The Center for Inquiry – Adult education course offerings
The Center for Inquiry (www.centerforinquiry.net) in Amherst, NY has a cadre of resident senior fellows and affiliated faculty/non-resident fellows; offers both a certificate program as well as enrichment (non-certificate) courses; and has a cooperative program leading to an Ed.M. degree with SUNY-Buffalo. The CFI offers programs of study at three levels: Proficiency (introductory and enrichment), Expertise (equivalent to college study), and Master (equivalent to graduate study); offers a Certificate in Science and the Public for completing four courses in the Ed.M. Science and the Public program at the U of Buffalo; and has two modes of delivery: direct-contact courses and distance learning (on line).
The link to the Center for Inquiry courses is: centerforinquiry.net/education
The CFI courses listed below are relevant to nearly all of the major categories in the adult education section (Category B) of the Kochhar Humanist Education Center’s resource base, for example: 1.0 – Secular Humanism; 2.0 – Critical Thinking; 3.0 – Secular Values and Virtues; 4.0—Science issues; and 5.0 –Ethics in Action. We have included them in Category 1.1 (Philosophy, Principles and Values of Humanism) since they provide an excellent overview of, and introduction to, the many resources that are available to individuals and to adult education programs.
Course Offerings: Proficiency Level
What is Secular Humanism? An exploration of the historical foundations and central principles of secular humanism.
What is Humanism? The history of humanism, and the development of contemporary humanism, reveals how this philosophy has prioritized human welfare in this life.
What is Skepticism? How to apply skeptical doubt, logical reasoning, and critical inquiry in all kinds of situations in everyday life.
What is Science? An overview of the importance of scientific evidence, experiments, and theories, and how we can use them to understand our natural world and our place within it.
What is Naturalism? The principal ideas of philosophical naturalism, as distinguished from other forms of faith-based and mythical explanations.
What is Religion? What Is Religion? A critical look at religious beliefs and traditions from the standpoint of current social, cognitive, and natural sciences.
What is Atheism? An exploration of the best arguments against the existence of any transcendent reality or a supernatural being.
What is the Meaning of Life? If there is no supreme meaning or design for everything, people can still live meaningful, ethical, and satisfying lives.
What is Secular Ethics? Does morality require God or religious authority? A discussion of important ethical principles and some ways that people can live a moral life without religion.
What is Separation of Church and State? The constitutional divide between church and state is essential to democracy’s freedoms, but new challenges to this “wall” constantly arise.
Course Offerings: Expertise Level -- Completion of eight courses at the Expertise 200-Level is rewarded with the Institute’s Certificate of Expertise.
AREA ONE: Secular and Humanist Studies – the historical, philosophical, and ethical traditions of secular humanism.
The History and Philosophy of Humanism. A general survey of the humanist perspective.
The Secular. Traces the origins of the idea of “the secular” and tracks the expansion of the secular realm of life into all areas of culture and society.
Literature of Humanism and Freethought. Examines the various authors,
periodicals, and books relating to the humanist, secular, and freethought traditions.
Religion. Examines religion as a cultural phenomenon that can be studied from a
variety of perspectives: psychological, social-anthropological, historical, philosophical, and theological.
Human Values: Shaping the Ethical Society. Models for the “ethical” or “just” society go back to antiquity and feature prominently in philosophy, literature, and religious discussion.
Conversations in Humanist Philosophy. Formative personalities in the history of the humanist tradition are studied from different time periods to represent distinct cultural perspectives on humanism.
Freethought, Humanism, and Secularism around the World. Prominent examples of freethought from around the world are discussed and compared.
Atheism: Varieties of Unbelief. A survey of the grounds for disbelief taken from ancient sources and more current thinkers.
God and His Critics. Examines the principal arguments of God’s critics and discusses theological responses to defend God.
The Foundations of Democracy. Explores why secular humanism regards democracy as the best way of organizing political life, as long as it promotes public participation and deliberation and rigorously safeguards personal autonomy, freedom of conscience, freedom from religion, and other civil rights and liberties.
Church, State and Public Policy. Examines such topics as prayer in schools, creationism in curricula, funding for religious schooling, reproductive rights, euthanasia, stem cell research, genetic engineering, the duties of health care professionals, and end-of-life care.
Applied Humanist Ethics. The principles of humanist ethics are explained and evaluated for their ability to guide thoughtful moral deliberation about real-life problems.
Secular and Planetary Ethics. Examines efforts to develop ethical principles that deal with humanity’s greatest problems at a global level; planetary ethics searches
for ethical principles that can decrease conflict and increase cooperation among the world’s cultures.
Mind, Morality, and Human Nature. Explores such questions as: What natural intellectual capacities are necessary for moral agency and moral conduct? What is the psychology of moral responsibility? What can cognitive science and artificial
intelligence teach us about the natural origins of morality and the human capacity for reasoning about morality?
AREA TWO: Skeptical and Scientific Inquiry--naturalistic worldview as an alternative to mythological and supernatural accounts.
The Critical Thinker’s Toolbox. Provides models and methods of critical inquiry
and logical reasoning to deal with real-life puzzles and problems. Discusses the grounds for belief, corroboration of evidence, drawing conclusion from premises, and methods of empirical investigation.
Varieties and Uses of Skepticism. Surveys the varieties of skeptical thought from
the Hellenistic Age to our own. Phases of skeptical thought and unbelief are placed in their cultural, religious, and scientific contexts.
