Next on ETFF…
Saturday, May 25; 3:00 PM EST
To Be Announced…
Tune In, Pay it Forward, and Question Everything!
Previously on ETFF…
Against Moral Responsibility w/Dr Bruce Waller
Humanity has had to adapt to deep philosophical and indeed psychological changes over the last 500 years. With the knowledge that came from geology and astronomy, we’ve learned we are not at the center of the universe, nor even a significant part of the “all that is.” From biology and genetics we have learned that we are a part of the animal kingdom, apes with big brains.. brains which, themselves have been programmed by nature much as a computer is programmed.
And we have also learned that there is no reason, nor any evidence, for us to believe in supernatural realms or beings for the universe to have come into existence, or for humanity to have thrived. Nature is our mother, and only nature (and perhaps our own ignorance) can put us under.
And, in the last twenty years, we have explored perhaps the most complex, most delicate feature of the universe, the human brain…and consciousness itself. What we are learning now can arguably be thought of as the most significant of our many scientific achievements and perhaps the most dangerous idea.. that Free-Will is an illusion and all our thoughts and behaviors are caused by an intricate combination of our genetic heritage, our environment, and our social experiences. Whatever choices or decisions we make, or actions we take, there are reasons for which there is little we can do outside of allowing ourselves the experiences, and to learn from our wrong-steps.
But what does this do to our sense of morality – gleamed from either our religions or our secular philosophies? That will be the subject of today’s conversation with Dr Bruce Waller: Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Youngstown State University in Ohio. Dr. Waller received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his books include Consider Ethics: Theory, Readings, and Contemporary Issues; Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict; You Decide!: Current Debates in Criminal Justice; And his latest, Against Moral Responsibility published by MIT Press.
Listen to Audio Here!
ETFF Presents: The Bunny vs The Son of God!
Listen to Audio Here!
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Occupy the Media! Celebrate WBAI-NY 50 years of representing the 99%! If you like what you see, and want a bandanna, please donate $35 pledge by calling 212-209-2950! (design by Hillary Weiss)
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ETFF Talks w/ Santa!
Listen to Audio Here!
The Humanist Interviews…
Equal Time for Freethought’s exec. producer, Barry F. Seidman, had the honor of being the first person interviewed for blogger “Skepoet” for his new series on humanism. Skepoet’s blog, ‘At Crossroads of Critical Thinking and the Humanities,’ contains essays and links about Education, Environmentalism, Humanism, Philosophy, Politics, Science & Skepticism. The Seidman interview can be found here!
Barry F. Seidman interviews Meco Monardo!
Disclaimer: Yes, we know this has nothing to do with Freethought…
The artist who mastered the genre of “symphonic disco” goes by the name of Meco Monardo. “MECO” recorded over 15 albums, mostly from 1977 till 1985, as well as a host of singles some of which were not accompanied by full LPs. MECO did experiment from time to time with original work, but the musical canvas on which he arranged the many marriages of symphony music and disco included the wonderful music from films such as the Star Wars series, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, The Black Hole, Raiders of the Lost Ark, American Werewolf of London, The Wizard of Oz and of course, Star Trek.
MECO’s full name is Domenico Monardo. He was born in Pennsyvania. His father played the valve trombone in a small Italian band, and through him Meco got his first musical education. Meco wanted to play the drums, but his father convinced him that the trombone was the right instrument, and at nine that was the instrument which he was to stay with, however, for Meco the slide trombone was his choice. He joined the high school band while still attending grammar school. At 17 he won a scholarship to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, which provided him with a solid classical and jazz music education. There, together with his two friends Chuck Mangione and Ron Carter, he started the Eastman School of Music Jazz Band. Originally not inclined towards pop music, Meco’s heart changed when he heard Petula Clark’s “Downtown”.
He began doing arrangements, for example the horn section on Tommy James’ “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” In an interview with DiscoMusic.com Meco explains that he is probably the only person who has played a jazz trombone solo on any pop record the last 50 years. This happened on Diana Ross’ 1980 album Diana, on the song, “I’m Coming Out.” Around 1973 Meco, Tony Bongiovi and a third person formed the production company Disco Corporation of America, and from 1974 to 1976 Meco worked as a record producer. The team of Meco, Bongiovi, Jay Ellis and Harold Wheeler produced the 1974 Gloria Gaynor hit “Never Can Say Goodbye” and Carol Douglas’ “Doctor’s Orders.”
The ETFF Mission…
To explore and represent an evidence-based world view, thereby providing a forum for social change based on secular humanism, scientific naturalism, and healthy skepticism.
WBAI 99.5 FM Radio broadcasts Equal Time for Freethought each Saturday at 3:00 PM. Shows beginning at another time will be noted in the schedule.
Equal time is sorely needed! Just as WBAI stands in a proud tradition of progressive dissent from the mainstream corporate political system, this show stands in dissent from the mainstream society, which is dominated today by supernaturalism and religious or “faith-based” views. In fact, many of us believe that a vital part of achieving social progress will be freeing humanity from superstition and supernatural beliefs.
We also feel that being evidence-based implies our advocating for a proactive planetary humanism rather than merely articulating what we don’t profess to believe. This means that on Equal Time for Freethought, we explore what a humanist future society might look like via addressing not only secularism or atheism, but also naturalism, spirituality, society, politics, economics, and human potential.
Call in: (212) 209-2900
Pledges: (212) 209-2950
Email: ETFF2009@aol.com
Who is Equal Time for Freethought?
Producers/Hosts: Barry F. Seidman / Arnell Dowret
Barry has worked as a humanist/Freethought community leader and events coordinator for the Council for Secular Humanism and the Center for Inquiry (2000-2006). Barry’s writing has been published in Free Inquiry, Philosophy Now, The Skeptic UK, The New Humanist, the Daily Record of New Jersey, Biotechnology News, Oncology.com, The Sciences, Skeptical Inquirer and EXIT, and he is co-editor of the anthology, Toward a New Political Humanism. He is working on a new book on how to get to a healthy global society based on interviews conducted on ETFF.
Arnell is a writer, radio host, and activist in the humanist community. He is a contributing author to the book, Toward A New Political Humanism, and to the book, The Myth of Free Will. He developed “Secular Connections” an alternative experimental workshop originally offered by Center for Inquiry in New Jersey. He is working on a book about Scientific Naturalism, Determinism, and Progressive Change.
Special Guest Hosts: Matthew LaClair, Sunsara Taylor, Xaquri Rzetelny & Michael O’Neil
Matthew is serving as the student President of the Center for Inquiry On Campus. He is currently a student at The New School in New York, NY. Matthew was first noticed by Freethought groups when as a high school student in Kearny, NJ, he challenged (along side the ACLU) a teacher who ignored the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by promoting Creationism (religion) and other personal religious beliefs in the classroom.
Xaquri is a student at Rutgers University studying both Journalism and Physics with an aim at becoming a science journalist. He identifies as an atheist and secular humanist.
Sunsara is a writer for Revolution newspaper and a militant atheist. She co-founded The World Can’t Wait – Drive Out the Bush Regime which was recognized by The Nation Magazine for waging the “Most Valuable Crusade” of 2007 for their pioneering work to expose and demand prosecution and imprisonment of Bush Regime officials for torture and war crimes.
Michael works as a website builder/IT, is a long time radio host, and an activist who has worked on behalf of The Church of Stop Shopping, the NY State Green Party, and others.
Founder: Dorothy “Sara” Klein