Free Thinkers of Ironwood - Official Blog: October 2007

Friday, October 12, 2007

Discussion

This thread exists for consideration of next week's topic in the comments section. The next topic in the queue is The Mind and the Brain. Biological evolution and the meaning of life have also been considered, but the field is still wide open for new suggestions. Please, comment!

Simmons' Queue 10/11/07

Current Discussion Topics as of 9/13/07

Last Meeting's Topic: Strong AI
Next Week's Topic: Unclear pending discussion
Discussion Queue by Priority:

The Mind and the Brain
The Limits of Free Speech
Meaning in Narratives
Communism
Education
Wal-Mart
Wikipedia
Infinity

Added without priority:

-Biological Evolution
-The Meaning of Life

Meeting Summary 10/11/07

2:30 - Meeting Begins
Business: Next week's topic will be up for debate on the blog. The limits of free speech, meaning in narratives, evolution, and the possibility of world peace are all considered
2:36- Discussion opens on strong AI, with emphasis on its impact on society.
2:44- The meaning/value of human life is added to the discussion queue, discussion continues.
3:27- Discussion ends. A straw poll on the question "Would it be moral to create a strong AI?" reveals:

2 who answer yes, it would be moral
9 who answer no, it would not be moral, and
4 who abstain.
3:30- Meeting ends.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Meeting Summary 10/4/07

2:30 - Meeting Begins
Business: The Ironwood Free Thinkers club will be sponsoring a fund raiser for the womens overflow shelter. If you wish to participate donate or as a member of the club bring in a a jar with the information, Donate to the Womens overflow shelter. Sponsored by the Free Thinkers Club, typed on a paper wrapped about the jar and place this jar in a class.
2:36- Strong AI
-Borg
-Net
-Algorithm
3:30- Meeting end

Club Purpose and History

History
The Free Thinkers of Ironwood is a high school activity group started in 2006 as a reaction to local religious clubs on campus. During that year, the Free Thinkers served as an open forum for discussion and a unique opportunity for many students to talk about their beliefs in an environment that was previously unavailable.

As the entirety of the officer team graduated that year, the club was left in the hands of its active members in 2007. A new draft of the constitution has since been drawn up, and the club has been redesigned with a greater sense of purpose: To facilitate open and respectful discussion and debate of depth and significance, to give philosophy a place in high school, and to challenge the anti-intellectual attitude prevalent in today's American youth.

Club Information/FAQ

Who are the Free Thinkers of Ironwood?
You are! The Free Thinkers' club is a discussion and debate oriented club where you can share your view on issues that are both interesting and fresh, provided you're willing to allow others to do the same.

Remember--this is not an academic club! We have no membership dues, no rules beyond courtesy, no gavel to bang at you, and we want to hear what everyone has to say. This is a place to share your view, have some fun, and maybe even learn a little from someone else. I dare you to join--get excited, have some fun, and don't be afraid to shout a little.

What are the rules?
The only real rule for this club is that you must respect the views of others, and do your best to be respectful and reasonable. For more information, consult the club constitution (print version here).

When does the club meet?
The club meets every Thursday directly after school in Mr. Mangin's room (508).

Who is Simmons and what is his queue?
Ryan Simmons is a ~~popular culture sex symbol~~ founding member of the Free Thinkers of Ironwood.

The Queue is our (and his) current list of topics up for discussion. The Queue contains information about our last topic, which leads into our current topic, followed by a list of topics in the Queue itself.

How can I add a topic to the queue, and how is it prioritized?
The current Queue is decided at each week's meeting. At the end of each meeting, the Queue is reviewed before all attendees, and new topics can be suggested to be added to the queue.

The attending members then take a vote to indicate interest in each topic, and the priority of each is then decided by general consensus of attending members, then by the officers, and ultimately by our Benevolent Dictator for Life.

But you still didn't answer my question!
This FAQ is a constant work in progress. Please post any complaints or questions as comments on the FAQ post.

Free Thinkers of Ironwood - Official Blog