TUESDAY
JANUARY 15, 2019
Mezzanine Lounge, 3rd floor Student Center
Does it Matter What you Believe about God? Searching for Truth in a Post-Truth Era.
KASEY LEANDER - OXFORD CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS FELLOW
In a post truth era, emotions rule public discourse at the expense of facts. Yet often, it seems like conversations about God are the worst perpetrators of this trend. Given that belief in God seems like such a subjective experience, what can we hope to learn from reasoning about it? Can logic and rationality point to God's existence, or do they pose an insurmountable barrier to belief? Do the conclusions we finally draw about God’s nature mean anything?
THURSDAY
JANUARY 17, 2019
lobdell dining, 2nd floor, student center
Artificial Intelligence and the Human Soul. How A.I. might lead us towards the existence of a Soul.
DR. ROSALIND PICARD - MIT Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, founder and director of the Affective Computing Research Group at MIT Media Lab, co-founder of Emotion-AI company Affectiva, co-founder of Medical-AI company Empatica, and faculty chair of MIT's Mind+Hand+Heart Initiative.
Artificial Intelligence is on the rise. What is the state-of-the-art in AI and emotion in machines, and will we see AI erase all differenceces between a human and a robot? Does AI lead us towards or away from the existence of a Soul? If we build an AI that functions just like us someday, will that prove that we are only machines? Will Science eventually explain everything, therefore making God and religion obsolete? Come hear from MIT professor, Dr. Rosiland Picard, a leading expert in the field of A.I. She will share some of her findings as a scientist as well as her perspective on Science and Faith.
TUESDAY
JANUARY 22, 2019
Mezzanine Lounge, 3rd floor Student Center
Do We Need God to Find Satisfaction and Meaning in Life?
WILL TANT - OXFORD CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS FELLOW
A deep human desire is to find meaning and satisfaction in life. One way we find meaning and purpose is through our achievements. We live in a culture that says you are what you do. But are we more than our achievements? Do our desires to find meaning point to God? Or do we create meaning within ourselves?
THURSDAY
JANUARY 24, 2019
lobdell dining, 2nd floor, student center
Don’t God and Religion Limit Human Freedom and Our Ability to Flourish and Truly Express Ourselves?
LOU PHILLIPS - OXFORD CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICSFELLOW
In a time where self-expression and self-discovery have become king, the idea of God seems like a step backwards. Religions like Christianity, and others, seem to inhibit our ability to truly express ourselves. But is that true? Is freedom the lack of any restraints or is it placing proper restraints in order to provide the most flourishing? Our society's examples of “true freedom” are often unlivable and can result in dire consequences. If the idea that “I should be able to do what I want, always” isn’t right, what does freedom even mean? Does it matter? Could it be possible that the true source of human flourishing comes from God, and in particular from from Jesus did and taught?
TUESDAY
JANUARY 29, 2019
Maseeh HAll Dining
Non Maseeh Residents need to Check in at the front desk
http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=W1
Why I Am a Theist: A Physicist's Perspective on Theism and Atheism
TOM RUDELIUS - POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER, INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES (PRINCETON), Ph.D. in Physics, Harvard University
What really is theism? How does is compare with Naturalism and Atheism. In this talk Tom will discuss various aspects and questions about God as a scientist. We’ll look at questions like, “If God created the universe, what created God?" "Why not believe in leprechauns or the tooth fairy?" "Isn't atheism simpler than theism?" "Why do we need God when we have science?”
THURSDAY
JANUARY 31, 2019
lobdell dining, 2nd floor, student center
What Would Sherlock Holmes Say about Jesus? Taking a Look at the Hard Evidence that points to God and Christianity
MATTHEW MITTELBERG - OXFORD CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS FELLOW
If the beloved private detective, famous for his rational mind and incredible investigative skills, were to put his methods to use on Jesus, what would he conclude? Specifically, what would he say about the most central event in the Christian faith—the resurrection of Jesus? This talk will examine the historical data surrounding the life, death, and supposed resurrection of Jesus and ask the question, “What hypothesis can best explain all of this?"