Sunday July 7, 2024 10:30-12:30 Pellissippi State Community College, Hardin Valley Road
Guest Speaker
Professor of Philosophy City College of New York
Massimo Pigliucci
Skepticism as a Way of Life
Summary: The word "skeptic" literally means inquirer. And to inquire into things is good, right? But skepticism has a complex and much misunderstood history, from the Pyrrhonists who abstained from holding any opinion to modern scientific skeptics focused on criticizing pseudoscience. In this talk I will argue that skepticism can and should be a way of life. And there is a lot more to life than just debunking nonsense.
First Sunday Meeting
In Person
July 7, 2024 Sunday 10:30-12:30
Pellissippi State Community College, Hardin Valley Road
We meet in the Cafeteria Annex. which is at the rear of the Goins Administrative Building. There is a direct entrance from the back.
Coffee and other hot beverages will be served. Bring a snack to share, if you wish.
Blount County First Wednesday Social
July 3, 2024 Wednesday 6:00-7:30 PM
The Bird and The Book, 1509 E. Broadway, Maryville
Come join us at the Bird and the Book, 1509 E Broadway Ave, Maryville, for socializing and dinner.
In a time when our political and cultural views feel more polarized than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin chariots of enlightenment—a cosmic perspective and the rationality of science. After thinking deeply about how science sees the world and about Earth as a planet, the human brain has the capacity to reset and recalibrate life’s priorities, shaping the actions we might take in response. No outlook on culture, society, or civilization remains untouched. With crystalline prose, Starry Messenger walks us through the scientific palette that sees and paints the world differently. From insights on resolving global conflict to reminders of how precious it is to be alive, Tyson reveals, with warmth and eloquence, an array of brilliant and beautiful truths that apply to us all, informed and enlightened by knowledge of our place in the universe. 288 pages.
Some of you may remember advice from Dr Spock and traditional ideas passed down through the generations. If you look on the internet today, you will think that child rearing is a hopeless hellhole of unsolvable problems and trauma - unless you are the perfect "mom". What happened? Where did all these "experts" come from? Who the hell would trust TikTok?
What is the intersection of family, advice, and a little fun? Check this out:
Establishment of the “Reality Fellowship of East Tennessee”
(Before being named the "Rationalists of East Tennessee")
Written by Philip King on February 20, 2017
In late summer and autumn of 1995, Carl and Aleta Ledendecker and Jerry and Ann Sillman saw the need for a community of secular people in East Tennessee. So they started meeting with a group of 8-10 like-minded people in their homes and other convenient places.
By the time the groups’ second newsletter was distributed (November 1995), the group had met three times.
The first meeting of which we have a record was held on September 18, 1995, in the Books-A-Million bookstore coffee shop, where 9 people convened to chart a strategy for forming a group in the Knoxville, TN, metropolitan area.
They met a second time (probably in October 1995) in the home of Ed and Mellrose Flockhart and 10 people attended.
Their third meeting, on November 14, 1995, and attended by 8 people, was at The Candy Factory, a building made available without charge by the city of Knoxville for small enterprises and group meeting rooms. This five-story brick structure was built circa 1916 as the new factory and headquarters for South, Littlefield & Steere Company. It was the fourth building for the very successful candy company previously located downtown. By 1946, the building was used as a warehouse for Miller’s Department Store. In the late 1970s, the Knoxville Community Development Corporation took over the building for use in the 1982 World’s Fair.
One of the first items of business was to choose a name for the group. Many suggestions were put forward and much thought was given to this important issue.
In notes from that very first meeting on September 18, 1995, was the following:
“Generally, we agreed that we needed a name that may or may not include the word Humanism (lots of flexibility there). Is “humanism” a dirty word in this part of the country or are we over concerned. What title would communicate best with the variety of non theists, humanists, freethinkers, agnostics, atheists, ethical culturalists, ethical humanists and any other combinations and additional identifiers who would be interested in our group?”
The first newsletter had the following title:
October 1995 Newsletter of the Humanists of East Tennessee (Acting title)
“East Tennessee Humanist”(Acting title)
Jerry Sillman, Acting Editor
During the November 14, 1995 meeting, the following suggestions for a name were put forward:
Realists of Tennessee
Reality Fellowship
Freethought Society
Reality Club (or Group) of East Tennessee
The Ledendeckers suggested, “Human Reason Society.” Other suggestions included, “Human Reasoning” and “Reasonable Humans.”
The November 1995 Newsletter had the following (acting) title:
The East Tennessee Society for Reasoning (reasonable?) Humans
The Candy Factory listed the group as, “The Good Reason Society.”
It was noted that, “We are still trying to find an agreeable name. Some would like to have 'Humanism' in our name, but doing this could limit the variety of organizations and principles under our umbrella.”
By the time the January 1996 newsletter was distributed, the matter had apparently been settled. The title of this newsletter was, “The Reality Fellowship of East Tennessee,” and it was noted that, “At the Candy Factory this time (the January 11 meeting) we should be listed as the 'Reality Fellowship.'”
The name remained "Reality Fellowship" until 1997(?) when the membership renamed the group "The Rationalists of East Tennessee." The Candy Factory was sold to a private developer in 2006 and converted into condos. It was no longer available for group meetings. The Rationalists then started meeting at the Hardin Valley campus of Pellissippi State Community College.
