Thoughts on the eve of the Global Atheist Convention 2012

Thoughts on the eve of the Global Atheist Convention 2012

Well, the Global Atheist Convention 2012 (GAC) starts in Melbourne. I’ve paid my money and am off soon for a flight to attend.

But, what should I expect?

The GAC is entitled a celebration of reason. The word ‘celebration’ makes me expect a note of joy, confidence and even fun. While I expect some discussions of alternates to a life of reason, I’d expect that the conference would have a largely serious but positive note. That is, that it will have talks espousing, defending and explaining a life lived by the light of reason alone.

To be frank, I’ll be watching for contradictions.

·       Will there be unguarded words expressing values like faith, hope, and love (along with their opposites) that are built on assumptions other than reason alone?

·       Will there be a self-referenced critique of pure reason in which the life of reason alone is submitted to Socratic examination?

·       Will there be explanations of how axiology can advance by grounding artistic and aesthetic and ethical values in reason alone?

·       Will epistemology be grounded in ways that don’t involve faith in inductive logic and in which all premises have absolute certitude?

I know what happens at religious conventions. Strangers gather with goodwill to one another and united by a common love of God. The programme is typically dominated by acts of worship to God that celebrate his goodness, explanations and challenges from the Bible, along with stories of God at work and appeals to support his work with time, talents and treasure. On the side of this programme people gather to pray and chat among themselves amidst hospitality that is normally of modest scale. Perhaps a Christian convention is best summarized by a hymn sung to the creator / redeemer How great thou art.

I wonder whether an atheist convention will shadow this pattern (as in de Botton’s urging that atheists copy over good things from religion after strip the religious dogma and beliefs out)?

Meanwhile, here’s a thoughtful piece from a theistic perspective to read:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/faith-in-the-infallibility-of-the-mind-is-the-atheists-delusion-20120411-1ws4j.html