Hey Freethinkers! We’ve been busy summoning only the most sacriligious of speakers to maintain your necessary dose of ireverence over the summer. We have a couple of interesting talks already planned and hope to see you there!
The Centre for Inquiry Vancouver and UBC Freethinkers are proud to present a talk on blasphemy and human rights by Austin Dacey.
Lecture title: “The future of blasphemy“
When: May 30th, 2012
What Time: 7pm until 8.30pm
Where: BUCH A103, UBC
How Much: $10 General Admission
Free for members of CFI or UBC Freethinkers
Austin Dacey is a philosopher, author, and human rights activist whose work on issues of freedom of conscience and expression has been profiled by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC World Service, NPR, and Voice of America. His writings have appeared in numerous publications including USA Today, Dissent, and the New York Times, which ran his 2006 op-ed, “Believing in Doubt.”
A representative to the United Nations for the International Humanist and Ethical Union, Austin has participated in international debates regarding freedom of expression, religion, and the “dialogue among civilizations,” speaking before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. His 2008 book, The Secular Conscience: Why Belief Belongs in Public Life, which argued for the central role of conscience in political and moral discourse, was embraced by figures as diverse as Sam Harris and Father Richard John Neuhaus. It was noted in North American, European, and Arabic media, and called “timely and important” by Asharq Alawsat. He holds a doctorate in applied ethics and social philosophy and has taught most recently at Polytechnic Institute of New York University in Brooklyn.
This talk will address the controversial issue of blasphemy in our society, and promises to be an exciting and lively discussion.