Most Jews in the United States don’t believe in the God of the Bible, yet still consider themselves Jewish. How does this work? We’ll talk about the trend in general, then focus on how Humanistic Judaism offers a non-theistic alternative to contemporary branches of Judaism, by defining Judaism as the cultural and historical experience of the Jewish people and removing […]
Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds
You know how when someone disgrees with you, and you educate them with your evidence, they say, “Of course you’re right! Yeah, that doesn’t happen very often. But there is a better way! This presentation explains how to think better and have more productive conversations. Melanie Trecek-King is an Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, where she teaches […]
Skepticism In the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Advancements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) are undeniable. Arthur C. Clark said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”, and while contemporary AI might not yet qualify as sufficiently advanced, it does seem to be converging in that direction. What should a non-expert know about the field to apply appropriate scientific skepticism? Let’s cut through the hype […]
America Needs Atheists Now More Than Ever
Kate Cohen is the author of We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too. The book chronicles Kate’s journey from Reform Jew to outspoken atheist, her decision to raise her children as atheists, and her attempts to create for her own family the benefits that religion provides for others. It also argues that nonbelievers should […]
How to Sustain Humanity, Advance our Civilization, and Succeed as a Species
Humanity must enter into a completely new understanding of the reality in which we exist. The window of opportunity to make the necessary and monumental shift in thinking is small compared to the large obstacles in our current belief systems — political, economic, social, and religious — that must be dissolved. Yet, this must happen if we and all the […]
Alternative Health Practices and Pseudoscience
Alternative health practices abound, most based on pseudoscience, or no science at all. Some of these therapies are harmless, other than what is paid for them, some may be actually harmful, and some while harmless may divert patients with real problems from seeking competent medical care. This presentation will shed some light. Abhijit Chanda is a science communicator, writer, public […]
A Better Life: Joy & Meaning In A World Without God
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Religiosity and Happiness: Much Ado About Nothing
There are a number of studies that suggest religiosity is related to happiness or well-being and that less religious or nonreligious individuals are not as happy as are religious individuals (Fenelon and Danielsen 2016). However, the findings on the relationship between religiosity and happiness are mixed, with some studies finding that higher levels of religiosity are related to higher levels […]