Replace Your APA Style Guide

I am told that you will be able to replace your first printing of the APA Style Guide (6th edition) by calling APA after November 2nd. According to the Boycott APA Manual, 6th Edition facebook group, you should call 1-800-374-2721, ext. 5510 after Nov. 2, and you will be able to receive instructions for getting a replacement to the error-riddled first printing.

AAR Science-Religion Reception

At the American Academy of Religion meeting in Montreal next week will be a reception for people interested in science and religion. Sponsored by The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, the Institute for Religion in an Age of Science, and the Zygon Center for Religion and Science, the reception will be held Nov. 7, 2009, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m., in the Le Centre Sheraton.

College Teaching = Pastoring?

Is teaching in a college similar to pastoring a secular church? Robert Young thinks so in his commentary at Inside Higher Ed. Whether you agree or disagree, his piece may provoke you to think about the role of public college faculty, and whether there are religious or spiritual overtones to our line of work.

Helping Students Think and Write

Helping students think critically and express themselves clearly is a primary goal of most faculty. One way to do this is through an assignment to review a book. Rob Weir, in his Career Advice column offers excellent guidelines for just such an assignment. With the many books relevant to the psychology of religion, Weir's guidance seems ripe for application in our classes. It helps students learn to analyze and synthesize information, and it does this by exposing them to additional information that is relevant to their course. Visit Weir's column and use it in class. Your students will thank you. At least, the ones who want to learn will thank you.

Glimpse inside the Taliban

Readers of the New York Times can learn about the Taliban through David Rohde's series, Held by the Taliban. A Times reporter, Rohde was captured by while trying to interview a Taliban commander to complete a story he was working on. After being reassured somewhat by others, he left for the interview only to be taken captive by the very commander he sought to interview. His seven-month captivity gives readers insight into Taliban life, and offers many examples of psychological concepts. It is fascinating reading. You may need to register with the Times to read the story, but you can do so without receiving any unwanted mail from them.

A Schism Among Atheists?

A question I have seen raised recently, concerning a possible "schism" among atheists, is explored in this NPR story. The question appears to hinge on whether it is more productive to promote atheism by directly discounting or even ridiculing religious belief, or is it more productive to form alliances where possible with religious groups or individuals on areas of common concern. The article cites critics of religion such as Christopher Hitchens, whose book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything is one of several published in recent years presenting a forceful case for atheism. Paul Kurz is offered as representing a quieter approach, less in-your-face and more respectful toward religion. An example of his way of promoting atheism is expressed well in this post at scienceblogs.com. Several interrelated questions are interesting to me: How much of this discussion reflects basic personality dimensions, or preferences based on personality? And is one "persuasion" approach more effective for some people than for others? Would "conversions" to atheism through the two methods differ in terms of how long they last? The list could go on, but it would be fascinating to see more research on such questions.

Towards a Unified Science of Religion: University of Otago

Towards a Unified Science of Religion
A Conference Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy,
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

http://www.otago.ac.nz/philosophy/USR_Home.html

12-14 February 2010.

Abstract

The belief in gods, demons, and other supernatural agents is a persistent
feature of human culture, which cries out for explanation. In the last
twenty-five years explanations of religion have reached a new level of
sophistication. We now have a range of different scientific theories of
religion, in cognitive science, anthropology, and evolutionary psychology,
drawing upon a significant body of empirical data. This conference,
sponsored by the Department of Philosophy at the University of Otago, will
bring together researchers from these different disciplines and different
theoretical perspectives, to explore the possibility of a unified science
of religion.

Call for Papers

Participants are invited to submit paper proposals presenting original
research on any topic related to the theme of the conference. The proposal
should take the form of an abstract of no more than 200 words, and should
be submitted electronically (along with contact details) to the conference
secretary: Jonathan Jong (jonathan/at/psy.otago.ac.nz) by 15 December 2009.

Further Information

Further details about registration and accommodation and will be available
on this site soon. The conference programme will be available on this site
in late December.

Conference Organisers: James Maclaurin and Greg Dawes.
Conference Secretary: Jonathan Jong

File it under "Irony"

Maybe this is just a new way to screen for OCD, but the new edition of the APA Style Manual, published a few months ago, includes what the APA gently calls "nonsignificant typos." An article at Inside Higher Ed reports many people are calling for replacement copies of the style manual, which seems reasonable to many people. But not to APA, which surely makes big money from its sales. Given that the APA council of representatives are reported to have spent a great deal of time discussing the organization's finances, I don't imagine you will be able to return your copy of the style manual for a replacement.

I do like the suggestion of one person who commented at the Inside Higher Ed article, that the APA could put a corrected copy online. I like the suggestion, but of course that's different than saying I expect it to happen.

You can view the list of corrections here.

Psychology of Religion Instructor Wins Award

Congratulations to Ralph Quinn for winning Distinguished Teaching Award at UC Santa Cruz. Quinn, a lecturer in psychology for 25 years, was also recognized for excellence in teaching in 1992. A press release offers more information.

Videos of Heaven's Gate

Videos showing Heaven's Gate leader Marshall Applewhite (known as Do by his followers) are now being made available on youtube. Go to 1RiverOfAngels' youtube feed to view them. You can also view the Heaven's Gate Website and some related materials on my webpage.

Darwin for Creationists

Inside Higher Ed reports that an anti-evolution group plans to distribute 100,000 copies of Darwin's Origin of Species, with an introduction intended to undercut the book's thesis. Given news that conservative Christians are at work framing the Bible itself so that it conforms more clearly with their beliefs, it seems a small leap to do similar work on Darwin's classic.

If you enjoy the topic, take a look at this cartoon from Dan Piraro. His version of The Ascent of Snow Man will give you a smile.

"Conserving" the Bible

You likely have come across this item already, but I am posting it here just in case. Conservapedia's Bible Project is underway to enhance the Bible so that it better reflects conservative values or assumptions. When I have checked the page, it has been so busy that I received a "Failed to Open Page" error. You can view a summary of the project, however, at this Beliefnet page.

American Nones

A new report, American Nones: The Profile of the No Religion Population announces that 15% of the US populace selects "None" when asked about their religious preference. Based on the American Religious Identification Survey, authors Kosmin, Keysar, Cragun and Navarro-Rivera further analyze the ARIS data to uncover the demographic and social characteristics of this group, which has nearly doubled in its presence in the US over the past 18 years. Although they focus on social and demographic characteristics, the report is fascinating. Men are more likely to report "None" than are women, and the nature of their belief also differs, with more men reporting agnosticism and women more likely to report theism. "Nones" are similar to religious believers in terms of economics and several other characteristics. Politically, they are less likely to be republicans and more likely to be independents.

An unanswered question is what factors account for the increase in Nones during the 1990s. Nevertheless, the report is fascinating and deserves to be widely read.

Embodying Reality Within: Inner Change in a New Political Era

Gerald Virtbauer has kindly allowed me to reprint his commentary, Embodying Reality Within: Inner Change in a New Political Era. From a Buddhist perspective, Dr. Virtbauer discusses the question of change in an individual and social context. I am embarrassed to admit that he sent this to me several months ago, but I discovered it buried in my inbox and realized that I neglected to post it. My apologies to you, Dr. Virtbauer.

In a similar vein, I have begun to get caught up with updating the Research and Teaching Exchange. If you sent information to me but have not seen it added, please try again. I have not made my goal in updating the website as regularly as I hope. Sometimes our labors of love must wait for, well, other labors.