Skeptic: Promoting Science and Critical Thinking

Origins & the Big Questions (2008)

Today, there is arguably no hotter topic in culture than science & religion. So much of the debate turns on the Big Questions that involve Origins: the origin of the universe, the origin of the ‘fine-tuned’ laws of nature, the origin of time and time’s arrow, the origin of life and complex life, and the origin of brains, minds, and consciousness. From theologians and philosophers to creationists and intelligent design theorists, the central core of almost all of their arguments centers on filling these origin gaps with God. But now science is making significant headway into providing natural explanations for these ultimate questions, which leaves us with the biggest question of all: Does science make belief in God obsolete?

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The Environmental Wars (2006)

This conference was held over the weekend of June 2–4, 2006, at Caltech on the theme of ‘The Environmental Wars: The Science Behind the Politics.’ It featured Jonathan Adler, Ronald Bailey, Dr. David Baltimore, Dr. Gregory Benford, Dr. Brian Fagan, Dr. David Goodstein, Dr. Paul MacCready, Chris Mooney, Dr. Donald Prothero, Dr. Michael Shermer, special guests John Stossel and Michael Crichton.

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Brain, Mind & Consciousness (2005)

This conference was held over the weekend of May 13–15, 2005 at Caltech. Lectures included: The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach with Dr. Christof Koch, Children as Scientists: How the Brain Learns to Think with Dr. Alison Gopnik, In Search of Memory — True, False, Repressed, Recovered with Dr. Richard McNally, Sleep, Dreams, and the Subconscious with Dr. Terry Sejnowski, Exploring Altered States of Consciousness with Dr. Susan Blackmore, The Search for the Neurological Basis of the Social Emotions with Dr. John Allman, From Whence Trust Comes: Oxytocin and Behavioral Economics with Dr. Paul Zak, Consciousness is Nothing But a Word with Dr. Hank Schlinger, and From Biology to Consciousness to Morality with Dr. Ursula Goodenough.

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A Festschrift in Honor of Stephen Jay Gould (2000)

This conference was held on October 7, 2000 at Caltech Commemorating 26 years and 300 consecutive essays in Natural History — “This View of Life” by Stephen Jay Gould, America’s evolution laureate.

Dr. Gould is one of the best known and most highly decorated scientists of our age. After an A.B. from Antioch College and a Ph.D. from Columbia, Gould began his teaching career at Harvard, won the prestigious Schuchert Award for excellence in paleontological research by a scientist under 40, won the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Fellowship, was named “Scientist of the Year” by Discover magazine for the theory of punctuated equilibrium, was named Humanist Laureate by the Academy of Humanism, was awarded 41 honorary degrees, was voted a member of the National Academy of Science, and served a term as President of the AAAS. He has written 20 books (for which he received a National Book Critics Circle Award and the Phi Beta Kappa Book Award) and over 600 scientific papers.

Speakers at this conference included: Dr. David Baltimore, Dr. Louis Friedman, Dr. Donald Prothero, Dr. Frank J. Sulloway, Dr. Paul MacCready, Dr. James Powell, James “the Amazing” Randi, Dr. Carol Tavris, Richard Milner, and Dr. Michael Shermer.

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Reinventing Evolution (1999)

This conference was held over the weekend of May 21–22, 1999 at Caltech. Participants enjoyed lectures on the following topics: Is Evolution in Trouble?; What Americans Believe About Evolution; Gould’s Dangerous Idea: What Really Scares People About Evolution; A Century of Pseudoscience: A Look Back at 20th-Century Nonsense; Why People Don’t Believe in Evolution; Is Evolution a Social Construction? Keynote entertainment, “Charles Darwin — Live and in Concert,” was provided by Richard Milner. Speakers included: Randy Cassingham, Dr. Niles Eldredge, Dr. John R. “Jack” Horner, Frank Miele, James “The Amazing” Randi, Dr. Michael Ruse, Dr. Eugenie Scott, and Dr. Michael Shermer.

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God, Religion & Myths (1998)

This conference was held over the weekend of May 22–24, 1998 at Caltech. Participants enjoyed an evening of magic and socializing, a day of lectures, a brilliant keynote address, and a one day workshop. Why do people need religion? Can a true believer come and explain to a room full of skeptics how you can be both a skeptic and a believer in God at the same time? What are the true origins of the gospels? Is theism/atheism a question of one’s knowledge of the Universe or of one’s opinion about it? How do myths deal with subjets such as transition and relationships between men and women, within families and in societies?

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Science Controversies (1997)

This conference was held in May 1997. Lectures included: Can History Be a Science? with Dr. Frank Sulloway, The Science Gap Between Therapists and Scientists with Dr. Carol Tavris, Why People Believe Weird Things with Dr. Michael Shermer, Controversies in Anthropology with Dr. Vincent Sarich, Pilate’s Unanswered Question — “What is Truth?” with Frank Miele, The Million Dollar Psychic Challenge with James Randi, and Guns, Germs, and Steel with keynote speaker Dr. Jared Diamond on.

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Evolutionary Psychology & Humanistic Ethics (1996)

This conference was held in March 1996. Lectures included: The Evolution of Intelligence with Dr. Paul Churchland, The Evolution of Consciousness with Dr. Patricia Churchland, The Human Quest: Evolution and the Origin of the Mind with Roger Bingham, The Evolution of Female Sexual Attractiveness with Dr. Donald Symons, Twins and the Genetic Basis of Behavior with Dr. Nancy Segal, The Myth of the Noble Savage: Lessons from the Yanomamö People with Dr. Napoleon Chagnon, Prospects for Morality: God, Women, and Evolution with Dr. John Hartung, The Secular Sphinx: The Riddle of Morality Without Religion with Dr. Michael Shermer, and Pseudoscience in Asia with James “The Amazing” Randi.

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Science and the Media (1995)

This conference was held in March 1995. Lectures included: How I Became a Skeptic While Investigating Psychics with Jessica Yu, The Emily Event: Testing Therapeutic Touch with Linda Rosa, Free Speech and Fringe Claims with Frank Miele, and Paranormal Talk Shows with Dr. Michael Shermer.

Symposium: Race & IQ (1995)

This one-day symposium was held on February 26, 1995. Subtitled “For Whom the Bell Curve Tolls,” this event included lectures by Dr. Vincent Sarich in support of The Bell Curve; Dr. Diane Halpern critical of The Bell Curve. and Dr. Daniel Kevles on the history of the race and IQ controversy.

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