BEYOND BELIEF 2006..Dawkins, Harris, Weinberg

[and-justice-for-all]

http://beyondbelief2006.org/Watch/

[greyl]

1. some info

to encourage people to watch. ;)

Just 40 years after a famous TIME magazine cover asked "Is God Dead?" the answer appears to be a resounding "No!" According to a survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in a recent issue of Foreign Policy magazine, "God is Winning". Religions are increasingly a geopolitical force to be reckoned with. Fundamentalist movements - some violent in the extreme - are growing. Science and religion are at odds in the classrooms and courtrooms. And a return to religious values is widely touted as an antidote to the alleged decline in public morality. After two centuries, could this be twilight for the Enlightenment project and the beginning of a new age of unreason? Will faith and dogma trump rational inquiry, or will it be possible to reconcile religious and scientific world views? Can evolutionary biology, anthropology and neuroscience help us to better understand how we construct beliefs, and experience empathy, fear and awe? Can science help us create a new rational narrative as poetic and powerful as those that have traditionally sustained societies? Can we treat religion as a natural phenomenon? Can we be good without God? And if not God, then what?

This is a critical moment in the human situation, and The Science Network in association with the Crick-Jacobs Center brought together an extraordinary group of scientists and philosophers to explore answers to these questions. The conversation took place at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA from November 5-7, 2006.
http://beyondbelief2006.org/About/

[and-justice-for-all]

2. I didnt think to post anything other then the link...my bad. nt

[Az]

3. Gotta keep in mind those names are big in our community

Not in everyone's community.

[greyl]

4. No worries, mate. ;) nt

[The Minus World]

5. Delayed kick

I'm going to kick this topic back up to the top in hopes that some curious mind might catch it on its way back down. Cosmology is an interesting subject, but it certainly has none of the sex appeal of a good political scandal.

On the topic: as science and technology progress, we learn to better understand the universe, and we are just now beginning to recognize the relatively insignificant role we play in the grand scheme of things. However, our ability to accumulate scientific knowledge is hampered by the actions of religious zealots who prefer we explain the inexplicable as simple "acts of God", rather than measurable physical phenomena. There are so many historical examples of religion halting science; dogma overshadowing fact, it's unnerving to think of what the human race could have accomplished without the fetters of mysticism binding its hands.

I wish everyone had the motivation to step back from the maelstrom of modern American politics, or whatever else is preoccupying their busy minds, and truly consider these matters.

[Az]

6. Unfortunately this got posted late night last night as well

So it missed the entire day time crew. Maybe someone should give it a tap later on today as well.

[and-justice-for-all]

7. Bump...nt

[sutz12]

8. Bookmarked and....

:kick: