CFI announces “Positively Secular”: a special winter 2009 educational session in Los Angeles, CA
October 24, 2008
CFI/Los Angeles
January 7-11, 2009
What is the naturalistic alternative to religion? How is scientific inquiry relevant to day-to-day life? How can secularism be protected and expanded? These questions, representing issues central to CFI’s mission and message, will be thoroughly explored, especially as they relate to today’s culture wars, when the Center for Inquiry brings its Institute to Los Angeles for a special winter January 2009 session.
The courses offered January 7-11, 2009 are organized around the theme “Positively Secular,” and will explain skepticism, scientific naturalism, constitutional secularism, and the replacement of religion by humanist ethics.
The sessions include Day, Evening, and Weekend modules. Attend all three modules for an integrated and in-depth understanding of the worldview of secular humanism. The Center for Inquiry will award a Certificate of Proficiency in Humanist Studies for attendance of all three modules.
Featured classes and instructors:
- “Why There Really Is No God” — Eddie Tabash
- “Defending Science Against Its Cultured Despisers” — John Shook
- “Why Be Rational? Applied Critical Thinking in Everyday Life” — James Underdown
- “Thinking Critically about Critical Thinking: What Skeptics Need to Know” — Carol Tavris
- “Being Good without God: The Ethical Life in a Natural World” — John Shook
- “Skepticism and Extraordinary Claims: A Paranormal Investigator Looks at Miracles” — James Underdown
- “It’s Only Natural: What Is Philosophical Naturalism?” — John Shook
- “Taking Secularism to the General Public” — Eddie Tabash
- “Separation of Church and State” — Eddie Tabash
- “Secular and Planetary Ethics: How Humanism Can Save the World” — John Shook
- “An Unusual Look at the Ten Commandments” — James Underdown
- “The Monkey and the Milky Way: Hope in the Midst of Battle” — Lauren Becker
About the Instructors
Eddie Tabash, JD,
is a practicing lawyer and a political and social activist. Tabash has debated several Christian apologists, including Richard Swinburne, William Lane Craig, and Greg Bahnsen. He is also the Chair of the First Amendment Task Force for the Council for Secular Humanism.
John Shook, Ph D.,
is Vice President, Director of CFI’s Institute, and Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Inquiry/Transnational, and also Research Professor in Philosophy at the University at Buffalo. A forthcoming book is
The Future of Naturalism
, co-edited with Paul Kurtz.
Jim Underdown
, has been the Executive Director of the Center for Inquiry/Los Angeles since 1999. He is a Founder and Chairman of the Independent Investigations Group in Hollywood, and has appeared on
The Oprah Winfrey Show
,
Hannity and Colmes
, and
Penn & Teller: Bullshit!
Lauren Becker
, field organizer for the Center for Inquiry, has also taught at museums, parks, and planetariums. Appearing on
Point of Inquiry
, the radio show and podcast of CFI, she is an experienced environmental activist and advocate for science literacy and education.
Carol Tavris, Ph.D.,
is a social psychologist, writer, and lecturer. Among her recent books are
Psychobabble and Biobunk
,
Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts
, and three introductory psychology textbooks.
To register, or for more information, please visit www.centerforinquiry.net/winter
or contact:
Michele McNerney
mmcnerney [at] centerforinquiry.net
(716) 636-4869 ext. 408
or
Aek Eisenhauer
aeisenhauer [at] centerforinquiry.net
(716) 636-4869 ext. 229
