussion coordinated by Holly Nolan, 13 August 2006 We conducted a series of discussions on how we can apply and promote the principles of secular humanism. We initially broke up into sub-groups to separately discuss each of various particular "principles" in these contexts. We were asked to first consider each topic in the broad perspective of what we might ideally do if not constrained by resource and other limitations; then to discuss what our actual CDHS group might realistically do; and finally, what we can do as individuals. We ultimately heard reports from each group and then had a more general discussion. [more]Celebrating the achievments of a longtime memberBob Blank's 90th birthday, July 9, 2006 Our July meeting provided a treat for the 70 CDHSers and guests who gathered to celebrate Bob Blank's 90th birthday and delight in his reminiscences and reflections on a remarkable life well lived. Bob is a rare find. It is unlikely that any of us will ever encounter a fellow human who has traveled as extensively, read as widely, become engrossed in music as deeply, experienced such extremes of great love and devastating loss, and thought as penetratingly about all of this - and who retains such total recall of all this experience - as our own Renaissance Man. [more]Making Proctor's Theatre the cultural beacon of the Capital DistrictPhilip Morris, Executive Director and CEO of Proctor's Theatre, June 11, 2006 Philip Morris is (a) a pie-in-the-sky optimist, (b) a visionary, or (c) a schemer who will stop at nothing in pursuit of his ultimate goal. Those who heard him speak at the June 11 meeting of the Capital District Humanist Society, came away thinking that Morris, Executive Director and CEO of Proctor's Theatre, is all three. [more]How the fear of death affects human actions and politics.Sheldon Solomon, Professor of Psychology at Skidmore College, May 14, 2006 Events such as 9/11 remind societies of their death fears and can lead to the rise of charismatic leaders with simplistic and religious based messages. G. W. Bush's popularity after 9/11 has been ascribed to this phenomenon. [more]Luddite Objections to Human Cloning?Dr. Glenn McGee is director of the Alden March Bioethics Institute at Albany Medical Center, April, 2006 Professor McGee noted that when you are subjected to modern medical care, strangers are at your bedside. From admittance to and discharge from a hospital, as many as 94 medical people see your records; and that the American population is uninformed on what is going on. Genetic engineering is already in full swing and by many considered controversial. The controversies are exacerbated when it comes to stem-cell research and, of course, cloning. These are areas of particular concern to bioethics. [more]National health care - What is wrong with it and what is right?Dr. Paul Sorum, March 12, 2006 Dr. Paul Sorum's subject was national health care - what is wrong with it and what is right. Dr. Sorum is a Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Albany Medical College and the Chair of the Capital District chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program. Dr. Sorum is well qualified to speak on this subject. He has a wide background in primary care practice for children and adults. He teaches evidence-based medicine to medical students, and he has done research in medical decision-making and health psychology in the United States and France. [more]Evolution vs. (not so) Intelligent DesignID Panel Discussion Group, Feburary 12, 2006 How is evolution being taught in school? How should it be taught? Dr. Sam Bowser, research biologist, installing an observatory in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, to provide continuous views of life in the world's coldest seawater. Dr. Susan Jenks, Assistant Professor at Russell Sage with a joint appointment in Psychology and Biology; oversees interdisciplinary Biopsychology major. Melissa Joslin, Biology teacher at Averill Park High School and adjunct at Siena College instructing science majors preparing to teach in high schools [more]US in the WorldDr. Steven Liebo, January 8, 2006 Dr. Steven Leibo, professor of Modern Global History and Politics at The Sage Colleges, shared a wide range of thoughts on the place of the United States in the world in 2006. Since 2000, Dr. Leibo has organized trips to Vietnam for Vietnam War veterans, college students, and Vietnamese-Americans and has created a documentary on the effects of the Vietnam War on the Capital Region. He co-founded and edits an internet community that discusses Asian international relations. [more]U.S. Academics for Peace Delegation to Teheran and Damascus and the "Avoiding the Clash of Civilizations" ConferenceU.S. Academics for Peace Delegation, December 11, 2005 Three Capital District residents will discuss their remarkable travels to Iran and Syria as members of the US Academics for Peace delegation. John Amidon, Diane Reiner and Carole Ferraro recently returned from a trip intended to promote mutual understanding as an alternative to war Crime and Punishment in Albany CountyDavid Soares, November 13, 2005 David Soares, Albany County District Attorney, has almost completed his first year in office handling the most challenging job of his career. During the election last year, Soares had assumed that he would easily overcome the challenges of being District Attorney. Since then he has learned about the importance of public policy and the need to work with people that can be hard to get along with. He has learned the importance of letting go and moving forward to get programs working. [more]Albert Eistein -- Scientist-HumanistEarl Mullen, March 13, 2005 Our very own Earle
Mullen shared with us his fascination with the science and philosophy of Albert
Einstein. The United Nations has declared 2005 the International Year of
Physics in celebration of the centenary of Einstein’s Annus Mirabilis, in which
the 26-year-old patent clerk wrote six papers that shook the foundations of our
understanding of the universe. Einstein became an icon of the twentieth century
as evidence accumulated to support his overthrowing Newton’s theory of gravity.
