Andrew Copson on 4thoughtTV is worth listening to:
http://www.4thought.tv/themes/do-we-still-need-religious-leaders/andrew-copson
On twitter he says "they make you talk for an hour and then edit it down".
Also, respondng to Jim Al-Khalili: "they goad you for an hour in a totally white room
until you snap and that is the 80 seconds they use. It's a bit like torture."
Monday, 7 January 2013
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Optimism or Pessimism in the New Year?
Our next meeting is at 7pm on Thursday the 10th
Jan. This will be the first debate of the year and I look forward to it being a
good one so bring a friend.
Happy New Year to one and all. -- from Stephen Milton
“This House believes that we will be better off in 50
years time”
In these times of enormous uncertainty should we be
optimistic or pessimistic about the future our children will
face?
Will the future see us enjoying an ongoing march of progress,
delivering unimaginable benefits that will transform our world in the same way
that we have seen it transformed in the period since the beginning of the
industrial revolution? Or will we succumb to the disasters that threaten us,
global warming, raw materials shortages, economic decline?
The very future of the world is the issue. Everybody is
welcome to come and listen or participate in the debate which promises to be
extremely lively, whatever you point of view.
Making the case for the proposition will be Steve
Milton.
Making the case against, will be Duncan
Cleverley
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result of the Debate:
The initial vote was 8 for, 12 against, 3 abstentions
The final vote was 8 for, 16 against, 3 abstentions
There were 24 present at the start and 28 at the end, and 1 didn't vote.
So the motion was defeated, but the attendance was excellent,
and the presenters put forward good contrasting arguments,
and there were excellent exchanges from the floor.
Thanks to everyone who participated.
Result of the Debate:
The initial vote was 8 for, 12 against, 3 abstentions
The final vote was 8 for, 16 against, 3 abstentions
There were 24 present at the start and 28 at the end, and 1 didn't vote.
So the motion was defeated, but the attendance was excellent,
and the presenters put forward good contrasting arguments,
and there were excellent exchanges from the floor.
Thanks to everyone who participated.
Friday, 21 December 2012
Is the 'Geek Movement' bad for Science?
There's a big debate on the blog linked to below that's well worth a read:
http://sci2pol.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/why-the-geek-movement-is-bad-for-science/
There are responses in the comments from a number of big hitters!
There has also been quite a lot of exchanges on twitter.
For those who may not know, Steve Fuller, the first of the commentators, is a sociologist who has postmodern views on science, and gave a somewhat comic turn at the famous Dover Creationist (or Intelligent Design) trial. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_Area_School_District
David Colquhoun is a Professor at UCL who campaigns against homeopathy and has a blog here:
http://www.dcscience.net/
He tweeted: "If Fuller approves, it must be wrong!" to which I responded "Yes that's usually a good rule of thumb." and got retweeted by the author of the sci2pol blog Haralambos Dayantis.
http://sci2pol.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/why-the-geek-movement-is-bad-for-science/
There are responses in the comments from a number of big hitters!
There has also been quite a lot of exchanges on twitter.
For those who may not know, Steve Fuller, the first of the commentators, is a sociologist who has postmodern views on science, and gave a somewhat comic turn at the famous Dover Creationist (or Intelligent Design) trial. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_Area_School_District
David Colquhoun is a Professor at UCL who campaigns against homeopathy and has a blog here:
http://www.dcscience.net/
He tweeted: "If Fuller approves, it must be wrong!" to which I responded "Yes that's usually a good rule of thumb." and got retweeted by the author of the sci2pol blog Haralambos Dayantis.
Thursday, 22 November 2012
December Five Minutes of Fame
As for last year our December meeting will be open to anyone to make a five or ten minute presentation to the group on any topic on which you may have something interesting to say. This can be a rant or a silly story or a carefully considered argument or a portrait of someone from history or indeed anything, maybe only slightly related to Humanism.
Those who wish to become members for the next year should note that the annual membership fee is now £6. This is additional to the £2 per meeting to cover the cost of room hire.
Those who wish to become members for the next year should note that the annual membership fee is now £6. This is additional to the £2 per meeting to cover the cost of room hire.
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Minutes of 2012 AGM
1. Ten members were present and five members sent apologies for absence.
The Minutes of the 2011 AGM (http://hastingshumanists.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/decisions-at-our-agm.html) were read and agreed to be correct.
2. The Secreary and Treasurer gave reports on the year's events.
The Secretary reviewed the year's meetings, but expressed disappointment at the turn-out of supporters to the two featuring outside speakers.
