Forums – Page 74

How to Avoid a Nuclear Confrontation between the U.S. and North Korea

Sharat G. Lin

March 11, 2018

As a member of the “Axis of Evil”, North Korea is perhaps the single most demonized country on Earth in Western eyes. North Korea has faced U.S.-led hostility and isolation for 70 years, relentless sanctions, and now impulsive threats of nuclear annihilation. Sharat G. Lin traveled to North Korea to see firsthand what the country is really like. He presents an eye-opening picture of a country few Americans have ever seen, and finds a viable road to peace and reunification for Korea that calls for a drastic change in U.S. policy.

Dr. Lin is a research fellow and former president of the San Jose Peace and Justice Center. He received his Ph.D. in medical physics and nuclear medicine. He writes and lectures on global political economy, labor migration, and public health.

How to Avoid a Nuclear Confrontation between the U.S. and North Korea – Sharat G. Lin from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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Biochemical Genetics of Alcoholism

Jonathan Karpf

March 4, 2018

This presentation will discuss the evidence supporting a genetic component to alcoholism (a hypothesis that attempts to explain the biological addiction seen in a subset of alcoholics), as well as a series of experiments that sought to test this hypothesis by providing a genetic mechanism.

Jonathan Karpf is a biological anthropologist trained at UC Berkeley, and has been teaching at San Jose State University in the Department of Anthropology since 1987.

Biochemical Genetics of Alcoholism – Jonathan Karpf from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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Camp Quest West – Fun, Friends, Freethought

Peter Worden

February 25, 2018

Camp Quest West is a week-long sleep-away summer camp serving kids ages 8 – 17. We advocate science, critical thinking and humanist values and promote creativity, community and inclusivity. Camp Quest West is a chapter of Camp Quest Inc. and is ACA accredited. We have two locations: Nevada City, CA and Wrightwood, CA. Campers experience a traditional summer camp (hikes, swimming, canoeing, archery, team games, arts and crafts, skits, bonfires), eight different critical thinking activities and lots of singing. Every adult at camp is a volunteer. Some of us have so much fun we think maybe we should have to pay to work as a camp counselor. (See https://www.facebook.com/CampQuestWest/)

Camp Quest West – Fun, Friends, Freethought – Peter Worden from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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Six Degrees of Bertrand Russell

Prof. Peter Stone

February 18, 2018

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was one of the most influential public intellectuals of the 20th century. A leading philosopher, humanist, atheist, and peace activist, he has receded from the public eye since his death almost fifty years ago. Peter Stone, who teaches political science at Trinity College Dublin, will argue that Russell is more relevant than ever today. He will illustrate Russell’s importance by discussing Russell’s many connections to other leading people of his day—philosophers, politicians, artists, and others—and what we can learn from them.

Six Degrees of Bertrand Russell – Prof. Peter Stone from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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Aesthetic Atheism

Prof. Tom Leddy

February 11, 2018

“Aesthetic Atheism” is Professor Tom Leddy’s term for a philosophical position that is atheist in that it denies the existence of God, souls and immortality, but is open to valuing religious experience as a kind of aesthetic phenomenon. This theory draws from his readings of such philosophers as Plato, Kant and Nietzsche. He argues that religious experience can be best described as an experience of the sublime. He has written about this theory on his blog: http://aestheticstoday.blogspot.com/2016/06/table-of-contents-for-aesthetic-atheism.html.

Thomas Leddy is Professor of Philosophy at San Jose State University where he has taught since 1983. He received his Ph.D. from Boston University in 1981. He is author of “The Extraordinary in the Ordinary: The Aesthetics of Everyday Life” (2012) and edits a popular blog on aesthetics, Aesthetics Today: http://aestheticstoday.blogspot.com/

Aesthetic Atheism – Prof. Tom Leddy from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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