He completely changed the concepts of space and time that hitherto has been
considered absolute. Yet despite his towering intellect, Einstein willingly
answered many people’s questions about a variety of topics. Charles Darwin Live and in ConcertRichard Milner, February 13, 2005 Over 100 people
packed our meeting room for Richard Milner’s performance of his show Charles Darwin: Live & in Concert.
Milner, an anthropologist-songwriter, combined a wide range of musical styles –
from Gilbert & Sullivan to Jimmy Durante to The Blues Brothers – to relate
the history and science of Charles Darwin and evolution. Educational Opportunities AbroadRobert R. Gosende, January 9, 2005 Dr. Gosende, a native of Springfield, Massachusetts, received B.A. and M.A. degrees from American International College of Springfield. He explained that he was able to earn his degrees while working full time. A.I.C. awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1991 in recognition of his work promoting international education and cultural exchange. What can and should CDHS do about Bush's War?Jim Wojtkowski, December 12, 2004 “What can and should CDHS do about
Bush’s war?” was the question. We put
aside other matters this month to deal, as we can, with this urgent matter.
Member Jim Wojtkowski, now an Executive Council member, brought his copy of a
locally made DVD documentary – three shorts, in fact – of the mass
demonstration in New York City last February 15, at which the Capital District
was represented by six buses and as many “Peace Train” riders. Problems with provisions of the USA PATRIOT ActMelanie Trimble, November 14, 2004 Problems with provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act topped Melanie Trimble’s talk in November. Trimble is the Executive Director of the Capital Region Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union. Congress passed all 350 pages of the PATRIOT Act in the wee hours one morning soon after the eruption of the anthrax scare and the September 11 terrorist attacks. The bill moved so quickly that most legislators did not have enough time to read it before casting their votes. In fact, the prose analysis of the Act, which explains in plain English what the bill would do, was not completed until after the bill was already passed. What can Humanist Realistically AccomplishDr. Jerry Lieberman, October 10, 2004 Dr. Jerry Lieberman talked to us about What humanists can realistically accomplish. Dr. Lieberman is president of the Humanist of Florida Association. His talk was not a lecture of the usual kind but designed and succeeded as a wake-up call to make more of ourselves and play a greater role in our community on all levels. Our CDHS is not unknown to him. He is well aware of our achievements, and praised in particular our monthly newsletter (which you are reading now), but without meaning offense, he prodded us that a humanist organization like ours could do more, and should. The Status of Reproductive RightsPatricia A. McGeown, September 12, 2004 Patricia A. McGeown, President and CEO, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, updated us at the September meeting on “The Status of Reproductive Rights: Threats in Legislation, Regulation, Policy, Scientific Integrity.” Travels in Kenming, ChinaGregg Millett, August 8, 2004 At our August meeting, CDHS member Gregg Millett and his granddaughter Krystal Garrison presented us with a slide show of their recent trip to a Chinese city, Kunming, and let us participate in their overwhelming experience. They were assisted by Bingru Xie, who is a native of Kunming and presently a Ph.D. student at the University at Albany. She helped with authentic comments and answers to questions. The Rise of the Religious RightDr. Kathleen Damiani, July 11, 2004 Kathleen Damiani, PhD, spoke at our July meeting on the rise of the religious right in the Republican Party. President of the Board of Directors of TheocracyWatch at Ithaca NY, she is a teacher who currently works as a grants administrator for the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation. TheocracyWatch is a project of the Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy at Cornell University. CRESP is a nonsectarian, action-based educational organization with its roots in religious dialogue, human rights advocacy, and ethical thought. How the war is affecting Iraqi citizens -- an illustrated discussionLorna Tychostup, June 13, 2004 The best way to describe Iraq is as a place where many different truths are happening at once. To get inside the Iraqi mind, Tychostup says, one has to understand their current situation in addition to what they endured under Saddam