Milton Keynes Humanists
ARCHIVE
Archive
This Page is under construction.
When the page is finished, you will find information about MK Humanists' previous meetings and the other activities and events that we have been involved in.
We will also suggest some resources and links that you should find useful.
When the page is finished, you will find information about MK Humanists' previous meetings and the other activities and events that we have been involved in.
We will also suggest some resources and links that you should find useful.
Recent Meetings
We will shortly upload brief details of the public meetings we have held over the last couple of years. We were established in 2007 and held our 100th meeting in November 2017.
2017
November 2017
- On Causing (and Taking) Offence
[Mike Flood]
At our meeting we will be discussing the question of exercising one’s right to freedom of expression, and especially in relation to religious ideas and beliefs. Should there be any limits, for example, on questioning what it says in holy books, or mocking Creationists' views on the age of the universe, or the idea of Heaven and Hell, or that there's a Supreme Being that watches your everything move? There is no right not to be offended, at least in the UK. But in open societies, causing offence to others is hardly good for social cohesion. Recall the reaction to the Danish cartoons, Jerry Springer the Opera, and the Jesus & Mo cartoons… Muslims believe it is fundamentally wrong to present an image of the prophet Mohammed, and some think those that do should be put to death. Indeed, blasphemy is a capital offence in more than a dozen countries. But hold on, if we really think something is daft or worse, shouldn’t we say so? These are some of the questions we will be discussing, with the help of a selection of stories, images and cartoons taken off the internet, and we will be trying to get a handle on what is acceptable to post on social media, and what is not. Lots to discuss and consider...
At our meeting we will be discussing the question of exercising one’s right to freedom of expression, and especially in relation to religious ideas and beliefs. Should there be any limits, for example, on questioning what it says in holy books, or mocking Creationists' views on the age of the universe, or the idea of Heaven and Hell, or that there's a Supreme Being that watches your everything move? There is no right not to be offended, at least in the UK. But in open societies, causing offence to others is hardly good for social cohesion. Recall the reaction to the Danish cartoons, Jerry Springer the Opera, and the Jesus & Mo cartoons… Muslims believe it is fundamentally wrong to present an image of the prophet Mohammed, and some think those that do should be put to death. Indeed, blasphemy is a capital offence in more than a dozen countries. But hold on, if we really think something is daft or worse, shouldn’t we say so? These are some of the questions we will be discussing, with the help of a selection of stories, images and cartoons taken off the internet, and we will be trying to get a handle on what is acceptable to post on social media, and what is not. Lots to discuss and consider...
October
2017 - Artificial Intelligence [Matt Haughton]
If we develop an intelligent machine should it have the same ‘human’ rights as ourselves? But then would a machine understand the concept of rights? How can machines make moral decisions? Engineers are right now facing this problem with the introduction of driver-less cars (in an accident situation, does the machine save the occupant or the pedestrian?) Similar questions arise with the deployment of drones (‘collateral damage’ is a real moral issue). ‘General Intelligence’ (also known as the ‘singularity’), is the point at which a robot will be able to program the next version of itself and produce a superior being. Stephen Hawking and other scientists have expressed fears about AI becoming one of the biggest threats to humanity. How seriously should we take these concerns?
If we develop an intelligent machine should it have the same ‘human’ rights as ourselves? But then would a machine understand the concept of rights? How can machines make moral decisions? Engineers are right now facing this problem with the introduction of driver-less cars (in an accident situation, does the machine save the occupant or the pedestrian?) Similar questions arise with the deployment of drones (‘collateral damage’ is a real moral issue). ‘General Intelligence’ (also known as the ‘singularity’), is the point at which a robot will be able to program the next version of itself and produce a superior being. Stephen Hawking and other scientists have expressed fears about AI becoming one of the biggest threats to humanity. How seriously should we take these concerns?
September
2017 - Great Lives[Group Effort]
Ten members will talk briefly about men and women who they consider ‘great’, and explain why. This could include philosophers, scientists, writers, artists and activists. We will explore what ‘greatness’ means in practice, and what if any lessons there are for us ordinary morals. There’s likely to be discussion of moral relativism (was Confucius really sexist?); what’s the difference between being ‘famous’ and being ‘great’? And we will also ask whether it really matters that some ‘greats’ were not very nice human beings.
Ten members will talk briefly about men and women who they consider ‘great’, and explain why. This could include philosophers, scientists, writers, artists and activists. We will explore what ‘greatness’ means in practice, and what if any lessons there are for us ordinary morals. There’s likely to be discussion of moral relativism (was Confucius really sexist?); what’s the difference between being ‘famous’ and being ‘great’? And we will also ask whether it really matters that some ‘greats’ were not very nice human beings.
August
2017 - Summer Outing [to a vineyard]
July
2017 - Are There Limits to Freedom of Speech?
June
2017 - Ethical Dilemmas
May
2017 - Life and Death
April
2017 - Mistaken Identity: creed, country, colour, culture
March
2017 - Humanism and Islam
February
2017 - Religion's Dirty Dozen
January
2017 - What's true anymore: life in a post truth era
2016
Details to follow
2015
Details to follow
Other Activities
Details to follow.
Resources
Details to follow.
Details to follow.
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