The meeting endorsed a vote of thanks to Stephen Milton for all the work he has done to enhance the meetings with his computer and projector and technical expertise.
The Secretary reported that Hastings Humanists had become a member of Hastings Voluntary Action (HVA), and indicated that other members might wish to receive HVA bulletins or attend the HVA AGM and Conference on 29 November (http://www.hastingsvoluntaryaction.org/).
The Treasurer's report revealed that our income is just covering the cost of room hire, but we would be in deficit if not for the generosity of certain members. The view was expressed that such payments ought to be explicit in the accounts in future.
3. Organisation of the group.
It was decided to stay with the present Thursday meetings and not change to Wednesday or Tuesday (since the change might suit some but would cause difficulty for others).
New rules for the annual subscription, proposed by the Treasurer and Deputy Chair were agreed after some discussion. It was decided that:
1) The payment for members at each meeting would remain at £2, but be increased to £3 for non-members, although this could be waived for a first ‘taster’ meeting.
2) The membership fee would increase to £6, and become renewable after the AGM in November.
3) There would be no reduction in the fee for a new member joining late in the year.
It was decided not to renew payment of our Affiliation fee to the BHA for next year unless communications with them improve.
It was decided to keep to the present name of the group, rather than change to Hastings and Bexhill Humanists or Hastings and Rother Humanists.
Ideas for a "strap line" to go beneath "Hastings Humanists" on our blog and other publicity are invited. Please email your ideas to: george . jelliss @ virgin . net (close spaces).
4. PROGRAMME
The Secretary revealed that two outside speakers had already been approached for next year, though they were not yet definite. Three members had also offered talks. One of these was provisionally approved. It was noted that another joint meeting with Hastings Inter-Faith Forum might be possible, given a suitable subject. Ideas for other subjects were only briefly considered due to lack of time.
Stephen Milton kindly offered to take on the extra task of Programme Secretary for next year.
5. CAMPAIGNS.
There was no time to discuss campaigns.
6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The following modified division of labour was agreed:
Stephen Milton: Chair and Programme Secretary
Duncan Cleverley: Treasurer and Twittermaster
Lesley Arnold-Hopkins: Deputy Chair and Assistant Treasurer
Mike Lynott and/or Hillary Randall: Publicity Assistants
Steve Berks: Social Secretary
George Jelliss: Secretary and Blogger (but with less involvement in Programme and Publicity).
The Minutes of the 2011 AGM (http://hastingshumanists.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/decisions-at-our-agm.html) were read and agreed to be correct.
2. The Secreary and Treasurer gave reports on the year's events.
The Secretary reviewed the year's meetings, but expressed disappointment at the turn-out of supporters to the two featuring outside speakers.
The meeting endorsed a vote of thanks to Stephen Milton for all the work he has done to enhance the meetings with his computer and projector and technical expertise.
The Secretary reported that Hastings Humanists had become a member of Hastings Voluntary Action (HVA), and indicated that other members might wish to receive HVA bulletins or attend the HVA AGM and Conference on 29 November (http://www.hastingsvoluntaryaction.org/).
The Treasurer's report revealed that our income is just covering the cost of room hire, but we would be in deficit if not for the generosity of certain members. The view was expressed that such payments ought to be explicit in the accounts in future.
3. Organisation of the group.
It was decided to stay with the present Thursday meetings and not change to Wednesday or Tuesday (since the change might suit some but would cause difficulty for others).
New rules for the annual subscription, proposed by the Treasurer and Deputy Chair were agreed after some discussion. It was decided that:
1) The payment for members at each meeting would remain at £2, but be increased to £3 for non-members, although this could be waived for a first ‘taster’ meeting.
2) The membership fee would increase to £6, and become renewable after the AGM in November.
3) There would be no reduction in the fee for a new member joining late in the year.
It was decided not to renew payment of our Affiliation fee to the BHA for next year unless communications with them improve.
It was decided to keep to the present name of the group, rather than change to Hastings and Bexhill Humanists or Hastings and Rother Humanists.
Ideas for a "strap line" to go beneath "Hastings Humanists" on our blog and other publicity are invited. Please email your ideas to: george . jelliss @ virgin . net (close spaces).
4. PROGRAMME
The Secretary revealed that two outside speakers had already been approached for next year, though they were not yet definite. Three members had also offered talks. One of these was provisionally approved. It was noted that another joint meeting with Hastings Inter-Faith Forum might be possible, given a suitable subject. Ideas for other subjects were only briefly considered due to lack of time.
Stephen Milton kindly offered to take on the extra task of Programme Secretary for next year.
