Leader Kate Lovelady will talk about "Humanism Around the World." This platform is a report from the World Humanist Congress of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, which met in Oslo in August 2011 with participants from 45 countries.

As NASA winds up the space shuttle program and as congress threatens the future of James Webb space telescope, it may seem like bleak days for astronomy. The reality is, NASA has a suite of spacecraft exploring our solar system at a level of detail never before seen. Their combined data is swamping the planetary science community and your help is needed to transform this flood of data into a flood of science. In this talk, current and upcoming citizen science projects built on NASA mission data will be discussed, and you will learn how to become part of modern space exploration. lt;brgt;lt;brgt; Dr Pamela L. Gay is an astronomer, writer, and pod-caster focused on using new media to engage people in science and technology. She is perhaps most famous for "Astronomy Cast" (lt;a href="http://www.astronomycast.com" target="_blank"gt;astronomycast.comlt;/agt;), a podcast she co-hosts with Fraser Cain (publisher of Universe Today). Each week they take their audience on a facts-based journey through the universe. In addition, Pamela blogs at StarStryder.com and works to create citizen science sites, such as "IceHunters" (lt;a href="http://icehunters.org" target="_blank"gt;icehunters.orglt;/agt;) that allow every day people to explore the universe. In her spare time she rides horses.

How is the increasing speed of technology affecting our quality of life? Leader Kate Lovelady takes a look at how life has changed in our technological age.

The doctrine of informed consent is the center-piece of practical medical ethics, and many of the most pressing controversies in medical ethics pertain to situations where applications of this principle become tricky. For instance, informed consent procedures are disrupted when patients are too sick, too demented, too young, too intoxicated, or otherwise unable to give consent in the normal fashion -- and each of these barriers to informed consent has elicited brisk medical ethics discussions. Behind informed con-sent is the principle of autonomy, namely the belief that patients ought to govern their own medical treatment. This lecture reviews informed con-sent, but then probes further by asking whether or to what extent genuine patient autonomy, and informed consent, are even possible in a medical system where treatment decisions are increasingly shaped by forces outside the patient-physician relationship. lt;brgt;lt;brgt;Griffin Trotter, Ph.D., M.D. is Professor in the Department of Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University, with a clinical appointment in the Department of Surgery. His recent research focuses on clinical ethics and health policy, especially as they pertain in the medical response to terrorism, and on the relevance of American pragmatism to health care ethics.

What are some of the joys and perils of our super-connected culture? Leader Kate Lovelady examines our increasingly wired (and wireless) society.

The focus on global climate change has recently ebbed and flowed in the public and political arenas. But, with the debate over as to whether human activity contributes significantly to climate change, the debate continues on what will be done to ad-dress it. Essential elements for possible solutions include environmental sustainability, economic development, and social equity. The role of ethics is fundamental in this multi-disciplinary approach. John Patrick retired in 2010 as a Program Analyst for the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in Washington, DC. He evaluated and co-authored the February 2, 2009 report from the OIG on EPA’s mitigation and adaptation efforts to con-front climate change. lt;brgt;lt;brgt;John has completed his course work in the doctoral program in Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University, focusing on environmental corporate management and sustainable farming methods. John is currently a co-owner of a small, organic farm near Joelton, Tennessee, and an adjunct professor at David Lipscomb University in Nashville. Prior to Washington, DC, John and Rebecca Selove (his partner) lived in St. Louis and were members of the Ethical Society.

Come join us as we welcome back our leader Kate Lovelady whose address will introduce new ideas gathered during her sabbatical.

Three members of Earth Ethics will talk about how we can make a positive impact on our environment and enjoy healthier lives on a sustainable planet. Jim Rhodes will discuss some possible solutions to the problem of runoff from farms, urban areas, and even our own front yards, which adversely affects our nation's water supply. Bing Gibbs will compare EVs (Electric Vehicles) to gas-powered cars, contrasting the emissions of the power plants (providing charging capability for EV batteries) with the emissions from gas-powered automobiles. Doreen Hulsey will discuss the controversial topic of genetically modified organisms, and the unintended, dangerous, unpredictable consequences thereof. The biotech industry says we need them, but do we really? How do they affect our health and the environment? Doreen will cite the latest research and the dire prediction of an acclaimed expert. lt;brgt;lt;brgt; Jim Rhodes is a licensed professional environmental engineer who works in the area of water pollution control in the St. Louis Area. He holds Master's degrees in both Environmental and Civil Engineering. lt;brgt;lt;brgt; Bing Gibbs has become an activist for making sure the air we breathe is clean and the food we eat is highly nutritious. Bing joined the Gateway Electric Vehicle Auto Club on his quest to seek solutions for better air quality. lt;brgt;lt;brgt; Upon discovering that the "conventional wisdom" of nutrition is incorrect, Doreen Hulsey began researching nutrition several years ago. She also writes a blog, lt;a href="http://CountdownToFitness.com" target="_blank"gt;CountdownToFitness.comlt;/agt;

Rory Ellinger was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives last November. He will focus his talk on the interesting and occasionally humorous discussions he has had with deeply Christian Republican majority members of the legislature as he worked to eliminate payday lending, to promote an increase in the cigarette tax, to establish a tax on out-of-state computer internet purchases, and to promote a fast train system between Kansas City and St. Louis. lt;brgt;lt;brgt; Rory Ellinger, a practicing attorney for 30 years, has been a member of the Ethical Society of St. Louis for 25 years and is also a member of the ACLU. He has served on many boards. Since his election to the Missouri House, he has served on the Health Care, Social Services, Disability, Mental Health and Family Services Appropriations Committee, overseeing one-third of the state budget.

A look at the rise of legalized gambling in Missouri and how Missouri differs from other states, Europe and Asia with regard to legalized offerings and the issue of problem gamblers. lt;brgt;lt;brgt; Melissa R. Stephens is the problem gambling programs administrator for the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC). She oversees Missouri’s Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program, assists problem gamblers and their families in locating treatment and other resources, monitors research and provides training for MGC and casino staff. She holds an Masters of Public Administration from Bowie State University and a B.S. in Psychology from Truman State University, and has worked in the field of addiction prevention, education and outreach since 1987. lt;brgt;lt;brgt; Christopher W. Hinckley has been an attorney for the Missouri Gaming Commission since 2007 overseeing and advising on the regulation of riverboat casinos. He received a B.A in History and a M.A. in Teaching from Union College in Schenectady, NY, and graduated from the St. Louis University School of Law in 1999. Hinckley served as an officer in the United States Navy and moved to St. Louis in 1992 to teach at the Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School. Hinckley worked as a prosecutor in the Circuit Attorney's Office of the City of St. Louis until he joined the Commission in 2007. Hinckley is a member of the International Association of Gaming Regulators, the International Masters of Gaming Law, and a board member of the Sports and Entertainment Business Advisory Board.