Darwin, Humanism and Science at Conway Hall
Today was terribly exciting, as I got to shake the hand of one of my heroes, Richard Dawkins. I managed this because I attended to the British Humanist Association’s ‘Darwin, Humanism and Science’ conference at the Conway Hall, which is a contender for the best hall in London - they have a Bertrand Russell room and a display up sticking it to the creationists.
It’s perhaps important to note that it was a conference - I was surprised when I discovered this is what it was. I’d originally bought a ticket a few weeks ago after reading the words “Richard Dawkins” and “London”. I wasn’t exactly expecting a full gig (though Dawkins’ is a bitchin’ rapper) - though I thought it’d be something a bit smaller. Maybe Dawkins was promoting his new exercise DVD, “Survival of the fittest”? (It should be your natural selection this Christmas). But no, it was a full conference - not that I’m complaining.
What followed was a whole day of fascinating lectures about science, humanism and why creationists are twats. Polly Toynbee, chair of the BHA introduced it at the start, bringing Dawkins on to lots of applause from sycophants like me. Ever the academic, he launched straight into his lecture, deconstructing the last paragraph of The Origin, and explaining how excellent evolution is. Turns out that God didn’t do it.
What I became quite conscious of at this point was that the people around me - including a little old lady sitting next to me, were making notes. This was something I barely did in lectures that I had to attend, so I can’t quite work out why they were doing so. It did cross my mind that there might have been an exam at the end of the day, but I reasoned that I could blag it like I did, er, my BA.
Following a short break, in which I bumped into two others members of the Twitterati, James Williams from the University of Sussex gave a lecture on creationist tactics and how they’re warping the minds of kids. Dead interesting stuff - and brilliantly, he name-dropped a creationist who came to do a talk at my university last year. His name escapes me, but despite being some sort of Professor of Thermodynamics at Sheffield… is also a creationist. Bizarre.
The Q&A after this session was notable for the only crackpot question of the day - disappointing considering that Dicky Dawkins was in attendance, so you’d think it’d draw in a couple of other mental theists. His question was difficult to hear, but was something about that he accepts evolution, but then doesn’t it prove that homosexuality is really bad? The audience laughed and jeered. The panel just moved on to the next question.
It was during the lunch break after this that I shook hands with Dawkins. I saw him walking around the lobby, looking at the evolution display, so seizing the opportunity, I lunged my hand at him and said “Love your books”. He shook my hand and walked off. Not quite as good as what I said to Liam Fox, probably. Later in the day I also blocked his path when stumbling about and he smiled at me in a way that said “get out of my way, as I’m important, you know”.
Following this were sessions on why the human brain is wired to impede acceptance of evolutionary theory and then something about the “moral” arguments against creationism. The bit following this perhaps contained the next most surprising thing though.
Babu Gogineni delivered an unexpectedly interest talk on creationism in India, and dropped the bombshell that one of the universities in India had bowed to pressure from the “Indian science” movement (which is seemingly trying to create a separate science informed by Hinduism) to create an Astrology Department, and get this, to fund it, they cut funding from… physics and chemistry.
He ended on a warning that Hindu religious fundies are going to be more of a threat than Muslims ones - because they’re organised into a state, there’s a billion of them, and they’ll have stacks of cash. Scary stuff.
The day ended with AC Grayling talking about humanism and the battle between the arts and the sciences, which I’m sure I’ve read or heard him talking about before somewhere.
But yeah, it was pretty excellent over all.
Related Links (This is me trying to “add value” to this secondary blog as I’m trying to make it contain ACTUAL FACTS and not just silly jokes):
