Humanist Association

The LW Humanist Association will meet Sunday, Oct. 5, at 10:30 a.m., in Clubhouse 3, Room 1. Bill Zuersher will give a presentation titled “Explaining Consciousness: Panpsychism and Other Physicalist Positions.”

Physicalists challenge themselves to identify a plausible account of how the material brain can generate consciousness (the “hard problem of consciousness”). In this presentation, the club will discuss the main physicalist positions—identity theory, weak emergence, strong emergence and panpsychism—with an emphasis on the historical roots of the latter. How do these theories hold up against apologetical challenges from theists? Do theistic approaches fare any better?

Zuersher is an activist for the separation of religion and government and the author of the book “Seeing through Christianity: a Critique of Beliefs and Evidence.” His interest in religion derives from a concern about the role of faith-based beliefs in American politics.

—Dave Silva