Up@dawn 2.0

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Next

We begin 50 Voices next time, and Jamie has agreed to kick off report presentations. He'll be the first of *seven. Presenters, please prepare a short list of your main points  for me to follow during your presentation. Let us know if there's anything you'd suggest we read in advance of your presentation.
T  21 Blackford (Blackford, Downey, Everitt, Benson, Schellenberg). Additional text nominations
Let's stay on track with group-based posts & comments, please. 


Let's also start discussing whether we want to select an additional required text (not necessarily in book form) to cover the three open slots in April. If we decide to do that, we can begin posting our nominations** prior to a vote on the exam date (Feb. 28).


Speaking of the exam: we should gather all the separately posted "factual questions" some of you have been proposing, and add to them. If someone wants to get that started under the title "Exam Questions," thanks in advance. 


*Tentative presentation schedule:
T 21 - Jamie, The Golden Age of Islamic Atheism


Th 23 - Ben & Steven, Religion & Neuroscience; Daniel, Nietzsche & Morality


T 28 - Meghan, Parenting Beyond Belief; Matthew, tba


Th 1 - Jonathan, Is the New Testament Historically Reliable?; and someone whose handwriting I can't decipher, and whose title I don't understand - it seems to say "Defend the God: 6 EC." - ???


Here are those intending to submit blog posts for the midterm report (final posts to be up by the 1st... comments from the rest of us encouraged):
  • BJ, Common Sense/Everyday Morality
  • Patrick, Topics in practical "magick" through the lens of Wicca
  • Brian, tba
  • Erik, United Mind Theory
  • Dean, Morality Without God
  • David, Agnosticism vs. Atheism
Everybody else (I presume) is submitting an essay. They'll be due on the 1st.
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**"Is Christianity Good for the World" & "Collision" nominated by David... Other suggestions for us all to read in April?


==
"Why I Am An Atheist" - Michael Shermer


The Singularity... (& see comments on Erik's posts)

6 comments:

  1. Sorry I wasn't in class today. I fear I have caught some bug, and I was in no shape to make the journey south.

    I just wanted to mention that another interesting option might be "Is Christianity Good for the World," the debate between Hitch and Douglas Wilson. It was condensed into a small book (tiny, actually) and would make for a fun and quick read.

    This same debate was also the subject of a very well done documentary, entitled "Collision" which I highly recommend. It's dramatically staged, much like a prize fight between two heavyweights.

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  2. I doubt my doubt, doubt itself is unsure
    I love, but for whom do I sigh?
    Not Muslim, yet not heathen, who am I? - Farid Attar

    Was reading today and re-discovered this old favorite of mine. A brief preview of my presentation. :)

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  3. Thanks for the "Collision" tip, David! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU0Ue-Ki-mU

    If you doubt your doubt, is your identity any less secure than if you're "certain"? I doubt it. But I'll bet I'm missing your point, Jamie? All will become clear on Tuesday I'm sure.

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  4. I don't really have an opinion on which books we slide into our free spots by the way. I'm not familiar enough with atheist literature to know what would be good, but I'm sure the class will come up with something. I've very much enjoyed everything we've read so far

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  5. The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch

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  6. I like the idea of some documentary action. Definitely going to watch Collision, and suggest Transcendent Man...As was mentioned in class (Thanks Prof. Oliver :D).

    Pot Luck is my vote! Perhaps a few days of atheist/theist "show and tell" so to speak? I think we've all been doing that thoroughly this semester. To wrap everything up, it might be a nice sentiment to allow all of us to show everyone something that touched our minds/hearts/whathaveyou. Be it a theory, a specific book, a documentary...etc. ^-^

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