Category: Forums

Category for all Forum posts.

What We See

Kevin Toolis

Join the Humanist Community online this Sunday to watch and discuss three seemingly unrelated videos on things that make it difficult to see what’s real.

The Origin of Countless Conspiracy Theories (4:20 min.) presents the Ramsey theory, which tells us that however random a collection of elements is some non-random patterns will always exist in it, looking like secret messages.

In What the Irish Wake Teaches Us about Living and Dying (17 min.), Kevin Toolis talks about how we have a cultural inability to look at death that has actually increased our fear of death.

In 1984 by George Orwell, Crash Course Literature 401 (14:27 min.), John Green introduces us to the fictional totalitarian government that tries to control what people can think by modifying the language and remove words for unacceptable ideas.

You can watch The Origin of Countless Conspiracy Theories at
https://www.ted.com/talks/patrickjmt_the_origin_of_countless_conspiracy_theories.

You can watch What the Irish Wake Teaches Us about Living and Dying, at
https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_toolis_what_the_irish_wake_teaches_us_about_living_and_dying.

You can watch 1984 by George Orwell, Crash Course Literature 401 at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9ipRaLa4Jw.

Attend in Person:

We have not been able to arrange a room to meet this week. We hope to see you in person next Sunday, because on the first and third Sunday of each month, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Mountain View Senior Center, 266 Escuela Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
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Add this event to your Google calendar:

Like us on Facebook:
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Visit the Humanist Community web site:
https://www.humanists.org/blog/2024-08-04/

RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/302758564/

Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
https://x.com/HumanistCommSV/status/1822375173745746211

Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508

How the Supreme Court Works

Prof. Leland Chan

11 a.m., August 4, 2024

Join the Humanist Community this Sunday, either in person or online, as we hear from Prof. Leland Chan.

In light of such Supreme Court decisions as Dobbs (overturning Roe v. Wade) and Trump v. United States (creation of absolute presidential immunity for official acts), one would think that Supreme Court justices are like super-legislators – unelected officials who have the power to write what are essentially new laws that are the supreme law of the land that neither Congress nor any state may touch. But doesn’t the Constitution give federal legislative power exclusively to Congress? Aren’t judges more like baseball umpires just calling balls and strikes rather than making the rules? If judges are supposed to be impartial, why is it that in many cases even the casual observer could predict how each judge will decide depending on whether they are liberal or conservative? This lecture breaks it all down: what is the role of the judge and has today’s Supreme Court sawed off its Constitutional tether by setting policy according to each judge’s own vision for America?

Leland Chan is Adjunct Professor of Law at Golden Gate University. He graduated from U.C. Berkeley School of Law, and served as the long-time general counsel of the California Bankers Association during his legal career.

8/4/2024 Prof. Leland Chan from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

Attend in Person:
On the first and third Sunday of the month, such as this Sunday, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Mountain View Senior Center, 266 Escuela Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation for lunch.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. COVID protocols will be followed. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
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Add this event to your Google calendar:

Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/humanistcommsv/

Visit the Humanist Community web site:
https://www.humanists.org/blog/2024-08-04/

RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/302588626/

Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
https://x.com/HumanistCommSV/status/1819236346323726605

Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508

Saving Democracy

Andrew Yang

11 a.m., July 28, 2024

Among the things we hope democracy provides are: a government that is open and not corrupt, a legislative body that represents the views of the voters, and verifiable elections. Today we will watch and discuss four videos that address these issues.

In Can Democracy Exist Without Trust? (13:47 minutes, https://www.ted.com/talks/ivan_krastev_can_democracy_exist_without_trust), Ivan Krastev describes why distrust is so common among voters and openness is such a problem.

In Why US Politics Is Broken – and How to Fix It (10:39 minutes, https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_yang_why_us_politics_is_broken_and_how_to_fix_it), Andrew Yang describes a voting instituted in Alaska that promises better representation.

In We the People and the Republic We Must Reclaim (18 minutes, https://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim), Lawrence Lessig talks about the corrupting influence of money.

Finally, in E-voting without Fraud (6:45 minutes, https://www.ted.com/talks/david_bismark_e_voting_without_fraud), David Bismark presents an approach that allows one to check that a vote is correctly counted while preserving voter anonymity.

