THE SECULAR CIRCULAR

Newsletter of the Humanist Society of Santa Barbara

www.SBHumanists.org DECEMBER 2010

Humanist Society of Santa Barbara Annual Winter Solstice Party!

When: Saturday, December 18, 2010, 5:00 pm Where: The home of Catherine Bos, 1740 Olive Avenue, Santa Barbara What: Food, drink, and entertainment! Who: HSSB Members and guests only Cost: $25 per person paid in advance (please bring a bottle of wine donation if you plan to drink. Non-alcohol drinks will be provided)

Reservations are required. We must have an accurate count for the caterer no later than December 4 so make your reservations NOW by emailing Joseph Navarro here: [email protected] or call 845-6510 and leave a message. Please include the number in your party.

As soon as you make your reservation mail a check for the full amount payable to:

HSSB PO Box 30232 Santa Barbara, CA 93130

2 The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010

Welcome New Members! retirement in his declining years. However, with no one volunteering to replace Joe Navarro as Social Dr. Peter Kuhn, Santa Barbara Chairman, Dick once more came out of retirement Wilma Seelye, Santa Barbara to fill that job. This was in addition to his monthly Linda Davis, Santa Barbara, a returning member. assignment to write a column on Humanists of Old, many of whom were close, personal friends.

HSSB Book Club Dick is always doing that, volunteering to do a job no one else volunteers for. The club's motto has Your Book Club will be celebrating this busy holiday become: "If it's a dirty job, call Cousineau." We all season by taking the month of December off (an owe Dick a great debt of gratitude. Thanks, Dick, annual tradition). When we next meet, in January, for all your years of work for and dedication to we'll be continuing our political thread by HSSB! discussing A More Perfect Constitution: Why the Constitution Must Be Revised: Ideas to Inspire a New Generation, by Larry Sabato. We'll be meeting Of Local Interest on Wednesday, January 19th, at 1:30 p.m. at the bucolic home of Dick and Judy Cousineau, 505 On Thursday evening, November 11th, HSSB Alegria Rd. Boardmember Andrew Hankin and about fifty adults enjoyed ice cream and funny stories at local writer Starshine Roshell's book release party. She Thank You, was introduced by Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Dick Cousineau! Schneider, and chapters were read aloud by professional voice talent Julie Ramos and Paula Lopez-Ochoa. Starshine talked to HSSB in May 2008; her new book is titled "Wife On The Edge" and her first book was "Keep Your Skirt On". Her regular columns are printed in the Santa Barbara Independent newspaper and online, and can be read on her website http://www.roshell.com

If you would like to be notified of events like this, send an e-mail to [email protected] and ask to be added to the HSSB Opt-In Events List.

From the President by Ron Kronenberg

Dick Cousineau was there at the beginning. In order to encourage more members to volunteer Besides being a member of the Founding Eight of to serve on our Board, I want to discuss the "The Santa Barbara Rationalist" in 1995 that workings of the Board. First of all, our Board meets eventually became the "Humanist Society of Santa monthly, on the Tuesday before our Saturday Barbara", he has served in almost every club meetings at 5:30pm, at a different member's position many times. house. Accomodations are made for those

members who don't have the space to hold Most recently he was Program Chairman for many meetings. All Board meetings are open; please years, and was looking forward to a peaceful

