Misinformation is nothing new. For as long as humans have communicated, they also manipulated information and deceived others to gain power. Nevertheless, scholars, journalists and pundits have expressed a concern about humanity entering a new “Post-Truth” era, one driven by the collapse of truth and political turmoil. In this talk, Dr. Ophir argues that humans have never been motivated by […]
Losing the Dark – The Importance of Dark Skies to Astronomy, Nature, and Us
Finding truly dark skies has gotten harder and harder as humanity has become more urban. This not only makes it difficult for astronomers to see faint night sky objects, it has an effect on wildlife who also take their cues from the stars. Join Dr. Mindy Townsend, astronomer with the Dudley Observatory at Siena as she discusses the unintended consequences […]
Live To See The Day: Coming of Age in American Poverty
Kensington, Philadelphia, is distinguished only by its poverty. It is home to Ryan, Giancarlos and Emmanuel, three Puerto Rican children who live among the most marginalized families in the United States. This is the story of their coming-of-age, which is beset by violence–the violence of homelessness, hunger, incarceration, stray bullets, sexual and physical assault, the hypermasculine logic of the streets, […]
The Well-Connected Animal: Social Networks and the Wondrous Complexity of Animal Societies
It’s all about who you know. Whether vampire bats sharing blood meals for survival, macaque monkeys forming grooming pacts after a deadly hurricane, marmots warning others of danger lurking in the mist, or long-tailed manakins singing and dancing their little hearts out—it pays to be well connected. Dr. Lee Alan Dugatkin is a Professor and Distinguished University Scholar in the […]
National Preparedness Month: Emergency Preparedness
Since its inception in 2004, National Preparedness Month is observed in the U.S. during the month of September. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages everyone to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes and in their communities. This meeting will discuss the potential emergencies and natural disasters the Capital District may experience and how to prepare you […]
Morality De-Mystified
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 […]