Category: Forums

Byron Kerr

October 9, 2016

Byron Kerr from LifeRing Secular Recovery (www.lifering.org) will discuss the work of LifeRing, which is an abstinence-based, worldwide network of individuals seeking to live in recovery from addiction to alcohol or to other non-medically indicated drugs. LifeRing offers peer-to-peer support that encourages personal growth and continued learning through personal empowerment (e.g., by developing, refining, and sharing personal strategies for continued abstinence and crafting a rewarding life in recovery).

 

Humanist Community Forum (2016-10-09): Is addiction a choice, a disease, or a morality issue? (Byron Kerr) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

Laurie Powell

October 2, 2016

Doctor of Psychology Laurie Powell is a local Humane Educator for the Ethical Choices Program (http://www.ethicalchoicesprogram.org/), an international non-profit that shares information about the impact of modern animal agriculture on human health, the environment, and the welfare of other species. The program provides free presentations to high schools, colleges, and adult organizations, empowering viewers to make more thoughtful and responsible food choices. By providing only current research and information, they help others examine their food choices in a nonjudgmental, honest and respectful way.

Fred Edwords

September 25, 2016

The American Humanist Association uses “Good without a God” as its motto. But how does one actually do that? Doesn’t morality require some absolute point of reference, such as a god? If not, where do moral values come from? And without that ultimate reference point, how can we argue that one course of action is more virtuous than another? Fred Edwords (former AHA Executive Director, Humanist magazine editor, and United Coalition of Reason national director, and current AHA director of planned giving) will show how our laws, ethics, and morality turn out to be rooted in human experience and make no sense outside of it.

 

Humanist Community Forum (2016-09-25): The Human Basis of Laws and Ethics (Fred Edwords) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

 

Alex Havasy

September 18, 2016

Humanist Community member Alex Havasy will present summaries of the California state ballot propositions that will be on the November 2016 ballot. The summary will include the main arguments in favor of and against each proposition, who is financing it, and how various organizations recommend you vote. Attendees will be encouraged to add their input.

 

Humanist Community Forum (2016-09-18): The November 2016 California State Ballot Propositions (Alex Havasy) from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

 

Arthur Jackson

September 11, 2016

Longtime Humanist Community member and leader Arthur Jackson will present a summary and discussion of the book “The Psychopath Whisperer: The Science of Those Without Conscience” by Kent A. Kiehl, Ph.D. Mr. Jackson believes that this book brings humanist thinking into view as the foundation for our society to work effectively on all our current social problems.