The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010 3

contact any Board member for time and place; you take advantage of the support offered by our Caring are most welcome to attend. Committee when the need arises? Patricia Hiles and her committee rely on members to hear who What happens at our monthly conclaves? Well, we and how they can best help those in need. Learning begin with the ritual of a light dinner together and that members of the community are thriving or then ease ourselves into the business at hand. We contributing to the larger world or our local often discover we hold different opinions, which community is also welcome news. We wish to sparks respectful and lively discussion, though on acknowledge and recognize how our members occasion we are in complete agreement. Each contribute to the welfare of our Santa Barbara general Board member has an Community. If you’ve been sowing area of responsibility. For good deeds, Patricia and her instance, Jim Balter focuses committee members want to hear from on social justice issues while you. Andrew Hankin oversees publicity. The Solstice party was another major agenda item on last month’s agenda. One huge benefit of our We want as many members as possible society’s location in Santa to attend because our social gatherings Barbara is the presence of the are fun and community building University. Last month a dozen events. Indeed, we subsidize some HSSB members attended a costs to encourage attendance and luncheon with four UCSB strive to put on the best party of the students from SURE (Scientific season. Because of our beliefs, it is Understanding Reason easy to feel like an outsider during the Enrichment) and with Ashley religiosity of the season. Celebrating Palamore, a leader from the Solstice is a meaningful and worthwhile Secular Student Alliance’s expression of our beliefs. national office. SURE is a thriving student group whose Ron Kronenberg Happy Solstice to all and to all a joyful weekly meetings on campus season! draw 40 to 60 participants from an overall \ membership of 160 students. Letters to the Editor:

Our relationship with SURE was one of the agenda Response to Last Month's President's items discussed at the November Board meeting. Message How can our Society develop a closer relationship

with SURE? Can we each benefit from sharing In the November Secular Circular President Ron speakers? Would our Society ever wish to make use Kronenberg posed the question: "Where do you of their meeting space at Campbell Hall if we or stand, confrontationist or accommodationist?" My they obtain a big name speaker? Should we give answer is, why not both? In the same issue, free one year memberships to SURE members who Andrew Hankin reported on Sam Harris's October remain in the area after graduation? These are talk at Cal Tech. Based on his report, was the talk among the kinds of issues the Board addresses. confrontational? Accommodating? Or was it

inspirational? The answer depends on the audience. Another issue we address is the nature of the type In this case, the talk was sponsored by the Skeptics of community our Society wishes to create. Take Society, and the Cal Tech audience was no doubt the Caring Committee for example. How can we predominately secular. When you are preaching to encourage more members of our community to the choir, you want to be inspirational, and it

4 The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010

sounds like Sam was. (Although his statement that One unit of income was 3 seconds of access to "religious scientists be given no more credibility grain. The wage rate was units of income per 100 than flat-Earth believers or astrologers" is pecks. The graph below illustrates the results. At confrontational, but then it's all in the family.) The very low wage Pigeons don’t work very hard. Raise same talk given to a Christian audience would be it a bit and they work harder. But soon it goes confrontational and counter-productive, so in that down. Higher wages lead to less work and more case one should be accommodating. leisure.

In the realm of ideas, we need inspirational writers When wages are high we can afford to take it and speakers for the secular minority in America, easier. One might conclude that a tax reduction, by and while such people may sound confrontational increasing compensation, could decrease work to religionists, they are the most influential in performance. attracting converts to our cause. In the realm of activities, we need more involvement of secularists organizations in visible community projects. I think such activities would be more effective in increasing the public's acceptance of us, than efforts to be accommodating about our differences with religionists. Richard Martin

What’s Wrong With the Economy? by Robert Bernstein

Behavioral economics is only about 25 years old and Dr. Peter Kuhn took us on a whirlwind tour of some of its more interesting and counterintuitive results at our November 20th meeting. (Source: Battalio, R., L. Green and H. Kagel, In particular, he surveyed experiments that show "Income-Leisure Tradeoffs of Animal Workers" the following points: American Economic Review 71 (4) (September 1) Strong financial incentives can make you 1981): 621-632.) lazy 2) Non-monetary incentives are important because of intrinsic motivation Point 2: Intrinsic Motivation. Dan Ariely of Duke 3) Making incentives too strong can make University paid two groups of students to assemble people choke Legos into figures. Both groups were told the 4) Incentives based on performance relative to figures would be disassembled right after the others can lead to sabotage experiment. But one group had the figures 5) Incentives happen in a multi-task world. If disassembled in front of them as they worked. This one thing is incentivized, others may be group produced fewer figures for the same pay. neglected. Be careful what you wish for. There was an intrinsic motivation to see all of the Point 1: High Pay Can Make You Lazy. In 1981 figures that had been made and this was taken Battalio, Green and Kagel studied incentives and away. This same effect is seen in animal races labor supply by modifying Pigeons access to food. where there is a pure taste for victory. Race times

