Last year I promised to make several appearances around the country, and now these are all coming to fruition. I blogged the SFSU event last week. This week I'll be blogging several more.
Tuesday, October 20 (2009), I'll be appearing in Sacramento (California), at 191 Lathrop Way, Suite D, for the Sacramento Freethinkers, Atheists and Nonbelievers (FAN).
For directions see the website of the The Sacramento Tree Foundation (FAN is borrowing their venue for the evening). Event begins around 6:30-7pm and runs to maybe 8:30 or 9pm, which includes introductions and Q&A. I'll also be selling and signing my books afterward.
Topic: Embracing Naturalism as a Worldview
Abstract: We all have a worldview, whether we know it or not. Everything is guided by it, our morals,
our politics, our methods of deciding what's true or false, even which doctor we go to. So, what if naturalism is the only credible worldview? How does that affect your morals, your politics, your methods? Find out as Dr. Richard Carrier, author of Sense and Goodness without God, explains what naturalism is and how it matters.
I've delivered versions of this talk before, many years ago for AOF (also in Sacramento) and last year for CFI Indianapolis. Since then I've streamlined it and updated bits. See the FAN calendar listing for more info and a means to RSVP.
Students at San Francisco State University want me to give a talk and take questions on the subject of mathematics and god, from the perspective of physics and naturalism. It's been quite a long time in the making, but we've arranged an event for Tuesday, 29 September (2009), 4-6pm. The talk is sponsored by the SFSU Department of Philosophy and by the Philosophy of Religion Society.
It's free and open to the public. I will be selling and signing copies of my books afterward.
The event will be held in Room 587 of the SFSU Humanities Building. You can get directions (and info about parking) from the SFSU website (among many options, there are shuttles and buses to the campus from the Daly City BART, and I hear the Muni M line goes somewhere near as well, but don't quote me on that). For exact locations, see the southwest section of the SFSU Campus Map. There is no website for the event, but inquiries can be emailed to Steve Baughman.
The title of the talk is: "The Universe Is Mathematical, Therefore God Exists! (Or Not)." As advertised: Dr. Richard Carrier, author of Sense and Goodness without God, explains how godless naturalism explains the mathematization of physics without any Mind behind the Universe. Using examples from Archimedes to modern String Theory, Carrier will show how advocates of the contrary view, like Russel Howell and Mark Steiner, don't understand the true nature of physics or mathematics. Then he will take questions from the audience on the remarkable thesis that mathematical laws prove the existence of God.
This is basically a summary and update of my ongoing debate with Howell and Steiner, which I've blogged about before: "Our Mathematical Universe" (5 October 2007). Except this time I'll use examples from ancient (and modern) science to show why the mathematization of nature is actually expected on naturalism.
For directions see the website of the The Sacramento Tree Foundation (FAN is borrowing their venue for the evening). Event begins around 6:30-7pm and runs to maybe 8:30 or 9pm, which includes introductions and Q&A. I'll also be selling and signing my books afterward.
our politics, our methods of deciding what's true or false, even which doctor we go to. So, what if naturalism is the only credible worldview? How does that affect your morals, your politics, your methods? Find out as Dr. Richard Carrier, author of Sense and Goodness without God, explains what naturalism is and how it matters.
