Archive for category Religion
UofT Study: Brain differences between believers and non-believers
Posted by admin in News, Religion, Science and Technology on March 5, 2009
A recent study led by UofT’s own Assistant Psychology Professor Michael Inzlicht has shown brain activity differences between believers and non-believers.
Results indicate that believers show markedly less activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a portion of the brain that helps modify behavior by signaling when attention and control are needed. For instance, a believer will show less stress and anxiety (and brain activity) when making a mistake or error, as compared to a non-believer. An increase in the belief of God was shown to correlate to decreased ACC activity.
Although this calming effect is considered to be beneficial to some, it is a “double edged sword” says Inzlicht. “Obviously, anxiety can be negative because if you have too much, you’re paralyzed with fear. However, it also serves a very useful function in that it alerts us when we’re making mistakes. If you don’t experience anxiety when you make an error, what impetus do you have to change or improve your behaviour so you don’t make the same mistakes again and again?”
Read the full article at Physorg.com.
The study will be published in Psychological Science.
Darwin Day at UTM – February 12
Posted by admin in Events, Religion, Science and Technology on February 4, 2009
We are pleased to announce another lecture to celebrate Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
5:30 pm
SE 2072 – South Building, UTM
FREE ADMISSION
We are celebrating the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth in 1809, a man who is on any account one of greatest scientists since Newton. The aim of the talk will be to celebrate Darwin by describing his wide-ranging mind, his extraordinarily observant and meticulous work in geology, botany, and biology. Darwin is deservedly renown for his epochal achievement in developing the revolutionary notion of the origin and evolution of species through natural selection. Less well known, however, is his equally innovative and revolutionary, if largely unacknowledged, view of the intimate relations between the ‘social instinct’ and the ‘moral sense’ both in humans and in animals, as his words above indicate. Dr. Di Norcia will communicate the grandeur and beauty of Darwin’s view of social ethics as well as of evolution. In both the matters of natural history and social ethics, he suggests that Charles Darwin’s scientific work to this day represents a ground-breaking intellectual and scientific achievement. And, unfortunately, still largely ignored or ignorantly opposed.
Upcoming Event: Public talk by author Larry Beinhart
We are pleased to announce another great event – a public talk by author Larry Beinhart.
Larry Beinhart is best known as the author of the political and detective novel “American Hero”, which was adapted for the political-parody film “Wag the Dog”. His novel “No One Rides for Free” (1986) received the 1987 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Larry has also been a Fulbright Fellow and lecturer at Oxford, and has won the Gold Dagger from the Crime Writers Association (UK).
His more recent book “Salvation Boulevard” is about the intersection of faith and politics. It is a page-turning thriller in the tradition of John Grisham and Richard Condon that grapples with the ecstatic and entropic nature of religious faith in contemporary America. It pulls off one of the toughest tricks in modern literature: a sharp, high-energy whodunit that will disturb you with how closely it is based on real life.
We would like to thank the Centre for Inquiry (Ontario) for their support in this event. If you like what the MFA stands for, then I suggest you check out their website for more interesting events.
Additional information:
Larry Beinhart’s Website
Centre for Inquiry Ontario
Details:
Thursday, November 20, 2008
7:30 pm
Kaneff Building, Room 137 (Large Lecture Hall)
FREE ADMISSION!
Teachers ‘fear evolution lessons’ – BBC
Posted by admin in Politics, Religion, Science and Technology on October 8, 2007
The teaching of evolution is becoming increasingly difficult in UK schools because of the rise of creationism, a leading scientist is warning.
Head of science at London’s Institute of Education Professor Michael Reiss says some teachers, fearful of entering the debate, avoid the subject totally.
This could leave pupils with gaps in their scientific knowledge, he says. Prof Reiss says the rise of creationism is partly down to the large increase in Muslim pupils in UK schools.
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Professor Reiss |
The days have long gone when science teachers could ignore creationism when teaching about origins 
He said: “The number of Muslim students has grown considerably in the last 10 to 20 years and a higher proportion of Muslim families do not accept evolutionary theory compared with Christian families.
The BBC.co.uk website has more on this story.
Read more on why creationism shoud not be taught in schools.
Upcoming Event: Public Lecture on “Science and Religion in Islam”
Posted by admin in Events, Religion, Science and Technology on September 24, 2007
Taner Edis on Science and Religion and Islam
Friday September 28, 2007 @ 7:30
Kaneff 137, UTM
FREE ADMISSION
Taner Edis, born and raised in Turkey, is associate professor of physics at Truman State University and the author of The Ghost in the Universe: God in Light of Modern Science and Science and Non-belief, among other publications. His latest book is An Illusion of Harmony: Science and Religion in Islam.
During his visit to UTM, Taner Edis will explore whether the Koran anticipates the modern scientific understanding of the world, the intelligent design creationist movement within Islam, and whether science is even compatible with the Muslim faith. He also shares his views about the future of Islam, especially in relation to the secular, more scientific West.
Britain: Schools Have Right to Ban Veils
LONDON — Schools have the right to ban students from wearing Muslim veils if teachers believe the garments affect safety or pupils’ learning, the British government said Tuesday.
But educators should speak with parents before introducing such a ban, the Education Ministry said in updated guidelines that also addressed keeping uniforms affordable and spelling out disciplinary measures.
Post your comments on this subject here.
Religious overload in Mississauga?
Editorial from The Mississauga News, February 14 edition. Brian Stavert – Mississauga
As a humanist I support the Ministry of Transportation’s decision not to allow the EH.MEN2U licence plate (The News, Feb. 14 edition).
We don’t need people’s religion pushed in our faces. I can hardly turn on my TV any time of day or any day of the week without finding religious programming or infomercials, programs that either solicit cash in exchange for salvation, or dispense fear, guilt, shame or in other ways that demean or belittle humanity or sell “miracle water” of dubious value.
Read the rest of the this editorial here
Catholic politicians must oppose gay marriage: Pope
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Church’s opposition to gay marriage is “non-negotiable” and Catholic politicians have a moral duty to oppose it, as well as laws on abortion and euthanasia, Pope Benedict said in a document issued on Tuesday.
Full article Here
Editors Note: This article is quite similar to the documentary of “With God on our Side” the MFA just screened on March 15. Check it out in the events and multimedia section. Separation of Church and State?
Senator calls for answer on creation of universe
NASHVILLE – Sen. Raymond Finney proposes to use the legislative process to get an answer to the question of whether the universe was created by a “Supreme Being.”
Under Senate Resolution 17, introduced by the Maryville Republican, the answer would come from state Education Commissioner Lana Seivers “in report form” no later than Jan. 15, 2008.
Hmmm… One year to determine how the universe was formed. No problem!
Read Full Article Here
When the ain’ts go marching in
With fundamentalists at war and Richard Dawkins in the bookstores, atheism is surging. Canadian humanist groups are calling, ‘Come, all ye faithless.’ But as CHRISTOPHER DREHER asks, will skeptics go to spaghetti socials?
Read more here, courtesy of workopolis.com