Speaker – Page 17

The Hard Problem of Consciousness: Why Do We Feel What We Feel?

Michael Abramson

11 a.m., January 17, 2021

Here is the speaker’s description of his talk:

“My area of expertise is system modeling and simulation. The folks like me are usually interested in systems’ behavior and not in their feelings. We can say sometimes that a particle “feels” the force, but only metaphorically.

Yet we know that at least some systems, such as humans and animals, really feel something, and for us this subjective experience seems very real. How to reconcile this reality with the reality of physical and chemical processes in our brains?

This seems so difficult to do that this is known as “The Hard Problem of Consciousness.” It looks like physics just doesn’t have a place for something like subjective experience. Or does it?

In this talk I’m going to discuss a radical idea that can make the hard problem of consciousness almost trivial, but may also have profound implications for how we see the world and ourselves, how we trust science and other people, and what kind of moral choices we have. You can decide how this worldview, which I’d call “subjective materialism,” can be consistent with humanism.”

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Because of the coronavirus situation, this Forum will be held online.

If you don’t intend to ask any questions or make any comments during this Forum, then please click the below link on Sunday around 11 a.m. in order to view the Forum as it occurs (in real time):

https://www.echoplexmedia.com/humanist

If you may want to ask a question or make a comment during this Forum, then please click the below link on Sunday around 11 a.m. in order to view, and possibly take part in, the Forum as it occurs (in real time):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/314247393?pwd=d285R2VxWWdNcmk4NHdPaVNpWjc4dz09

(Note: this is a different link than has been posted here previously.)

If you don’t have the Zoom app installed on your desktop computer, then joining the meeting via the above link will download and install the Zoom app on your desktop computer, and then take you to the meeting.

You can also install the Zoom app on your smart phone, and then enter:

314247393

as the meeting number, and

255787

as the passcode, to get to this Zoom meeting.

———-

The Hard Problem of Consciousness: Why Do We Feel What We Feel? – Michael Abramson from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Brief History of California K-12 Education

Jerry Pannone

11 a.m., December 13, 2020

At this Sunday’s Humanist Forum, Jerry Pannone will discuss “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Brief History of California K-12 Education”.

Jerry Pannone is a professional musician and retired music and humanities teacher who taught elementary through high school in Oakland, San Francisco, and San Mateo. He retired from the San Francisco School of the Arts High School.

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Because of the coronavirus situation, this Forum will be held online.

https://www.echoplexmedia.com/humanist

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/314247393?pwd=d285R2VxWWdNcmk4NHdPaVNpWjc4dz09

(Note: this is a different link than has been posted here previously.)

You can also install the Zoom app on your smart phone, and then enter:

314247393

as the meeting number, and

255787

as the passcode, to get to this Zoom meeting.

———-

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Brief History of California K-12 Education – Jerry Pannone from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

Do your online shopping at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-6173979, and Amazon donates to the Humanist Community every time you do.

Scientology Mission Creep

Doug Kramer

11 a.m., December 6, 2020

At this Sunday’s Humanist Forum, Doug Kramer will discuss “Scientology Mission Creep”.

Following up on his Forum talk ‘Growing up with, and leaving, Scientology’ three Sundays ago, Doug Kramer will discuss his video ‘Mission Creep’ which is about his brief experience being set-up/conned into signing a 2 1/2 year contract to join Scientology staff at the Ventura mission in his early 20s, and his subsequent escape.

Note: This Forum was originally scheduled for Nov. 29, 2020, but has now been rescheduled for Dec. 6, 2020 instead.

———-

Because of the coronavirus situation, this Forum will be held online.

https://www.echoplexmedia.com/humanist

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/314247393?pwd=d285R2VxWWdNcmk4NHdPaVNpWjc4dz09

(Note: this is a different link than has been posted here previously.)

You can also install the Zoom app on your smart phone, and then enter:

314247393

as the meeting number, and

255787

as the passcode, to get to this Zoom meeting.

———-

Scientology Mission Creep – Doug Kramer from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

Do your online shopping at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-6173979, and Amazon donates to the Humanist Community every time you do.

Clean Nuclear Energy

Dr. Alexander Cannara

11 a.m., November 22, 2020

At this Sunday’s Humanist Forum, Dr. Alexander Cannara will discuss “Clean Nuclear Energy”.

He will present the case for clean, safe nuclear energy.

Dr. Alexander Cannara is an electrical engineer, a software and networking consultant, and an educator. He spent 25 years in computer networking, 12 of those managing, developing and delivering technical training. He has taught courses in engineering, statistics, programming and networking at: Stanford, USF, International Technological University, and Golden Gate and Silicon Valley Universities. Alex has worked with local and national groups on energy and climate issues and on safe nuclear power.

Dr. Cannara holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University in Mathematical Methods in Educational Research and MS degrees in both EE and Statistics. He currently consults on environmental issues, especially on clean energy sources and advanced nuclear power. A description of issues is here: http://tinyurl.com/y65belox

———-

Because of the coronavirus situation, this Forum will be held online.

https://www.echoplexmedia.com/humanist

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/314247393?pwd=d285R2VxWWdNcmk4NHdPaVNpWjc4dz09

(Note: this is a different link than has been posted here previously.)

You can also install the Zoom app on your smart phone, and then enter:

314247393

as the meeting number, and

255787

as the passcode, to get to this Zoom meeting.

———-

Clean Nuclear Energy – Dr. Alexander Cannara from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

Do your online shopping at https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-6173979, and Amazon donates to the Humanist Community every time you do.

Growing up with, and leaving, Scientology

Doug Kramer

11 a.m., November 15, 2020

At this Sunday’s Humanist Forum, Doug Kramer will discuss “Growing up with, and leaving, Scientology”.

Doug Kramer was raised in a Scientology-indoctrinated family. While he initially rejected it, and instinctually knew as a kid that something was wrong with it, in his 20s he ended up becoming a fully-believing and totally dedicated member for about 15 years – before literally ‘snapping out of it’ through a chance event on a single day.

Waking up from the spell and leaving the cult cost me everything in the end; yet getting out and free of the mind-control was the best gift I’ve ever had.

He will show a 6 minute video that he made (https://youtu.be/sE1OK8K9GOA) which gives a pretty raw overall description of the topic.

———-

Because of the coronavirus situation, this Forum will be held online.

https://www.echoplexmedia.com/humanist

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/314247393?pwd=d285R2VxWWdNcmk4NHdPaVNpWjc4dz09

(Note: this is a different link than has been posted here previously.)

You can also install the Zoom app on your smart phone, and then enter:

314247393

as the meeting number, and

255787

as the passcode, to get to this Zoom meeting.

———-