February 2014

  

This February, we're excited to welcome two renowned speakers to YHC. From Joshua Greene -- who will explore how we navigate complex issues in a world where so many people believe very different things -- to Tony Pinn -- who will share his personal story and talk about Humanism in African American communities -- we're sure to be challenged, inspired, and enlightened by this month's visitors.

 

Their talks are just the beginning of all that's going on at YHC in February -- literally, since they're both happening within the first 8 days of February. So read on for details about both of those events and much more. We hope to see you soon!  


Best,

Chris Stedman 

Executive Director  

Can't we all just get along? Joshua Greene speaks about moral tribes at Yale on 2/5

We're less than one month into 2015, but already complex conflicts have dominated news headlines. The violent attack on Charlie Hebdo and retaliatory attacks against Muslims in France. Arsons at mosques in Sweden and the anti-Islam protests sweeping Germany and much of Europe. Climate change. The Supreme Court and same-sex marriage. Widespread, systemic inequalities. How can we navigate all of these difficult issues, when so many people seem to have such different values? 

Joshua Greene, the John and Ruth Hazel Associate Professor of the Social Sciences and director of the Moral Cognition Laboratory at Harvard University, addresses this problem head on in his book Moral Tribes. While our brains were designed for tribal life -- for getting along with a select group of others (Us) and for fighting off everyone else (Them) -- modern times have forced the world's tribes into a shared space, resulting in epic clashes of values. As the world shrinks, the moral lines that divide us become more salient and more puzzling -- and we wonder where, if at all, we can find our common ground. 

On February 5 at 7 PM in LC 317 (Linsly-Chittenden Hall, 63 High Street, New Haven, CT) at Yale, Greene will use neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy to address this question: How can we get along with Them when what they want feels so wrong to Us? This talk, sponsored by Yale Humanist Community, is free and open to the public. 

"After two and a half millennia, it's rare to come across a genuinely new idea on the nature of morality, but in this book Joshua Greene advances not one but several... Moral Tribes is a landmark in our understanding of morality and the moral sense." -Steven Pinker

What: Joshua Greene on moral tribes
When: Thursday, February 5, 7 PM
Where: LC 317 (Linsly-Chittenden Hall, 63 High Street)
Who: Open to the public!
February Humanist Haven: Tony Pinn visits YHC!

We're thrilled that our February Humanist Haven speaker is the one and only Tony Pinn! In "When College Is More Than the Classroom: A Personal Journey from Belief in God to Humanism," Professor Pinn will discuss his movement away from theism toward an approach to life devoid of God and gods. In telling the story of the Humanist he knows best, he will provide a sense of what Humanism means and does within the context of African American communities in larger terms. 

The author and editor of thirty books, Dr. Anthony B. Pinn is one of America's leading scholars on Humanism and African American atheism. Pinn is the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University and serves as the director of research for the Institute for Humanist Studies.

Still to come later this Spring:
  • March 8: Vanessa Zoltan on secular spirituality
  • April 12: Melanie Brewster and Chris Johnson on the diverse narratives of nonreligious people

Click here for details about all of our Spring 2015 Humanist Haven speakers, and be sure to follow the newsletter for updates on all of these events.

 

What: Tony Pinn on his personal journey and Humanism in African American communities
When: Sunday, February 8, 1 PM (with refreshments to follow) 
Where: Clubhouse at The Grove (760 Chapel Street) 
Who: Open to the public!
A practical approach to living as a Humanist
 

Last month, our Practical Humanism Discussion Group began with a thought-provoking and insightful discussion on how we deal with tragedy outside of religion. This month, join our Programs and Counseling Intern Olga Verbeek and Executive Director Chris Stedman for a conversation about fear and control -- and, later in the month, for another one on utopia.

 

Meetings are free and open to the public, and include pizza and beverages. (Donations welcome.) Click here to get all of the details about each meeting -- and be sure to save the rest of the discussion meeting dates in your calendar!

 

Meeting dates:

  • Wednesday, January 21, 7 PM
  • Wednesday, February 11, 7 PM
  • Wednesday, February 25, 7 PM
  • Wednesday, March 4, 7 PM
  • Wednesday, March 25, 7 PM
  • Wednesday, April 8, 7 PM
  • Wednesday, April 22, 7 PM
  • Wednesday, May 6, 7 PM
What: Practical Humanism Discussion Group
When: Various Wednesdays
Where: The Grove (760 Chapel Street)
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only
Interfaith community service series continues

Join Saint Thomas More (the Catholic Center at Yale) and YHC on Thursday, February 19 at 7 PM for a service project and dialogue about our diverse motivations for service and our shared desire to improve the world. This is the fourth event our ongoing series of service and dialogue events designed to help address hunger in New Haven while giving our communities an opportunity to better understand one another and break down suspicion and stereotypes. While this is a collaboration between Catholics and Humanists/atheists, all students are welcome!

