Our platform speakers are selected based on their knowledge and expertise on a given subject, not necessarily on the degree to which they agree with the basic values and principles of Ethical Culture. We may invite speakers with dramatically opposing views in order to challenge the existing "politically correct" views.

Presentations are on Sundays at 1:30PM at Extraordinary Ventures in Chapel Hill, NC. Childcare is provided. On Sundays not listed below, we discuss the topic of the prior presentation.

The Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle is now meeting at Extraordinary Ventures in Chapel Hill from 1:30 - 3PM. This began January 4, 2009. Click Directions at the top of this window to find out how to get to the new meeting place.

1. August 1, 2010
   "Ethical Humanism"
   Speaker: Randy Best, EHST Leader
   
   

2. September 19, 2010
   "_____________"
   Speaker: Randall Styers, UNC Professor
   Issues relating to church & state
   

1. July 18, 2010
   "Secular Coalition for American in Action"
   Speaker: Todd Stiefel
   Todd will speak as a Board member of the Secular Coalition of America
   

2. July 4, 2010
   "AEU Assembly"
   Speakers: John Holmgren and Randy Best
   A discussion of the 2010 AEU Assembly in Scranton, PA
   

3. June 20, 2010
   "Spinoza's Naturalism "
   Speaker: Prof. Robert Adams
   Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Philosophy , UNC Chapel Hill
   A discussion of the effect Baruch Spinoza had on separation of church and state.
   

4. June 6, 2010
   "Looking for Mr. Jonathan:
   Reconsidering what we know about (black) gay Christianity"
   Speaker: Dr. Richard Pitt
   Asst. Prof. of Sociology, Vanderbilt University
   Dr. Pitt's scholarship focuses on Religion and Gender Identity
   More information can be found at:
   http://www.vanderbilt.edu/sociology/VDOS_People_RichardPitt.shtml

5. May 2, 2010
   "Between a Church and a Hard Place: One Faith-Free Father's Struggle to Understand What it Means to be Religious (or Not)"
   Speaker: Andrew Park
   A "non-believer" deals with children and faith.
   

6. April 18, 2010
   "ETHICS-CHARACTER-LEADERSHIP"
   Speaker: James L. Anderson
   General, US Army (Retired)
   A strong advocate for the philosophy that Leadership is a blend of Competence plus Character, he has spent over 55 years teaching the Art Of Principle-Focused Leadership
   




7. April 4, 2010
   "Navigating the Healthcare Maze"
   Speaker: Diane Halloran, RN, MPH
   Founder and Director of Everybody Needs a Nurse, she will talk about what you should know to prepare for your doctor visit, questions you should ask before you have a procedure or surgery. It includes what you should know about the medicines you’re taking and what websites are credible.
   
   

8. March 28, 2010
   "The Neuroscience Involved in Financial Fraud - Part 2"
   Speaker: Gerry Leve, MD
   An exposition of the various emotion driven biases that influence our "Rational" decision making
   




9. March 21, 2010
   "The Neuroscience Involved in Financial Fraud - Part 1"
   Speaker: Gerry Leve, MD
   Gerry recently taught a course, at Osher Life Long Learning Institute at Duke, related to this subject.
   




10. March 7, 2010
    "Global Culture in a Flat World"
    Speaker: Lowell Hoffman
    We live in a global world! It has never been more important to better understand and be understood by people from other cultures whether those we encounter in our daily lives or those we experience in our travels abroad. This program introduces elements of cultural differences that exist in the way we gather and process information, make decisions, manage time and relate to others. Each culture has its own profile; many quite different from those of our own American experience.
    




11. February 21, 2010
    "The Reason Behind the Tradition: What it Means to be a Humanistic Jew"
    Speaker: Cathy Moore, Allison Wood
    Both are lay leaders of Kol Haskalah, A Humanistic Jewish Congregation located here in the Triangle
    Kol Haskalah web site is www.hjnc.org




12. February 7, 2010
    ""Creationism, Intelligent Design, and Anti- Intellectualism in America" "
    Speaker: Alex Glass
    Instructor of invertebrate paleontology and science education in the Nicholas School of the Environment, Earth and Ocean Sciences division. He has a strong interest in the relationship between science and religion and much of his outreach centers on educating the public on issues surrounding the creation-evolution debate.
    Anti-evolutionism is alive and well in the United States, reaching new supporters via the ever-expanding internet, and finding ample grounds for expansion among an American public that is innately suspicious of "scientific elitism". As the merit and integrity of science is increasingly under attack by those whose political and economic interests run counter to the latest scientific findings, conservative, religiously-motivated anti-science groups are finding new converts among more religiously progressive members of the faith community. The scientific community must become more actively involved in cultural and community affairs to counter the growing anti-intellectual ism in America.
    




13. February 6, 2010, SATURDAY. Meeting at Randy's house from 2:30 to 5:00 PM
    2934 Ridge Rd., Durham. Please reserve space:
    490-6304 or randallbest@fastmail.fm
    "An afternoon workshop on the recent preface contained in a free copy of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species that was given away at fifty college campuses across the country in November.
    This preface was written by Christian Evangelist Ray Comfort. Rev. Comfort has made anti-evolution and atheist baiting into a money making enterprise. You can read about it on his website here: http://tinyurl.com/yck7rux
    Ray Comfort's preface to the Origin of Species sets out to refute evolution. "
    Speaker: Randy Best, EHST Leader
    The workshop will examine the preface from three perspectives:
    - Read the preface and pretend that you are someone with not much exposure to science. Is the preface convincing? Why or why not?
    - The preface's major claims will be examined from a scientific perspective. Do any of Comfort's objections to evolution hold up?
    - Why does the evolution question, which is so well established scientifically, continue to be opposed by some religious groups? What fundamental needs are driving these groups to oppose evolution and science?
    
    

14. January 31, 2010
    "What it means to be an Ethical Humanist"
    Speaker: Randy Best, EHST Leader
    
    This will include the Society's origins, history, and beliefs of our organization.
    




15. January 3, 2010
    "Free Will and Responsibility: How Free are We?"
    Speaker: Randy Best, EHST Leader
    
    will share his take on this subject with the hope of provoking some good questions.