About us
This is the official Meetup of New York City Skeptics, an all-volunteer nonprofit that promotes science and critical thinking.
For more information about us and our other activities visit www.nycskeptics.org.
You may also be interested in our official podcast, Rationally Speaking.
We also organize the Northeast Conference on Science & Skepticism (NECSS).
Had enough of astrologers, psychics, homeopaths, and spirit channelers? Yearning to talk with someone rational for awhile? Join us for our mothly discussion on critical thinking, science, and skeptical inquiry. Make sure you RSVP promptly, seating will be limited!
To keep the meetups friendly though, we will continue to, at least try, to stay away from controversial topics. The forbidden topics are religion, politics and global warming.
Upcoming events
12
Do we have free will?
Chelsea Square Restaurant, 368 W 23rd St, Btwn 8th & 9th Ave, NY, New York, NY, USWelcome to “Skeptic Dinners,” a series of events facilitated by Prof. Massimo Pigliucci, a philosopher and biologist at the City College of New York. The idea is similar to that of the Ancient Greek symposia: let’s get a small number of like-minded people together over drinks and food and discuss interesting subjects!
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It's the perennial question: do we have free will? And what does that imply for moral responsibility? This month we'll examine the debate between hard determinists and compatibilists, two of the major philosophical positions on this issue (the third one is free will libertarianism, usually pushed only by Christian theologians and the like).
In particular, we'll examine three short pieces by Michael Shermer (publisher of Skeptic magazine) and Jerry Coyne (evolutionary biologist), arguing respectively for compatibilism and hard determinism. Join us, will you? Well, you don't have a choice, really. Or do you??
Suggested readings / viewing:
* The truth about free will, by M. Shermer
* A mulled argument, by J. Coyne
* Free will, determinism, and compatibilism, by M. Shermer***
Please note the changed location!
Also NOTE: Since these are dinner events at a restaurant, which require reservations, you are expected to consume some food. Also please treat your rsvp seriously and update it if you decide not to come. If you don’t and we end up with empty seats, you may be barred from some of the next meeting. Thanks for understanding!
12 attendees
![[LOCATION CHANGE] Drinking Skeptically](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/e/highres_488040030.jpeg)
Past events
438
