Topics

Conversations We Should Be Having

Our purpose is to help those engaged in a conversation regarding desperate world views move away from arguments surrounding the conclusions drawn from a world view and toward a discussion of the assumptions and conclusions required to accept a world view in the first place. The topics listed here get at the heart of our interpretation of the world around us and our preferences for humanity's future. When we begin to honestly evaluate our own world view we discover there are a shocking number of gaps in knowledge or experience that we've been perfectly happy to leap over in faith that the worldview as a whole is worth the risk. We shouldn't be talking about where our world view has gotten us in terms of philosophy, science, or morality, until we're sure we've gotten there honestly and consciously and are willing to acknowledge that the path that's led to our conclusions has had it's share of potholes and broken bridges. This is a partial list, more topics will be added as the group progresses.

Session 1

Home inspection

In our first session we reviewed what we mean when we use the term worldview and we looked at what lies beneath that term that will require our attention in future sessions.

Session 2

A closer look at our foundation

In order to understand our own worldview and converse with others who don't share it, we need to look closely at what it's built on.

Session 3

The Demolition Next Door

A good argument requires a good epistemology. A bad argument uses someone else’s epistemology and argues against it at the same time.

God, gods, and the concept of religion

According to recent studies, more than 84% of the world’s population claims religious affiliation of one form or another. What does that actually mean, and what about the other 16%, are they truly non-religious? Perhaps it’s best to rethink what we mean by religion and the gods and/or God that goes along with it.

Limited Naturalism vs. Unlimited Naturalism

There is one topic about which there is indeed a justifiable war between religion and mainstream science, and that's the concept of naturalism/materialism vs the supernatural. This is the war for reality itself, and the consequences of adopting a particular view are vast and profound.

The problem with evidence

Where’s the evidence? It’s the question every theist encounters at one point or another. Ironically, the answer to the question lies in the question itself, and it’s a question we need to pay more attention to.

Holy books and history

The Bible, the Quran, the Sutras, the Vedas, the Talmud....the list goes on. Where do these texts come from and why do they still hold such power over the world? Is there any reason to take any of them seriously?

Plurality of religions

Including scientism (which we surely should) nearly 90% of the worlds population can be linked to one of 5 major religions. Each of these are fragmented into dozens, sometimes hundreds of subgroups, denominations, and sects. Are all theistic religions essentially the same? Are non-theistic religions more rational?

It’s all just semantics

One of the biggest problems with conversation is language itself. Word’s are vitally important, they both shape and communicate thought, and disagreements or misunderstanding over simple definitions can ruin what would otherwise be a useful and vibrant debate.