Welcome to Humanists in Berkshire Discussion Group
“It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” Joseph Joubert
Dine, Discuss, and Debate in a friendly environment!
Upcoming Meetings
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Briefing Materials
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Previous Topics
Evolution and Religion
When did humans develop spiritual thought? Is there an evolutionary basis for religion? What role has religion played in human social history? And in our increasingly secular world, why has it endured?
Tribalism: Is it Good or Bad?
Tribalism is often blamed for creating division and conflict in society. Drawing from cultural psychologist Michael Morris’s book Tribal, we’ll explore its origins — where it comes from, what our tribal instincts truly are, and how they’ve shaped human history. In today’s fast-changing world, we’ll examine both the challenges posed by our tribal inheritance and the unique opportunities it offers to drive positive change.
Is Meritocracy Fair?
The question Is meritocracy fair? is raised by Professor Richard Plomin in his book Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are. Professor Plomin is one of the world’s leading genetic behaviouralists and his book summarises the lessons of half a century of research into “nature v nurture” His conclusion is that it is both, with nature playing around 50% and nurture the remainder.
Can Democracies Address Long-term Issues?
Ian Dunt argues in How Westminster Works … and Why it Doesn’t, and Sam Freeman in Failed State, the British democratic system suffers from a lack of expertise, short-termism, and an unwillingness to delegate authority.
Truth in an Era of Information Overload
How can we differentiate between truth and fiction? Between fact and misinformation? What steps can we, as individuals, take to validate the information we consume? And what measures are needed on a broader social scale to regulate this new information landscape?
The Future of Social Care
Care when we are incapable of caring for ourselves is a fact that many of us will have to deal with and is a worry to many. The current system is not working. What can be done to address this problem?
Christianity and the Western Mind
To what extent is the way we in the West think about the world based on ideas developed by Christianity? Leaving aside belief in God, to what degree is Western culture Christian in origin?
Liberal Democracy versus National Conservatism
Liberal Democracy became the norm in Western societies after World War II and formed the basis for the world economic and political order. What is the National Conservative challenge to that, and how can those believing in liberal democracy respond?