JCU Humanists

14/08/2017

The group is going to be on hiatus for the time being.

I am incapable of organising any events at the present and in coming semesters.

My apologies, if anyone is interested in taking the reins, please message me.

Cheers

12/01/2017

This time a year ago I undertook a similar task to these London students.

It would have been cool to have someone knowledgeable on African beliefs, worldviews, and philosophy at the little discussion group I run.

I asked several friends, associates, and university professors, contacted African societies in Townsville, and even asked a couple of the local grocers with sub-Saharan goods, if they knew anyone who could present on this worldview.

Sadly, they did not.

And while I may be in semi-rural Australia, and not an ethnically extravagant city like London, these student bodies are going to have a hard time having their philosophy clubs dominated by African thinkers.

Because unfortunately, there aren't many.

Those that are, have worth and should be taught. But the scope and application of their thought is limited, a worthwhile source of pride and direction for a specific culture, yet difficult for the wider world to use.

But what is worse is the intention behind this change.
As if somehow getting rid of great European thinkers in university courses will somehow compensate for colonial wrongdoing!

Let's judge these thinkers by their skin colour, and not the content of their beliefs!

Struggle to see how getting rid of the musings of Toga-wearing Greek dudes from 3000 years ago is going to compensate.

It only makes people more ignorant of the past, and able to repeat the same mistakes...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/soas-university-of-london-students-union-white-philosophers-curriculum-syllabus-a7515716.html

Students at University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) are calling for white philosophers to be largely removed from the curriculum to better represent the university's focus on Asia and Africa. As part of the student union’s “educational priorities” for 2017, students out...

17/10/2016

Our Final Talk of the Year was held last week!

Stellar turnout for Interstellar, 13 in all, with new old and faces contributing to the night!

A fascinating segment on how to make Interstellar Travel a reality was given by Terry, whom had a vast knowledge on the measures we have now which could take us throughout the solar system, the videos were most substantial.

Josh bought a realistic vision to Space Warfare, focusing on using Satellites in current and coming conflicts. Ronald Reagan would be proud.

And I was glad to see you all amused and engaged on the "Greatest Test of Humanity Segment", on how Space Travel will change us as a species.

"Why Should we go into Space?
" Because it tests all that we are, not just our Science, Engineering, and Medicine, but also Morals, our Philosophy, and Religion. All our Humanity will be tested, and refined into what it truly can be, by pushing our limits, and venturing into the Stars!"

Thank you so much participating in this year. It has been a blast, and I hope the lives you live will be ones our descendants will proudly on, and inspire, or even be, the next great steps our species takes.

Regards,
O'Keefe

10/10/2016

We are ready to launch the final talk! Pizza is on the way! Upstairs Eucation Central!!

06/10/2016

Monday, 10th of October, 7pm - 9pm
Room 130, Education Central
(Upstairs, turnaround, and look for a flag)
Search 134 - 130 in the map here!
https://maps.jcu.edu.au/campus/townsville/
Interstellar
Presented by Terry Mullins, Joshua Spence, and O'Keefe Easzon

Ayyyyyyyyy the universe is Dead LMAO!!!
http://www.vocativ.com/326567/universe-dead-aliens/

We aren't going to talk too much on alien life this time (it was a topic last year, however). But here are a few pointers on the matter! Stay Lit!

China thinks the truth is out there!
http://www.sciencealert.com/china-just-built-the-biggest-alien-hunting-telescope-in-the-world

Is Life in Space Inevitable?
http://time.com/4234106/life-in-space/?xid=time_socialflow_facebook

Ayyyyyyyyy Lil Mayo be Wylin!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2uRCrHXOM

"Our suggestion that the universe is filled with dead aliens might disappoint some, but the universe is under no obligation to prevent disappointment"

05/10/2016

Monday, 10th of October, 7pm - 9pm
Room 130, Education Central
(Upstairs, turnaround, and look for a flag)
Search 134 - 130 in the map here!
https://maps.jcu.edu.au/campus/townsville/
Interstellar
Presented by Terry Mullins, Joshua Spence, and O'Keefe Easzon

Read a fair few the economist articles today on space enterprises.
I'll find the links!

See you Monday!

https://m.thevintagenews.com/2015/10/05/so-nasa-got-sick-of-all-that-conspiracy-thing-and-released-over-10000-photos-from-the-apollo-moon-mission/

03/10/2016

Monday, 10th of October, 7pm - 9pm
Room 130, Education Central
(Upstairs, turnaround, and look for a flag)
Search 134 - 130 in the map here!
https://maps.jcu.edu.au/campus/townsville/
Interstellar
Presented by Terry Mullins, Joshua Spence, and O'Keefe Easzon

Pretty sure Leighton shared this a while back. See you all in a week!

http://www.space.com/34210-elon-musk-unveils-spacex-mars-colony-ship.html

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk unveiled the company's Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) to send hundreds of people to Mars to colonize the Red Planet.

29/09/2016

Neil deGrasse Tyson compares our actual progress in space to what was predicted in the 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

19/09/2016

Monday, 10th of October, 7pm - 9pm
Room 130, Education Central
(Upstairs, turnaround, and look for a flag)
Search 134 - 130 in the map here!
https://maps.jcu.edu.au/campus/townsville/
Interstellar
Presented by Terry Mullins, Joshua Spence, and O'Keefe Easzon

I'll be in Papua New Guinea for the next ten days.

See in October!

Health in Space:
http://www.space.com/21353-space-radiation-mars-mission-threat.html

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/HRP_Feature/

Humans traveling beyond the protection of Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field risk radiation-caused cancers and other diseases.

16/09/2016

We'll be back on October 10th to talk on space!

Heck, even Ethiopia has a space program!

http://www.sciencealert.com/ethiopia-has-launched-the-first-space-program-in-east-africa

http://www.ethiosss.org.et/index.php/en/

Ethiopia has built a privately funded astronomical observatory, taking the first step towards creating a fully fledged national space agency. With the US$3 million investment, the East African country joins a handful of other African nations,...

14/09/2016

All set up for Security Vs. Liberty!

14/09/2016

This Semester has probably been the best in JCU Humanist history!

Or at least during my presidency!

A tremendous thanks to Leighton and Joshua for speaking, and for being on my executive. It took a bit of burden off of my side.

Also to everyone who came, thanks for making it such a vibrant discussion!

We'll be back in a month to talk about what we always want to talk about, space!

Terry, Josh and Myself, will run the night.

See you then.