SPECIAL EVENT: Artificial Intelligence / Human Possibilities

Thursday 17 August 2017: 

Assessing emerging risks and opportunities in machine cognition.

Ben Goertzel, Marcus Hutter, Peter Cheeseman and Joscha Bach – experts in the field of artificial intelligence – will discuss the human impact of artificial intelligence.

Doors open at 6:15pm for a 7:00pm start; Tentative end time is 10:00pm.
Ibis Melbourne Hotel, 15-21 Therry Street, Melbourne.

Book for the event through either Meetup or TryBooking.
https://www.meetup.com/Science-Technology-and-the-Future/events/242163071/
https://www.trybooking.com/RIYT

CONTACT DETAILS: 1800 666 996 vic@skeptics.com.au

This is a free public session of the 10th Artificial General Intelligence Conference sponsored by the Australian Skeptics Victorian Branch.

Puzzles for August 2017

Our August 2017 Skeptical Crossword is about Telling the Future.

or

84 Aug 2017 Crossword (Telling the future) [pdf version].

Our

AUGUST 2017 LOGIC & MATHS PROBLEMS [HTML version]
Logic and Maths Puzzles 61 August 2017 [pdf version] is the 61st such monthly set of ten puzzles with solutions that we’ve published.

Seven new Picture Puzzles and twenty “Mixed Bag” trivia / general knowledge questions are at the top of the Puzzles Page

Enjoy!

Puzzles for July 2017

There’s a General Skeptical Issues  Crossword Puzzle this month, or
[pdf version]
a new set of Logic & Maths Problems or [pdf version]
Picture Puzzles and “Mixed Bag” questions are as usual at the top of the Puzzles Page

Enjoy!

Staying Rational in a World of Tweets, Fake News, Alternative Facts and Sound Bites

by William P. Hall
william-hall@bigpond.com
http://www.orgs-evolution-knowledge.net 

( based on a presentation at Vic Skeptics Café, 19 June 2017 at the Clyde Hotel, Carlton, Vic)

Today we are living in a world of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and blogs where anyone (even President Trump) can instantly post their ideas to the world for essentially no cost. We are also living in dangerous times where exploding human populations and technologies are affecting the planet’s climate and natural resources where extreme concentrations of wealth and power, warfare, epidemics, climate extremes, ecological collapses and famine threaten humanity’s survival. Unsurprisingly there are often conflicts between vested interests seeking wealth, power and control versus those concerned with the futures of our descendents and of humanity in general. Both are heavy users of the new media.

Dr Ken Harvey receives the AM

Prominent Vic Skeptic Dr Ken Harvey has been awarded the AM (Member of the Order of Australia) in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Read all about it HERE

More on Dr Ken Harvey
https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/2015/09/13/dr-ken-harvey-on-the-radio-chiropractic-advertising/
https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/videos/dr-ken-harvey-chiropractors-abcrn-10915/
https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/dr-ken-harvey-awarded-choice-consumer-champion/
https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/tga-dr-ken-harvey-and-sensaslim-news/
https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/the-sensaslim-libel-action-against-dr-ken-harvey-how-did-it-happen/
https://vicskeptics.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/dr-ken-harvey/

Death of Eric Fiesley

We are saddened to report that Eric Fiesley died earlier this month, several weeks after a road accident in Mildura.

A retired TAFE teacher, Eric was well-known to the Skeptical community, as a good friend and as contributor to and administrator of on-line Skeptical and social chat groups, and an enthusiastic supporter of campaigns. We also remember his devotion to caring for his sick wife Pam over many years.

Eric played euphonium with the Mildura and District Brass Band. He was also an administrator of both the Ulysses Social Club (for motorcyclists over the age of 40) , and the Mildura Working Man’s Club.

He will be missed.

 

Puzzles for June 2017

CROSSWORD with Religious Imagery as its theme.

June 2017 Skeptical Crossword Puzzle [HTML Version] OR https://vicskeptics.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/82-june-2017-crossword-religious-imagery.pdf [pdf Version]

LOGIC PROBLEMS

June 2017 Logic & Maths Problems [HTML Version] OR https://vicskeptics.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/59-logic-and-maths-puzzles-june-2017.pdf [pdf Version]

PICTURE PUZZLES and “MIXED BAG” questions are at the top of the Puzzles Page

Enjoy!