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| Roundtable |
| Book Club |
| Third Sunday Roundtable |
| Reflections |
| Other |
Driving Directions
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Who is Mark Twain?
Who is Mark Twain? by Mark Twain
Here, for the first time in book form, are twenty-four remarkable pieces by the American master—pieces that have been handpicked by Robert Hirst, general editor of the Mark Twain Project at the University of California, Berkeley. In "Jane Austen," Twain wonders if Austen's goal is to "make the reader detest her people up to the middle of the book and like them in the rest of the chapters." "The Privilege of the Grave" offers a powerful statement about the freedom of speech while "Happy Memories of the Dental Chair" will make you appreciate modern dentistry. Wickedly funny and disarmingly relevant, Who Is Mark Twain? shines a new light on one of America's most beloved literary icons—a man who was well ahead of his time.
Feb. 14, 2010, 4-6pm
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Is Evolution Progressive?
Speaker: Michael Lance
The late Steven Jay Gould posed a thought experiment in his most popular book A Wonderful Life: if we could rewind the tape of life 4 billion years and then rerun it, would higher intelligence evolve again? Gould's verdict was an adamant "No!", however, the view that evolution is destined to produce higher intelligence is widely accepted by most people and even some scientists. Recently, some religious believers have started claiming that the supposed progressive nature of evolution implies the existence of some higher power. This view is distinct from previous intelligent design claims as it states that the theory of evolution properly understood implies the existence of God as opposed to the God of the gaps who exists only because evolution can't explain all the facts. Is this the evolution of intelligent design? Arguments from both sides in this debate will be presented and discussed.
Feb. 21, 2010
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Roussau's concept of The Social Contract
Reflections Group (potluck dinner)
Topic: Continuation of Roussau's concept of The Social Contract [started by Florence Wilden]. Location: Chadwick/Lollis residence. 9219 George Williams Rd. Knoxville, TN 37922-4206
Time: 4pm – 6pm. Bring a dish and let's continue consideration of social
relationships.
Feb. 28, 2010, 4 - 6pm
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Computer Crimes and Internet threats
Our discussant will be Detective Jim Watson of the Knox County Sheriff's Department. Detective Watson will provide an overview of the types of crimes committed with computers, detection of the crimes, and safety ideas.
Come early for coffee and treats and socializing of course!
Location is our usual spot, in the Annex off of the cafeteria in the Goins Administration building at Pelissippi State College.
Mar. 07, 2010, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
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What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought
What Intelligence Tests Miss: The Psychology of Rational Thought, by Keith E.
Stanovich
Critics of intelligence tests—writers such as Robert Sternberg, Howard Gardner, and Daniel Goleman—have argued in recent years that these tests neglect important qualities such as emotion, empathy, and interpersonal skills. However, such critiques imply that though intelligence tests may miss certain key noncognitive areas, they encompass most of what is important in the cognitive domain. In this book, Keith E. Stanovich challenges this widely held assumption. Stanovich shows that IQ tests (or their proxies, such as the SAT) are radically incomplete as measures of cognitive functioning. They fail to assess traits that most people associate with “good thinking,” skills such as judgment and decision making. Such cognitive skills are crucial to real-world behavior, affecting the way we plan, evaluate critical evidence, judge risks and probabilities, and make effective decisions. IQ tests fail to assess these skills of rational thought, even though they are measurable cognitive processes. Rational thought is just as important as intelligence, Stanovich argues, and it should be valued as highly as the abilities currently measured on intelligence tests.
Mar. 14, 2010, 4-6pm
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Wisdom of Crowds, or Angry Anonymous Mob
U.T. Law Professor Glenn Reynolds, internationally known author of the "Instapundit" blog, will discuss the up- and down-sides of social media.
Mar. 21, 2010, 10:30-12:30
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