Hussein. What you see on the news, she says, is not necessarily the truth or the whole truth. Add to this the U.S. Involvement, its underlying motivations, the 2000 and upcoming U.S. elections, and the shades of gray can leave a visitor to Iraq with conflicting feelings. Themes found in the movie "Flight from Death"Sheldon Solomon, May 9, 2004 [more] Buckminster Fuller -- A Personal ViewKen Siegal, Apr. 12, 2004 Dr. CDHSer Ken Siegal spoke at the April meeting on R. Buckminster Fuller who, among many other things, designed the Geodesic Dome, coined the phrase "think globally and act locally," and developed the principles of "Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science" (which the Buckminster Fuller Institute describes as the attempt to anticipate and solve humanity's major problems through the highest technology by providing “more and more life support for everybody, with less and less resources. Lobbying on behalf of Humanist principlesTim Gordinier, Mar. 15, 2004 Dr. Tim Gordinier, IHS, Director of Public Policy, spoke at the March meeting on Lobbying and Humanism. He began by summarizing important recent and pending cases including the California Supreme Court ruling obligating religious hospitals to maintain the same emergency services as secular hospitals, the Davey vs. Locke decision that a state is not required to subsidize a theology degree if their constitution prohibits it, and the pending Newdow Pledge-of-Allegiance case. Gordinier also discussed the various methods of political activism along with the different types of lobbying and their effects and then the issues that the IHS lobbies for. Evolutionary clues in the Antarctic depthsDr. Sam Bowser, Feb. 8, 2004 Our February meeting celebrated Charles Darwin’s birthday, and as the icing on our “Happy Birthday Charles” cake we had the pleasure of Dr. Sam Bowser describing his searches for “Evolutionary Clues in the Antarctic Depth.” Prof. Bowser is with the Wadsworth Center department of Biomedical Science at SUNY and the NSF (National Science Foundation). [more]Introduced Diseases and their Impact on People and WildlifeWard Stone, Jan. 11, 2004 Ward Stone, head of the Wildlife Pathology Unit at the New York State Department of Conservation, spoke at the January meeting on "Introduced diseases and their impact on people and wildlife." His discussion included PCB pollution, infectious disease, the attitude of the DEC administration toward these threats, and what we face in the future. [more]Paradise for Sale: A Parable of NatureDr. Carl N. McDaniel, Dec 14, 2003 McDaniel began his slide show with some beautiful images of nature as an example of what we lose by dismantling the fabric of life that enriches the soil and creates the air. The current economic system is a flawed and bankrupt one. While this environmental crisis is happening, our attention instead is drawn to other sensational events. At least the environmental crisis is on the back page of the newspaper, however, because it used to be nowhere at all. It deserves to be on the front page. [more]Search for the genetic basis of human uniquenessDr. Caro-Beth Stewart, Nov 9, 2003 The discussion covered a lot of ground, including the history of the human genome project and the 1.5% genetic difference between humans and chimps. Also discussed, was the attitude of the U.S. medical establishment to evolutionary research (it has a tendency to dismiss its value). Professor Stewart then reviewed evolution research as it relates to the study of AIDS, and also the different approaches involved in researching genomic evolution. [more]Historical Patterns in Chinese ReligionDr. Anthony DeBlasi, Oct 12, 2003 Religion can be defined as a way that humans seek spiritual transformation and assistance from the nonhuman. Americans tend to draw a line between what is religion and what is philosophy. This line is not as clearly defined in China where, as Dr. Deblasi pointed out, for a long time there weren't separate words for the two concepts. [more]The Mysterious Friend: Mark Twain on War, Religion, and the Human ConditionTimothy J. Madigan, Sept 14, 2003 For many, Mark Twain's name conjures up images of an endearing twinkly-eyed humorist. Hollywood films such as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court reinforce this notion. However, as Tim Madigan, our September speaker, pointed out, one will find much more than just humor in Twain's writings. [more] Blacks left out of HistoryJacqui C. Williams, August 10, 2003