5. CAMPAIGNS.
There was no time to discuss campaigns.
6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The following modified division of labour was agreed:
Stephen Milton: Chair and Programme Secretary
Duncan Cleverley: Treasurer and Twittermaster
Lesley Arnold-Hopkins: Deputy Chair and Assistant Treasurer
Mike Lynott and/or Hillary Randall: Publicity Assistants
Steve Berks: Social Secretary
George Jelliss: Secretary and Blogger (but with less involvement in Programme and Publicity).
Saturday, 20 October 2012
November AGM 2012
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Thursday 8 November 2012, 7 - 9 pm at the White Rock Hotel.
AGENDA (The sequence may be varied according to direction from the Chair, other items may be raised in appropriate sections or at the end)
1. Apologies for Absence. Minutes of 2011 AGM (if any).
2. Reports by Office-holders, including Secretary and Treasurer, on the year's events. Progress and problems.
3. Discussion on the present organisation of the group. Election of Officers. The current Secretary is standing down. The secretarial work can perhaps be split among members. Should the day of meeting be changed, e.g. to Wednesdays? Do the rules for the annual subscription need clarifying? Do we continue to Affiliate to the BHA or become Partners? Change of name, e.g. to Hastings and Bexhill Humanists?
4. Programme for 2013. Appointment of a Programme Secretary. Offers of talks received. Ideas for subjects to discuss or speakers to invite. Social events? Debates? Joint meetings?
5. Campaigns to support, either individually or as a group. For example: BHA campaign against faith schools. Libel reform campaign. One law for all (against Sharia). Monitoring East Sussex SACRE. Hastings foodbank.
6. Any Other Business.
Thursday 8 November 2012, 7 - 9 pm at the White Rock Hotel.
AGENDA (The sequence may be varied according to direction from the Chair, other items may be raised in appropriate sections or at the end)
1. Apologies for Absence. Minutes of 2011 AGM (if any).
2. Reports by Office-holders, including Secretary and Treasurer, on the year's events. Progress and problems.
3. Discussion on the present organisation of the group. Election of Officers. The current Secretary is standing down. The secretarial work can perhaps be split among members. Should the day of meeting be changed, e.g. to Wednesdays? Do the rules for the annual subscription need clarifying? Do we continue to Affiliate to the BHA or become Partners? Change of name, e.g. to Hastings and Bexhill Humanists?
4. Programme for 2013. Appointment of a Programme Secretary. Offers of talks received. Ideas for subjects to discuss or speakers to invite. Social events? Debates? Joint meetings?
5. Campaigns to support, either individually or as a group. For example: BHA campaign against faith schools. Libel reform campaign. One law for all (against Sharia). Monitoring East Sussex SACRE. Hastings foodbank.
6. Any Other Business.
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Our October Meeting
Rumy Hasan of the University of Sussex, and author of Multiculturalism: Some Inconvenient Truths will revisit a lecture he gave to the Ethical Society at Conway Hall in March. The title of his lecture is: Religion, Identity and Psychic Detachment: Exploring some Consequences.
By 'psychic detachment' he means a mode of thinking whereby immigrants are alienated from their host society as if they are living elsewhere. This can be associated with segregation, which facilitates the formation of a heightened religious identity.
He looks at the political consequences of multicultural policies, and the way this has been exploited by extremists, and advocates a focus on increasing integration to promote social cohesion.
This meeting is from 7 to 9 pm on Thursday 11 October at the White Rock Hotel. Admission is £2.
Rumy Hasan is Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit: Profile.
======
Addendum: 23 October. I was extremely disappointed and discouraged by the poor attendance of our members at the October meeting. The speaker deserved a much better turnout. Fortunately four non-members made the number more respectable.
There is an excellent article about Dr Hasan and his book in
The Freethinker
Spotted by our Twitter editor Duncan.
By 'psychic detachment' he means a mode of thinking whereby immigrants are alienated from their host society as if they are living elsewhere. This can be associated with segregation, which facilitates the formation of a heightened religious identity.
He looks at the political consequences of multicultural policies, and the way this has been exploited by extremists, and advocates a focus on increasing integration to promote social cohesion.
This meeting is from 7 to 9 pm on Thursday 11 October at the White Rock Hotel. Admission is £2.
Rumy Hasan is Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit: Profile.
======
Addendum: 23 October. I was extremely disappointed and discouraged by the poor attendance of our members at the October meeting. The speaker deserved a much better turnout. Fortunately four non-members made the number more respectable.
There is an excellent article about Dr Hasan and his book in
The Freethinker
Spotted by our Twitter editor Duncan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)