I need this: a relaxing weekend in the company of nerds at Convergence. I’ll be on four panels, talking science:
Th 12:30pm The Reproducibility Problem: How Serious is it?
Th 2:00pm What Does God Need With a Starship?
Th 3:30pm Twin Connection: Myth, Science and Confirmation Bias
Fr 2:00pm Our Place in Space
I’ll be attending lots more, sittin’ back, enjoying the conversation. And I’m easily drawn into discussions, so feel free to talk to me. I’ll also be cruising the party rooms, and stopping in now and then for the science demos and crafts at SkepchickCon.
You might also be able to hit me up for badge ribbons (I’m getting a little nervous that they haven’t arrived yet) — I’ll have one for Freethinkers and another for you Pharyngula readers. See you all there!
Re. Our Place in space.
If the “Rare Earth” hypothesis comes up, you can mention that, for atheists, this actually infers that we have an obligaton to preserve this unique abode of (complex*) life, because *no one else* is going to look out for it, no god, (no gaia either, since the gaia hypothesis has beeen credibly criticised by many astrobiologists) will do it.
And that places a greater responibility on us humanist atheists than on True Believers (“the rainbow is a sign God will not let the Earth be destroyed”) or for-profit atheists (Ayn Rand cultists) or the immense numbers of “somebody else’s problem” apathoids.
And should we ever generate a supercivilisation, it is up to our descendants to spread intelligence across the Cosmos, not some little green men.
*non-complex life may be ubiquitous, but may die off in just a billion years or hide underground without generating large organisms.
Dagnabbit, I’d have loved to attend that one. Are there any plans to record it or post some notes?