Jacqui Williams spoke to us at the August meeting about blacks left out of history and her FIGAH project: Filling In the Gaps in American History. Williams is a board member of the UU Congregation of Glens Falls and Member-at-Large of Saratoga NAACP Executive Board. In addition, she is active in the NY State Coalition Against Sexual Assault and previously served on the Tri County United Way and Adirondack Girl Scout Council. Sharing some of her family history, she traced back the name "Clara", which appears in every generation back to at least 1830. [more]
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-khalidy, Ph.D. July 13, 2003
Our July speaker, Abdulrahman Al-khalidy, PhD., is a Lebanese-American who earned his graduate Engineering degrees in America, and is now working on advanced medical X-ray technology development. He shared with us a personal and historic perspective of "Iraq and the Middle East." He discussed many aspects of Iraq including its history, Hussein's rise to power and his manipulation of the Baath party. Sunni and Shi'i Islam and the ethnic backgrounds of the population were also discussed. Dr. Al-khalidy shared some of his own life experiences to provide examples for the points he made. He explained how cultural and Arab language ties are in some ways more dominant than religious ones. For example, Sudan, Somalia, Egypt, etc. are not historically Arabic, but as the areas were conquered, the populations began speaking Arabic and now are considered Arabs (including Jewish Arabs). Also discussed were the five pillars of Islam, the sacred places, and the major beliefs. The speaker discussed the diversity to be found in Islamic society, not only in different sects, but also ethnically. For example, at the Islamic center in Albany one will meet people of about 40 different nationalities. Prof Steven Novella, MD, June 8, 2003
Prof. Steven Novella, MD, talked to us about Alternative Medicine: a skeptical look. Prof. Novella is Assistant Professor of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, President, The New England Skeptical Society, Associate Editor, The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine and the Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, and a member of the Advisory Board of Quackwatch and the American Council on Science and Health. Tim Gordinier, PhD, May 11, 2003 <
"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple" – Oscar Wilde. Tim Gordinier, PhD, Director of Public Policy and Education, Institute for Humanist Studies, spoke with us on "Preaching Heresy: A Different View of the Church/State Separation Controversy." Not surprisingly, he argues that the proper relationship of government and religion is one of separation. What may come as a surprise is the complex history and underlying motivations of separation. Prof. Richard P. Sloan PhD, April 13, 2003
Prof. Linda Patrik, March 9, 2003
How would you describe yourself? Are you a self-contained being? Maybe your thoughts and actions follow a linear path from beginning to end. Or do they? Either way, how does your sense of self inform your sense of ethics? Linda E. Patrik, Professor of Philosophy at Union College, guided us as we reexamined the idea of "self" in a talk on "Buddhist Ethics: Karma and Compassion." She described the atheist aspect of Buddhism along with the Theory of Interdependent arising, Karma and compassion. Buddhism is a form of atheism because it does not believe in a creator of the universe or creator of a universal moral code. Nor does it see any evidence for a soul or even a "self" in the western sense. Patrik describes Tibetan Buddhism (derived from movements in ancient India based in meditation) as "an investigation of psychological states that give rise to action, happiness, and pain." The Buddhist view is that there is no singular cause of our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Warren Allen Smith, February 9, 2003
"Hell is a silly theological invention, one that has done great harm to anyone who has been brainwashed into believing it." Warren Allen Smith, author of Who's Who in Hell and Celebrities in Hell, joined us for our February gathering. He discussed how damaging this invention called Hell is, and described the research that led to the publication of his humorously titled resource books for freethinkers. [more]
Prof. Wayne Shelton, January 12, 2003
Prof. Wayne Shelton, PhD, Associate Director of the Center for Medical Ethics at Albany Medical College, and Co-Director of the Albany Medical College/Union College Master's Program in Bioethics, spoke at our January meeting on the topic of "Clarifying the embryonic stem-cell research debate: making the case to go forward". Shelton described the astounding therapeutic value of stem-cell research. [more]
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