Events 2012

See below for event times, places and biographies of speakers at Think Week 2012. Pictures and audio from past events and past years are available at the archive.

Refreshments are be provided at Think Week events when possible, and attendees are welcome to bring food to lunch time events. All events are open to everyone, but may be ticketed when neccessary.

Monday 20th
19:30
In Conversation with Richard Dawkins
 - Oxford Town Hall (OX1 1BX)
Once again we sit down with Professor Richard Dawkins and a soon to be disclosed second party to discuss relevant issues facing us today.

Tickets are unfortunately sold out.

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Tuesday 21st - Think About Knowledge
12:30
What do we really know about the Universe?
Recent findings out of CERN threaten to change our deepest understanding of the way the Universe works. Or do they? We ask, “What do physicists really know for certain?”

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19:30
Life, the Universe, and Everything - the Quest for Truth
 - Magdalen College Grove Auditorium (OX1 4AU)
Join us as we engage with a panel of distinguished thinkers from science, philosophy, and theology as they try to assert that their domain is, in fact, best placed to answer the biggest questions.

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Science is credited as the most effective approach to answering questions. Scientifically derived facts are viewed as truths. But there are also truths to be found in mythology, in historical accounts, in philosophy. As we try to make sense of our world, to answer the big questions, how do we know what ‘truths’ to believe? Which, if any, of these is preeminent? Is there ultimately only one truth, or are there categories of truths? And in our quest for the truth, what sorts of questions should we be asking? Who is best placed to ask them?


- Dr. Stephen Law, philosopher, (Bio)
- Prof. Peter Atkins, chemist, (Bio)
- Prof. Richard Swinburn, religious philosopher, (Bio)
- Dr. Ard Louis, theoretical physicist, (Bio)

Wednesday 22nd - Think About Tolerance
19:30
Does Institutionalized Religion Inevitably lead to Intolerance and Hatred?
 - Oxford Brookes Main Lecture Theatre (Gypsy Lane Campus)
As belief systems evolve into religions, and religions grow to dominate society, how does that society change? Is it inevitable that religion breeds division and intolerance? Or is that an artefact of the way our societies develop? Our distinguished speakers will present research and evidence, both for and against, in a critical look into this phenomenon.

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- Dr. Susan Blackmore, psychologist, freelance writer, broadcaster, (Bio)
- Keith Porteous-Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society, (Bio)
- Alison Murdoch, Director of the Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom, (Bio)
Thursday 23rd - Think About Decisions
12:30
The Psychology of Morality
Constantine Sandis (Bio) is Reader in Philosophy at Oxford Brookes University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, UK. He is the author of The Things We Do and Why We Do Them and is currently working on the relevance of philosophy of action to the study of ethics. And he will be talking to us about moral psychology.

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19:00
An Evening with Joan Smith
 - Oxford Brookes Main Auditorium (OX3 0BP)
Joan Smith (Bio), prominent journalist, novelist, and human rights activist, talks about her life, work, and commitment to atheism.

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20:30
The Power of Social Compliance
 - Oxford Brookes Main Auditorium (OX3 0BP)
Popular hypnotist Martin Taylor (Bio) will show how the power of suggestion, skilfully used, can bring us to do things we’d never otherwise consider. Will you dare to yield control to Martin?

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Friday 24th - Think About Society
12:30
Ask an Atheist
Meet the members of the groups organising this years Think Week and running the regular events for each society throughout the year.
19:30
Is Britain Broken?
 - Quaker Meeting House (43 St Giles, OX1 3LW)
A post-riot look into the state of British Society. We ask a panel made up of atheists, religious leaders and politicians, “If Britain truly is broken, what must we do to fix it?”. Details below.

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- Prof. Beverley Clack, philosopher, (Bio)
- Dr. Taj Hargey, Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, (Bio)
- Brian Paddick, London Mayoral Candidate, (Bio)
- Martin Robbins, journalist, (Bio)
- Dick Wolff, Oxford City Councillor, (Bio)
Saturday 25th - Think About Money
19:30
Is it Immoral to be Wealthy?
 - Oxford Brookes Main Lecture Theatre (OX3 0BP)
As we continue to face financial crisis after financial crisis, and austerity measures take their toll, is it fair that anyone should retain excessive wealth? We will ask our panellists if the wealth sequestered by certain sectors of society, including investors, international corporations, and religious organizations is fair and equitable, and how they would address the ongoing inherited inequality of wealth in this country and others.

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Sunday 26th - Think About Celebration

 

You can also view the event list as a Google Calendar, or alternatively you can import the event list into any program that supports the iCal format.