What: "Catholics and Humanists together: A joint service project and dialogue on values"
When: Thursday, February 19, 7 PM
Where: Saint Thomas More (268 Park Street)
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only
Join YHC's new Community Life Committee!

If you're interested in helping us plan community service events, invite speakers, educate the broader community about Humanism, or organize Humanist Haven, this committee is the one to come to. Help shape the direction of YHC's programs!

The committee meets at The Grove (760 Chapel Street in New Haven) at 6 PM on the first Wednesday of every month, starting February 4. Click here to learn more and get involved.

What: Community Life Committee
When: Wednesday, February 4, 6 PM
Where: The Grove (760 Chapel Street)
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only
Weekly student meetings for undergrads and YDS students
  
Undergraduate students can join the Yale Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics for dinner every Thursday at 6 PM in Timothy Dwight College. Graduate students: See below for details about our monthly events. And if you're at the Divinity School, don't miss the Open Party's weekly lunch meetings on Wednesdays at 12:30 PM! Email us for location details.

What: Student lunches and dinners
When: Wednesdays and Thursdays
Where: Timothy Dwight and Yale Divinity School
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only
Monthly young adult pub night and board game night

YHC's group for graduate students, professionals, and young adults now hosts two events every month! The first is a pub night, every third Friday of the month at 8 PM at Firehouse 12. The other is a board game night, every first Sunday of the month at 6 PM starting in February. The board game night is BYOB, and we will order food when people arrive -- plan on contributing $5 if you are eating. For details, email Wendy Webber at [email protected].

 

What: Young Adult, Graduate Student, and Professionals events
When: First Sunday and third Friday
Where: Firehouse 12 and East Rock
Who: Graduate students, young adults, and professionals
Weekly Schedule

You can get involved in YHC just about any day of the week! In addition to guest lecturers and various collaborative events with faith communities (many still to be announced), we host regular weekly and monthly events. Below is a day by day break down. Click here to learn more about these ongoing events and programs, and click here to see our calendar.

Sundays

 

Second Sunday of each month
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public

6 PM: Grad Students, Professionals, and Young Adults Board Game Night
First Sunday of each month
Location: Email for details
Who: Open to the public

Mondays

Weekly
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public

Tuesdays

11 AM - 2 PM: Existential counseling with Chris and/or Olga (also available other times by appointment)
Weekly
Location: YHC Office at The Grove or Davenport College
Who: Open to the public

Weekly
Location: Breathing Space (Old Campus)
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only

Wednesdays

12:30 PM: Open Party lunch 
Weekly
Location: Yale Divinity School
Who: YDS students

First Wednesday of each month (beginning in February)
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public

8 meetings from January to May on Wednesday evenings
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public

Thursdays

11 AM - 3 PM: Existential counseling with Chris and/or Olga (also available other times by appointment)
Weekly
Location: YHC Office at The Grove or Davenport College
Who: Open to the public

Weekly
Location: Timothy Dwight
Who: Undergrad students only

7 PM: Interfaith dialogue and community service event with Saint Thomas More and other faith communities 
Bi-monthly (This month: 2/19)
Location: Saint Thomas More
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only

7 PM: Guest lecturers 
Several times per semester (This month: 2/5)
Location: Yale (This month: Linsly-Chittenden 317)
Who: Open to the public

Fridays

Third Friday of each month
Location: Firehouse 12
Who: Open to the public

To learn more, click here or check out our calendar!
Please support YHC

If you're excited about this community and the events we're planning, we encourage you to dig deep and give. As a 501(c)(3), YHC relies completely on your donations -- with no financial support or benefits from Yale University. To donate, please click here.
Struggling with addiction? 
Weekly YHC support group

Are you struggling with addictive behaviors? We host a weekly SMART Recovery support group meeting every Monday at 6:30 PM in the Conservatory room at The Grove. The goal of SMART, which stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training, is to provide quality support and community for individuals struggling with addictive behaviors -- and a nontheistic alternative to twelve-step programs, which rely heavily on God and Christian theology. People of all faiths and beliefs are welcome to attend.
Read about YHC!


Want to learn more about our work to build a community for the nonreligious at Yale and beyond? Check out a recent profile of our efforts at Beacon and go "inside the effort to build an officially recognized community of Humanists at Yale University, which was founded as a school for training clergy."
From our partners 
 
Applied Sentience's January posts from Yale writers

Check out January's posts written for Applied Sentience by Yale-affiliated writers!

"FAT: Lessons from Malawi" by Claire Donnelley (Yale alumni)

Fat shaming and body image are huge issues in the US. So it was an eye opening experience for Claire to explore the exact reverse while living in Malawi.

"Teach to the Future, Part 1: How to Write for the Internet" by Aaron Gertler (current Yale student)

As the internet changes the way we communicate and learn, education will have to adjust.  Aaron explores just how it is changing and some interesting ideas for how to improve our curriculum in response.


Wendy sits down with the founder of World Faith and discusses the importance of 'interbelief' dialogue, including atheists and humanists in the conversation, and the broader social change that needs to take place.
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