We have not been able to arrange a room to meet this week. We hope to see you in person next Sunday, because on the first and third Sunday of each month, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Mountain View Senior Center, 266 Escuela Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
webcal://p162-caldav.icloud.com/published/2/Mjk3Nzk1MTgyMjk3Nzk1MRBa7aU6zKSIJMfDjhqBP8r3muvKK3GLLCRnZoCneHpXv08CyGJAJRVI5yyh-SVWxGJE9xHfdUs72pmiBNlOBpY

Add this event to your Google calendar:

Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/humanistcommsv/

Visit the Humanist Community web site:
https://www.humanists.org/blog/2024-07-28/

RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/302441354/

Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
https://x.com/HumanistCommSV/status/1816706349004419472

Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508

My life while incarcerated at camps for Japanese-Americans

Yoshiko Kanazawa

11 a.m., July 21, 2024

Join Yoshiko Kanazawa this Sunday, either in person or online.

Ms. Kanazawa was incarcerated in government camps for almost three-and-one-half years during World War II. After the war, her family returned to Pasadena, California, where she completed high school. She received a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA and a Master of Education from the University of Illinois.

She was silent about the injustice for most of her life, but now feels she must speak up to ensure that the government will never repeat that tragic part of history. For the past seven years, she has been serving as a docent at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and giving talks at area schools and community organizations. Yoshiko tells the story of her life while incarcerated in camps in Tulare, California, and Gila River, Arizona, and how those years affected her life.

On the first and third Sunday of the month, such as this Sunday, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists at the Mountain View Senior Center, 266 Escuela Ave., Mountain View, CA 94040. Lunch will be served after the forum. We request a $10 donation for lunch.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. COVID protocols will be followed. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
webcal://p162-caldav.icloud.com/published/2/Mjk3Nzk1MTgyMjk3Nzk1MRBa7aU6zKSIJMfDjhqBP8r3muvKK3GLLCRnZoCneHpXv08CyGJAJRVI5yyh-SVWxGJE9xHfdUs72pmiBNlOBpY

Add this event to your Google calendar:

Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/humanistcommsv/

Visit the Humanist Community web site:
https://www.humanists.org/blog/2024-07-21/

RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/302298979/

Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
https://x.com/HumanistCommSV/status/1813718323928186997

Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508

How to Win the Presidential Election

Michael Abramson

11 a.m., July 14, 2024

As the presidential election is getting close, we increasingly worry about its outcomes. The first Presidential debates could add more fuel to this anxiety. What can we expect now? How likely is it that Trump will lose the election? Do Democrats still have a path to victory?

Maybe: but this could require a different kind of campaign (if not a different candidate).

At the July 14th Sunday Forum we will explore this very issue: How to Win the Presidential Election.

Bio
Michael’s area of expertise is system modeling and simulation. Most of his work was related to technical and engineering applications, ranging from electromagnetics and radiation transfer to air traffic control systems. He also published a few works on modeling social and political dynamics, more closely related to the current topic.

Michael currently works as a contractor for NASA and lives in Mountain View with his wife and close to their children’s families.

7/14/2024 Michael Abramson from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

This Sunday, you can attend our forum in person with fellow humanists in the Orchard Room at the Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022. (On the first and third Sunday of the month, you can continue to attend our forum at the Mountain View Senior Center.)

Since we can’t bring food into the library, let’s plan on meeting at the small park with picnic tables just adjacent to the library. We did this last time, and it worked out fine.

We could either bring our sandwiches or other lunch edibles or take orders and have folks order their own sandwiches or other edibles and send someone out to pick them up. This would allow us to meet right after the meeting, stay for a bit and connect.

If you can join us in person, please email vp@humanists.org to help us make sure we have room for you. COVID protocols will be followed. If you have symptoms that may be COVID, kindly attend on Zoom.

———-

Also, we will continue to present our forums on Zoom. To join and be able to ask questions and make comments, click here.
No password is needed — our host will admit you from the waiting room. Joining the meeting via the link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer (if it’s not already installed), and then take you to the meeting. You can also install the Zoom app on your computer or smartphone, and then enter:
Meeting ID: 816 5389 0712
Passcode: 250634

You can also call any of the following phone numbers and then enter the above Meeting ID and the Passcode in order to join the meeting by phone.
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
You can find international phone numbers to call here.

———-

Subscribe to our events in your Apple Calendar:
webcal://p162-caldav.icloud.com/published/2/Mjk3Nzk1MTgyMjk3Nzk1MRBa7aU6zKSIJMfDjhqBP8r3muvKK3GLLCRnZoCneHpXv08CyGJAJRVI5yyh-SVWxGJE9xHfdUs72pmiBNlOBpY

Add this event to your Google calendar:

Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/humanistcommsv/

Visit the Humanist Community web site:
https://www.humanists.org/blog/2024-07-14/

RSVP on Meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/humanistcommunity/events/302013496/

Retweet our announcement on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter:
https://x.com/HumanistCommSV/status/1811622621135667700

Watch videos of our past Forums: https://vimeo.com/user2798508