"Discussion Forum" Tagged Content (Page 3)
Our Genes, Our Selves
As genetic technology continues to advance, what happens when we try to create or eliminate certain characteristics for our children? What are the potential unintended consequences with fiddling with our DNA? Should humans be “playing God”? Lisa Ortuno, a Sinai and Synapses Fellow, explores those questions through a series of interviews, asking several experts, “Are we more than our genes?”
Anthropology, Not Demagoguery, Is the Way to Understand ISIS
Instead of writing off the enemy as evil animals who are motivated by greed or mental illness, an anthropologist actually tries to understand where ISIS is coming from, so as to better interpret their motives.
Is Religion Evolutionarily Adaptive?
Connor Wood argues that religion’s evolutionary adaptiveness (or lack thereof) shouldn’t have the slightest bearing on the epistemic credibility of religious beliefs, or the ultimate goodness of religion.
The Dark Side of Sacrifice
Sacrifice necessarily implies a level of altruism towards others, a commitment to a larger organization, and devotion to a greater cause. But there can be a dark side to these values, as well.
“From Shame to Praise” – Trevor Noah, Monica Lewinsky and Us
Our reaction to Trevor Noah or Lena Dunham is not so much about them as it is about us.
To Overcome Evil, We Need to Rethink Shame
Rev. Dr. Gawain de Leeuw, an Episcopal priest in White Plains, suggests that perhaps evil is rooted in our need to cover up that which threatens to make us discardable and invisible.
“The Genius of Good and Evil” – A Conversation with Michael Shermer at the 92nd St. Y
As part of the 92nd St. Y’s “7 Days of Genius” Festival, get to the very heart of right and wrong with Professor Michael Shermer and Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman on “The Genius of Good and Evil.”
Science, Religion and the Moral Arc – An Interview with Michael Shermer
Is the world becoming more just? Michael Shermer, author of the new book “The Moral Arc” thinks so. But can science truly make the world better? And if so, what role does religion play?
Barry Freundel and the Dangers of Power
When we are in a position of power, we need to be that much more attuned to our responsibility to be empathetic and compassionate.
Why We Should Value — But Not Worship — Reason
A “reasonable” person killed three people — and that fact should scare any of us who think pure rationality can make our world better.
A Moral Life? Or a Meaningful Life?
While meaning is certainly subjective, morality is also not completely objective, either.
Uncovering the Torah of Technology – An ELI Talk by Rabbi Michael Mellen
There are items in our world that are both spiritual and technological at the same time, just waiting for us to discover both.