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GOD IN THE LAB, Sat. 21st March - book now


Title: God in the Lab
Location: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R

Description: A day with some of the World's leading scientific researchers into faith, many from Oxford University. We'll be looking at hearing voices, possession, etc. What goes on the brain of someone hearing voices? Come and see the MRI scans. Is religious belief hard-wired into us? Yes, says one of our scientists, and provides the empirical evidence. One of our speakers was recently featured in NEW SCIENTIST magazine: Born believers: How your brain creates God.

A unique opportunity to hear and question those working at the cutting edge of this growing field of scientific research. Presented by CFI London and the Ethical Society.

To book, send a cheque payable to “Centre for Inquiry London” to: Executive Director Suresh Lalvani, Centre for Inquiry London, at the above address (Include names of all those coming). Alternatively pay by PAYPAL. Use the “Support CFI UK” button at www.cfiuk.org and follow the instructions. £10 or £5 concessions.
Start Time: 10:30 (for 11.00)
Date: 2009-03-21
End Time: 16:00
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Comments

Anonymous said…
If God DOES exist, then it makes perfect sense that he'd hard wire his creation to believe in him, so I don't see why or how this New Scientist study can be used as evidence that God doesn't exist. It's compatible with the theory that A. God does exist. and its also compatible with the theory that B. God is an idea which has evolved into our brains.

If anything, I'd say it lends itself just as much to the first alternative and maybe even moreso than the second.
February 12, 2009 at 2:21 AM
Stephen Law said…
Trav - I don't think any of these guys is suggesting this is evidence God doesn't exist. At least one is a Christian. Come along - you might find it interesting!
February 12, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Julian Bennett said…
There is one suggestion that lends itself to religious gods being fictions and that is the fact that they nearly always appear to have human psychological profiles e.g. they think about sexual relations, justice, revenge, obedience etc.

Further, such traits are evolved adaptations or offshoots of adaptations in humans. [Dog gods would have different traits, not so much the all seeing eye but the all smelling nose]. So gods have acquired psychological traits that are the result of evolution in humans rather than another species.

But hang on - gods are meant to be immaterial beings, some of which are thought to have existed forever, none are mean to the result of evolution.

So how do we reconcile non-evolved gods have evolved psychological traits??? Ah, I see, it all makes sense once we understand that they are the projections of human minds.
February 13, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Csiki Attila-József said…
I've read the article, and I've found it very interesting. I've already written about it on a Hungarian religious blog, jezsuita.blog.hu. Too bad it's in Hungarian.

I might go to this conference, it seems that I'm free that day:)
February 14, 2009 at 12:56 PM
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