Skepticism and Extraordinary Claims. Skeptical methods of careful examination of evidence and the testing of competing hypotheses can penetrate into alleged miracles, monsters, and mysteries. Many famous cases of extraordinary phenomena and events, now exposed and explained, are discussed.
Literature of Skepticism and the Paranormal. Examines various authors, periodicals, and books relating to skepticism of the occult, supernatural, and paranormal.
Investigating Paranormal Phenomena. A course in applying the methods of forensic investigation to claims of the paranormal. Every phase of responsible paranormal investigation is explained and demonstrated.
The Psychology of Belief. Explores how people’s beliefs and belief systems are developed and changed, and why people can strongly believe claims which are irrational and unsupported by adequate evidence. Research from various fields can explain aspects of belief, including learning, credulity, the power of suggestion, prejudices, cognitive dissonance, and self-deception.
Pragmatism. A survey of pragmatism’s philosophical explanations, consistent with biological evolution and other sciences, of the mind’s functions and the modes of human learning and knowing. Explores pragmatism’s theory of belief, intelligence, knowledge, truth, and natural reality.
History and Philosophy of Science. Examines how to philosophical justify
science’s claims to knowledge of reality, e.g., how science obtains and weighs evidence for its hypotheses, how it judges among competing hypotheses, and how it uses models and laws to describe nature’s hidden workings.
Philosophical Naturalism. Discusses varieties of philosophical naturali, the kinds of naturalism, the replacement of religious explanations, evolution and human nature, freedom vs. determinism, the place of mind and agency in nature, naturalizing knowledge, and naturalizing morality.
Science and Supernaturalism. Explores how science is used to both defend and
reject religion; whether alleged religious knowledge can rival or supplement scientific knowledge; and whether science can prove that God does not exist. The efforts of some scientists to use science for defending religion are examined.
The Scientific Examination of Religion. Examines selected religious texts, artifacts, and truth claims in the light of critical inquiry, historical investigation, and scientific knowledge. Focuses on Biblical and Koranic criticism through archeological records, naturalistic alternatives to religious claims, and modern assessments of the causes of religious beliefs.
Evolution and Creationism. Explanation and comparison of Darwin’s theory of natural selection and the creationist account of intelligent design; discusses efforts by religious conservatives to supplement or replace the teaching of evolution in schools and the legal and political debates shaped by this controversy.
Science, Technology, and Values. Discusses scientific issues from ethical
perspectives and explores how moral values may influence technology use. Issues
that may be discussed: medical ethics, genetic technologies, ethics of agriculture, climate change, energy use, surveillance and privacy, and science and the law.
Scientific Medicine and Mental Health. Surveys scientific criticisms of alternative or nonconventional medicine, psychiatry, and psychotherapy. A variety of unsubstantiated or untested treatments and therapies are discussed: herbal medicines, homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, therapeutic touch, prayer at a distance, faith healing, and purportedly miraculous cancer cures.
Course Offerings: Master Level
Completion of 10 courses at the Master Level is rewarded with the Institute’s Certificate of Master Study and a lifetime membership as a Friend of the Center.
Detailed information about this program is available at the CFI web:
www.centerforinquiry.net/education/graduate_program/
Application information is available at the University of Buffalo web:
www.gse.buffalo.edu/programs/lai/31/
Course Offerings: Forums, Symposia, and Workshops
The Institute offers occasional forums, symposia, and workshops, which are a little different from courses because of their emphasis on practical issues, group discussion, and student participation.
The Skeptic’s Toolbox. To be an effective skeptic, one must gain some facility with science, history, statistics, investigative techniques, and human psychology.
Magic for Skeptics. Teaches the fundamentals of sleight of hand and other illusions as they apply to investigating the paranormal.
Examining Miraculous Claims. Takes a critical investigative look at alleged miracles such as the Shroud of Turin, weeping statues, faith healing, and claims of revelation.
Astrology: A Scientific Appraisal. Scientific and statistical studies on astrology are used to scrutinize the validity of astrological claims and reveal the psychological affect on astrologers and clients.
The Media and the Paranormal. Techniques for dealing with the media, including writing effective letters to the editor, appearing on television talk shows, and other useful skills.
Science and Religion. Can science’s grasp on nature fit within a religious worldview? We contrast theological accounts of God that use science with atheist efforts to use science to disprove God.
Evolution vs. Creationism. Criteria for distinguishing between scientific evolution and creationist pseudoscience point the way to rejecting creationism and keeping evolution in the classroom.
Humanist Ceremonies. Trains participants in how to perform nonreligious ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, memorials, and baby-naming celebrations.
Bioethics. Issues in medical and environmental ethics, such as biomedical research, genetic testing and engineering, abortion, euthanasia, patient rights, animal rights, and environmental policies.
Sexual Ethics. An examination of sexuality and sexual morality, and a discussion of the changing roles of gender, marriage, parenthood, and family in modern society.
Morality in Nature. How does our human responsibility to behave ethically fit into the naturalistic worldview? Morality and the good life are all-natural endeavors needing no religion.
Church and State. Updates from the legal and political frontlines where freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom from religious control are hotly contested in courts and legislatures.
Freethought Today. Updates from around the world where the progress of freethought, rationalism, skepticism, and secularism is making a tremendous difference to people’s lives.
Democracy Today. Democracy’s current state of health in American and around the world. A discussion of moral, religious, educational, economic, and other cultural factors now affecting democracy.
For additional information about these courses: centerforinquiry.net/education
