02013

In 02013, around 200 people participated in our first two-day event. The first day we did group problem solving focused on education. The second was a day of presentations, installations, and performances.

We'll be posting videos as we publish them.


What if we could bring back extant species?

Joshua Kling
Naturalist

Josh Kling is a budding naturalist who is passionate about life. More specifically, he is passionate about lifeforms. His passion drives him to try to find strange and remarkable things no one else has seen before. He is a future researcher who dreams of pushing our understanding of the natural world and enhancing our awe of it. Future accomplishments include: the reintroduction of extant large animal species to North America and the discovery of life on another planet.

The ecosystems we see around us used to be filled with species such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, and camels. These were all normal residents of North America at one time. To scientists, they are referred to as 'extant', meaning that they did not die out completely, extinct, they only died out in a specific area. What if we could restore these extant animals to where they once lived? Is it a good idea and how would that change our relationship with nature?

What if women were in charge?

Cinnamon Brown
Empowered Female Crusader

Cinnamon Brown is an Assistant Professor of History at Westminster College. She received her B.S. from the University of West Alabama and her Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. Although her research focuses on territorial New Orleans, she loves to teach classes in a variety of areas such as women and African Americans. Her interests in these subjects have inspired some of her favorite courses including Scandalous Women in American History and American Slavery. When not at Westminster, Cinnamon loves to spend time with her husband Mark and their two cats LBJ and Josephine. She also loves reading, jogging, and fighting for women's causes.

A quick Google search of the question What if Women were in charge? renders many funny pictures of pink Swiss army knives complete with tubes of lipstick and automobile consoles adorned with cosmetic products. In many respects it seems that people find the prospect of women in charge more of a superficial joke than a reality. By examining how public policy might be different if women called the shots, I challenge audience members to not only imagine a world led by women but also to see it as a positive and welcome possibility.

What if we were all poets?

Caroline Slavin
Storyteller

Caroline has no idea what she wants to be when she grows up, but thinks the following sound super cool: professional trivial pursuit player, This American Life reporter, writer, gypsy, sex educator, political activist, professional feminist, curator of cool, tea connoisseur, Stephen Fry. Until she finds a way to unite them all, wearing the label storyteller will have to do. Caroline will graduate from Westminster College in May after studying English and political science.

What makes a poet? The definition is broad, no argument, but there are certain characteristics that are found in all poets. What are these characteristics and what would it mean for the world if everyone were to adopt them? What would happen if everyone seized the creative capacity instilled within each of us? What if we were all poets?

What if you're wearing big, ugly glasses?

Nathan Swan
Glasses-Remover

Nathan is currently a student at Westminster College.

When you look at someone you've never spoken to, you make assumptions based on their appearance. You generalize how that individual may act according to how you've seen people with similar characteristics act in the past. You categorize people as athletes, nerds, Goths, potheads and hipsters; to name a few. For example, a part of you could be surprised to find out that a football star achieved a 4.0 gpa. This presentation touches on the influences of evolution, culture and experience to get you to judge people based on the content of their character by taking off your big, ugly glasses of perception.

What if I'm wrong?

Ethan Porter
He Who Dared to be Wrong

Future man will likely divide time into two eras, before the time of Ethan Porter and after (BEP and AEP, respectively)... When he is not making ridiculously hubristic statements he can be found making other ridicules claims, usually, but not always (sometimes for fun), designed to get his interlocutors to stop, think, and justify their position. These question topics include, but are not limited to, philosophy (of mind, meta-ethics, ethics), science (genetics, evolution, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience), politics (as a Libertarian he must defend attacks by both fronts), religion, and anything else that sounds interesting or could be made to sound interesting. When he is not arguing with others (he prefers the term "discussing") he spends his time weight lifting (he is particularly enthralled with Crossfit at the time), reading, t'workin noobs on Halo, and enjoying a well balanced beer.

We all exist in and interact with the same universe. This universe is constant and does not change from one individual to the next; yet, despite this fact, there is always disagreement amongst its inhabitants as to what the nature of reality is. There are things to know of this world, but we as humans are not really very good at knowing them. If we are to place a high value on truth and the degree to which or beliefs track it, as I believe we should, then we must fight the urge to assume that we have already found truth. We must ask ourselves "What if I'm wrong?"

What if there had been no religion?

Cliff Cain
Jerusalem-Athens Straddler

Cliff Cain cannot decide whether he is a resident of Jerusalem as a person of faith or a resident of Athens as a person who thinks. So, he has dual citizenship and carries a passport that allows movement between the two areas. A university basketball player as a student, he was also an NCAA coach of the year when he was starting his professorial career. He also played in a symphony and a rock group to work his way through grad. school, but it was so long ago that he cannot remember whether he played first chair, second chair, or just set-up chairs. He still enjoys playing the trombone as a member of the Westminster College Pep Band. He is currently Harrod-C.S. Lewis Professor of Religious Studies at WC and went a long time to school to receive a doctorate in religion and a doctorate in science because of his intention of delaying getting a real job for as long as possible.

Historically, religion has been a tremendous force for good, and a terrible impetus for evil. Religion is a world-wide phenomenon that has stimulated good, healthy, moral behavior. And it is simultaneously a world-wide phenomenon that has promoted evil, unhealthy, immoral behavior. On balance, and ultimately, has religion been a "good" thing or a "bad" thing? Would the world have been better-off without religion? Or would the world have been worse-off without religion? What if there had been no religion?

What if technology is killing privacy?

Tobias Gibson
Jerusalem-Athens Straddler

Dr. Tobias T. Gibson is associate professor of political science, lives in Fulton, is a proud Hoosier and is a social wallflower who blends.

As technology progresses, intrusions of privacy by governments, corporations and private persons and groups have become common place and insidious. This is a discussion about the erosion of our privacy.

What if McCarthyism and the Red Scare never happened?

Jefferson Grant Spears
Nihlist Priest

Jefferson is an arguer. If he has nothing better to do, he will argue with you about any topic, ranging from political debate to musical tastes to whether or not you know anything. When he isn't arguing, he spreads his time between the Internet, writing poetry, doing nerd activities, pondering the inherent dichotomy in being a Southern-born Communist, wondering why the FBI considers him to be a gang member, or generally doing nothing in particular. Don't take anything he says personally unless there is no room for interpretation. He probably doesn't care that you're offended, but he probably didn't mean to offend you either.

There are few words in American social and political culture that carry as heavy a stigma as communism and socialism. This is true now, and was especially true during an ideological era known as the Second Red Scare, or McCarthyism, bearing the namesake of Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. What if the panic, finger-pointing, propaganda, and witch-hunting associated with this movement were absent from history? Would things be different? If they were, would they be better? Worse? Neutral? Jefferson Spears will attempt to cast aside the dogma and take a look at the ramifications, particularly in the American political and intellectual spheres, of the question: What if McCarthyism and the Red Scare hadn't happened?

Stay connected to see more presentations when we post them!

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