The Podcast For Inquiry

The Ten Commitments come from the American Humanist Association's Center for Education. They "represent our shared humanistic values and principles that promote a democratic world in which every individual's worth and dignity is respected, nurtured, and supported, and where human freedom and ethical responsibility are natural aspirations for everyone."

Leslie speaks with Kristin Wintermute, Director of Education, and Emily Newman, Senior Education Coordinator, about each of the Ten Commitments and how they can be put to practical use in day-to-day life.

The Ten Commitments:

Altruism

Critical Thinking

Empathy

Environmentalism

Ethical Development

Global Awareness

Humility

Peace and Social Justice

Responsibility

Service and Participation

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Kat McLeod is passionate about dispelling misinformation, especially regarding herbal remedies. Taking herbal supplements nearly killed her, so she volunteers at the University of Alberta as a mentor for pharmacy and medical students, arming them with the knowledge that can hopefully prevent the kind of suffering she has endured.

Kat and Leslie talk about some of the problems in Canada and elsewhere with standard medical practice, then delve into how herbal supplements are often mislabeled, concealing (in her case) an unlisted potent steroid. They also discuss other aspects of the alt-med industry, and steps Canada can take to improve the safety and well-being of all Canadians.

Health Canada report on Natural Health Products:

Report 2—Natural Health Products—Health Canada

"Overall, Health Canada's oversight of natural health products available for sale in Canada fell short of ensuring that products were safe and effective."

Vanessa's Law (which aims to strengthen safety oversight, improve reporting, and increase transparency for therapeutic products in Canada):

Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (Vanessa's Law)

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Leslie gave the keynote address at the Centre for Inquiry Canada's Annual General Meeting in March. That address is today's special episode of Podcast for Inquiry. Leslie talks about the principles underlying the podcast, the rules and guidelines they led to, and some of the difficult decisions those working on the podcast had to make. Leslie also delves into freedom of expression, applying how different levels of censorship have affected Podcast for Inquiry.

Seth Andrews, host of The Thinking Atheist (and Podcast for Inquiry guest), is coming to Toronto on August 11. Details and tickets are here: https://seth-andrews-toronto.eventbrite.ca

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Perry Bulwer (Facebook) speaks about his part-memoir, part-exposé book, Misguided: My Jesus Freak Life in a Doomsday Cult. Perry describes what first attracted him to the cult, and why he stayed in it for nearly 20 years. Perry recounts the lasting damage from his time in the Children of God, to himself and especially to those born into it.

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

In this bonus episode of Podcast for Inquiry, Leslie speaks with Bob Barnes and Jeff Brooks of Bluewater Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics about the third annual BAHACON, to be held in Sarnia, Ontario on August 9-11, 2024. Leslie hopes to see you there!

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Kevin Mitchell (@WiringtheBrain) is Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and writes the blog Wiring the Brain. His book, Free Agents, argues that evolution gave us Free Will. Kevin begins by describing free will, how life has it but rocks do not, and the gradient of choice from paramecia to humans. He talks about the thought experiment of "Rewinding the Tape" and whether someone could have done otherwise under identical circumstances. Kevin discusses the fundamental indeterminacy woven into the fabric of the universe at the quantum scale, and how that combines with chaotic systems to make many aspects of the universe both unpredictable and undetermined. Finally, Kevin speculates about the ramifications of his research and findings on social intuitions and institutions.

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Dr. Julien Musolino is a cognitive scientist and author of The Soul Fallacy. He explains why the intuitively, commonly-held notion of free will - known as "libertarian" or "contra-causal" - is scientifically incoherent. This has some implications for how we view ourselves and how we treat others, but on many levels it also doesn't matter. Julien restores the concept of free will by providing a different definition of free will at a higher level of abstraction. Along the way, Julien and Leslie delve into ideas from philosophy, morality, politics, and sociology.

Publications referenced in the conversation:

• For the law, neuroscience changes nothing and everything, by Joshua Greene
• Moral Responsibility Reconsidered, by Gregg D. Caruso
• Free is as real as baseball, by Sean Carroll

CFIC also hosted a talk three years ago by author Gregg D. Caruso, on his book Rejecting Retributivism: Free Will, Punishment, and Criminal Justice. You can watch the video here.

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Maryam Namazie (@MaryamNamazie) is the spokesperson for One Law for All and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. In December 2023, the CEMB released The Paris Appeal, calling for Laics of all countries to unite. Maryam explains the purpose and content of The Paris Appeal, and along the way gets into the difference between laïcité and secularism, and reveals the religious court system in England that denies many women the rights they ought to enjoy. Maryam also talks about World Hijab Day, what the hijab means, and concludes with a passionate analysis of Québec's religious symbols law.

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Canada allows organizations that do nothing but "advance religion" to be classified as charities. This policy decision costs Canadians at least $5.6 billion every year, according to CFIC's Cost of Religion reports. Sandra Dunham explains what this amount includes, how it was calculated, and the many benefits that religious institutions enjoy in addition to this figure.

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].

Canadians with group benefits covered by Manulife will soon be able to fill certain prescriptions only at Loblaw-owned pharmacies, such as Shoppers Drug Mart.

In today's Diatribe, Leslie fulminates against this blatantly anti-competitive, coercive arrangement that harms everyone it affects except the profits of two of Canada's largest companies. Leslie explains why this deal ought to be a violation of Canadian law, and predicts that, if allowed to stand, much more - and worse - is to come.

As with all Diatribes, the opinions expressed are Leslie's alone and do not represent CFIC or any other ogranization.

Podcast for Inquiry is hosted by Leslie Rosenblood and brought to you by the Centre for Inquiry Canada. Support Podcast for Inquiry on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodcastforInquiry. Send your thoughts and feedback to [email protected].