Dr. Vanessa Fitsanakis and “Whoa! These can’t be my bath salts.”

Dr. Vanessa Fitsanakis will speak to our Forum group this coming Sunday, February 1st. Her topic will address the recent up-welling of a new type of street drug, often sold legally under the misleading label of "Bath-Salts". The results are fascinating.
Vanessa is a brilliant speaker.  A native of our region, she received her Ph.D. from Vanderbilt, a MS from University of Edinburgh, and a BA from Milligan. She currently holds the Dr. Edward W. Burke, Jr. professorship in Natural Sciences and is Associate Professor and Chair of Biology at King University. Her research interests are in the field of neurotoxicology, especially the relationship between pesticides and diseases of the nervous system. Her works is supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science. She teaches courses in neuroscience, mammalian toxicology, biochemistry, and research methods for biologists.
Please join us.

Reason is the key to moral progress

H/T to Julia Rogers for this suggestion. We'll view and discuss this TEDTalk on Sunday morning.

Here's the blurb and the link:

"Here's a TED first: an animated Socratic dialog! In a time when irrationality seems to rule both politics and culture, has reasoned thinking finally lost its power? Watch as psychologist Steven Pinker is gradually, brilliantly persuaded by philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein that reason is actually the key driver of human moral progress, even if its effect sometimes takes generations to unfold. The dialog was recorded live at TED, and animated, in incredible, often hilarious, detail by Cognitive."

Join us at 9:45 on January 25th.

John Bradshaw on Moral Intelligence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd2yT7bHdbQ

The Power of Vulnerabilty, Brene Brown

Every time I hear Brene Brown speak, I'm reminded of what I so easily seems to forget: The power of vulnerability and the key to authenticity. And it's always refreshing. Join us on Sunday morning, January 11 at 9:45 for Brene's renewing message.
Preview here: Click me

No specific program is planned until January 11, 2015

What's up on Dec 21

Nothing specific is planned. Probably, we'll just sit around and talk. That usually works. Join us.

Radiolab -- Words

This coming Sunday, Dec 14th, we hear and discuss a portion of the podcast entitled "Words" from Radiolab. Here's the link: Click me. The theme of the program revolves around the idea that our ability to think, visual, conceive understand and appreciate ourselves and the world is strongly dependent on our ability to use language. The strongest evidence comes from deaf children raised in remote areas, who learn language later in life. The implications of this idea are both enormous and intimate. Please join us.