By popular request from the participants of the Feb Movie night, here is the playlist that was used for our YouTube Movie Night. The list was put together by our very own Suzy with videos submitted by some of our members. To skip through the playlist you will need to hit the small white button with 3 lines in at the bottom of the video. This will bring up the sliding selector. Also note that some of the videos on the play list cannot be embedded, so you will have to click the link which will allow you to watch it on YouTube. Thanks to everyone for submitting.

Nietzsche, nIetzsche, NIEtZschE, nieTZSCHe, nietzsche, and NIETZSCHE. Can you tell which is which?

  Young Nietzsche was a skeptic, in the full spirit of what is called “the skeptical movement.” He was an advocate of science and was skeptical of religion, of superstition, of non-scientists who professed to knowledge, of morality, of the doctrine of freedom of the will, of the reasons we give for doing things and of our ability to know anything with absolute certainty. He saw science as tearing religion’s foundations out from under it. He was a powerful, creative thinker and asserted that schools should teach critical thinking and that science as a method is valuable to scientists and non-scientists alike. Nietzsche was an über-skeptic.

  I have chosen not to address the concerns many people have with Nietzsche’s thought, beyond this little disclaimer. I am not a philosopher, nor have I read many of his books. What I have read I’ve found completely fascinating. Being an iconic and radical thinker, he attracts lightning that lesser, more moderate or less known thinkers escape. Many factions claim or have claimed him as their own, whether it’s postmodernists, the Nazis, feminists, Ayn Rand, or others. Though he has been accused of much, there are Nietzsche scholars and other philosophers who defend him from accusations of wrong-doing (such as Walter Kaufmann). If you, dear reader, disagree with Nietzsche on some point or other — and I do — do not forget that it would be wrong to assert that the man had nothing worthwhile to say because of the point on which you differ. Of course, you can still say he had nothing worthwhile to say; but I hope to show that Nietzsche said some things, true and worthwhile, that are relevant to the skeptical community today and anticipated many of the ideas in circulation there. Read the rest of this entry »

Colorado Springs is having its first SkeptiCamp!

When: August 27, 9:30 AM to 5 PM

Where: Gay and Lesbian Fund 315 East Costilla Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2105

We will be meeting after the event for food and drink and Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub. We have reservation in the upstairs area at 6 PM.

What is SkeptiCamp?

A SkeptiCamp is a conference organized by a community of skeptics where the attendees participate in creating and presenting content focusing on critical thinking, science, pseudoscience, alternative medicine and the many topics of interest to skeptics.

The Colorado Springs SkeptiCamp Wiki is live!

Please sign up as soon as possible on the Wiki even if you are only attending.

What is a SkeptiCamp? SkeptiCamps are informal, community-organized conferences borne from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. Everyone from casual skeptics to the experienced participate, give talks and get to know each other.

We have 18 speakers scheduled, and around 60 people attending. For more information and to register, go to: http://www.skepticamp.org/wiki/SkeptiCamp_Colorado_Springs_2011

The event is free and you may come and go as you please.