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Tranhumanist Discussion Group discusses The Artilect War: Cosmists Vs. Terrans: A Bitter Controversy Concerning Whether Humanity Should Build Godlike Massively Intelligent Machines by Hugo de Garis

About Transhumanism
Human enhancement techniques and other emerging technologies will transform the human condition. We will modify and improve our minds and bodies in increasing powerful ways. How will this impact our culture? Will current inequalities be remedied or new, more vast ones be created? Who will be left behind? Transhumanism is a movement that advocates the use of technology to enhance the human body and mind. Transhumanists also confront the ethical questions that arise in the creation of a posthuman world and the transformation of our identities.

Transhumanism: Wikipedia article

About the Transhumanist Discussion Group
This will be a monthly group discussion open to the public, often about chosen books on bioethics and coming technologies which will transform humanity and society. The Group hopes to also host guest speakers from time to time.

This group is presented by the Humanist Association of Greater Philadelphia.
For more information, see the HAGP website: hagp.org/transhumanism.html

From the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia Meetup calendar:

The Christian Right has always been there, but during the Bush administration they became highly visible “Christianist” warriors in what they dubbed “the culture wars.” Their primary enemies have been civil equality and knowledge. Their battle cries are all too familiar: “Protect Traditional Marriage,” “Teach the Controversy.”

Why, when America insists that an enlightened society must be inclusive and that a rational culture embraces differences as a source of strength – and after decades of sometimes feverish efforts to enfranchise virtually every minority group in America – are some people so determined to keep gay men and women disenfranchised, especially when it comes to the legal right to a civil marriage?

Mel Seesholtz is a professor of English at Penn State Abington. He also teaches in the Science, Technology, and Society Program as well as in American Studies. For the last decade he’s been studying the rise of theopolitics especially as it relates to “gay rights.” He has authored several scholarly studies on the subject and over 325 articles for various electronic venues. He is currently working on a book, The Politics of Religion and the Demise of a Secular Nation, which is under consideration by several publishers.
Mel Seesholtz - Atlantic Free Press Profile Page
Mel Seesholtz's blog

This event is presented by the Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia. See also the Freethought Society Meetup.

Public Transit:
SEPTA Regional Rail: Take the R5 line to Bryn Mawr StationHigh speed Line : Route 100 Line from 69th Street terminal
105 bus

Google Map of location

The Humanist Association of Greater Philadelphia (HAGP) will be showing Religulous. There will be a discussion and refreshments afterwards. (A small donation will be requested to cover costs)

HAGP Movie night is the first Saturday of every month. See the website HAGP.org for more information.

Speaker: Fred Edwords, communications director for the American Humanist Association.

How to be Good without God

Attitudes Project found that 57 percent of Americans agree with the statement, "It is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values." But is this popular view correct? Is it really true that, "without God everything is permitted"? If not, then where do human values come from? Fred Edwords will address this question head on and explain the basis for humanist values--with practical application to our daily lives.The Ethical Society of Philadelphia holds Sunday platforms every week at 11:00 am. The Society is a religious Humanist organization.

Speaker: Suraya Pakzad, Founder and Director of the Voice of Women Organization

The daily struggles of women in Afghanistan are marked by hopelessness and despair. Women are imprisoned for things they don’t understand, beaten (or worse) by their husbands for simply looking at another man in the eye, or burned at their own hands in an attempt to escape their fate. But one Afghan woman has relentlessly put her life in danger to expose their plight and improve their lives.

That woman is Suraya Pakzad, founder and director of Voice of Women Organization, a non governmental organization dedicated to helping women achieve economic, social and political rights in the western region of Afghanistan. VWO was founded in secrecy during the Taliban rule; meetings were in held in Ms. Pakzad's home and initially devoted to teaching girls and young women to read. Over time, VWO expanded to provide shelter to abused women, micro-financing and other poverty-reduction programs, as well as promoting the role of women in government. Ms. Pakzad is the 2008 recipient of the Secretary of State's award for International Women of Courage, honored for her exceptional courage and leadership in promoting women's rights and advancement.

Ms. Pakzad will be describing her shared experience with the women of Afghanistan, the daily horrors and struggle for basic rights, and how her efforts are challenging the present situation.

We will also learn how we can help.
Refreshments will be served. Free and Open to the public.

Donations gratefully accepted.

For more information, see The Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia (FSGP) website.