The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010 5

are faster when a competing animal is close behind Point 5: Incentives in a Multi Task World. You during the home stretch. get what you incentivize and that might not be what you really wanted. A few of his examples: Point 3: High Stakes and Big Mistakes. Dan 1) Before 1992, Sears gave auto mechanics a Ariely experimented with paying high incentives in a percentage of profits on repairs. This led to poor village in India. Six simple tasks were given at unnecessary repairs and complaints filed. different incentive levels of 4, 40 and 400 rupees. 2) After 1980 CEOs started receiving more 400 rupees was about a month’s typical earnings in compensation in stock options than in the village. The tasks involved memory, reasoning, salary. Misleading investors about the value and physical actions. of the company resulted. Short term gains won over long term planning. At 4 and 40 rupees the performance was about the 3) Teachers are punished with “bright line same. But at 400 performance went down due to rules”, where they are assessed based on “choking”. the share of their students whose performance exceeds a fixed standard. This Point 4: Relative Incentives Can Destroy leads to teacher cheating. And it leads to Collaboration. As a graduate student at Harvard, ignoring the best students and those most Kuhn had to go to the law library once to find a in need. Only those just below passing get book. It was not checked out, but it was not on the attention. shelf. The librarian explained that law students often hide books needed for their work so that In conclusion, Dr. Kuhn did not argue against others cannot do their work. financial incentives. But it is important to get them right. He went on to describe an experiment where students were paid to address and stuff envelopes During questions, a point was raised about for real. They were paid in three different ways: 1) A subsidies for private motor vehicle use in the US as piece rate of $1 adjusted for quality as judged by an example of where incentives have caused the experimenter; 2) the above piece rate plus a environmental and social harm. Kuhn agreed and $25 bonus to the best worker 3) Same as above, said fuel taxes should be much higher. A similar but assessment done by seven co-workers plus a point was made about corn subsidies, which he supervisor. Here are the results: agreed should be reduced or eliminated.

Piece Piece w With Another questioned whether truly creative people Rate Bonus Assessment are motivated by money at all. Did Liszt compete Postal worker 11.12 12.30 9.63 with Chopin for money? Kuhn agreed that people assessment who created Google and Facebook would not have 7 Co-worker 11.74 11.34 7.60 noticed if their tax rate changed from 34 to 38% assessment because their motivation is largely intrinsic.

Performance goes down when there is a bonus Why not just pay people by piece work? Because based on an assessment by others. When the most jobs are too complex for piece measure, assessment is done by those in competition, the Kuhn explained. Also, people can sabotage piece effect is even worse. The sense is that sabotage is work pay from both ends. Employers can “ratchet” possible so why even try. down piece pay if they ever see higher performance. And workers resist this by Both workers and the company benefit with team collaborating to hold down performance. work rather than competition.

6 The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010

What incentives do work for CEOs? Perhaps giving 1. Believes in a naturalistic attitude toward the stock options with a 10-15 year exercise date to universe and considers all forms of supernaturalism optimize long range planning. as myth.

Beyond the ideological rhetoric seen in politics and 2. Believes that humans are an evolutionary in the media, there is much factual information product of nature and have no survival after death. available to set better policy. Thanks to people like Dr. Kuhn for seeking the truth! 3. Believes that humans possess the power to solve their problems through their reliance on Famous Humanists of the Past: reason and science applied with courage. Corliss Lamont 1902-1995 4. Believes in an ethic of happiness in this world, By Dick Cousineau freedom of thought, and progress for all humankind. A true Humanist hero, Corliss Lamont was born in Angel Wood, 5. Believes that humans, while NJ, to Wall Street wealth (his conditioned by the past, possess father was Chairman of the Board freedom of choice and are the at J.P. Morgan Co.) yet creators of their own destinies. championed the working classes and devoted his life to the 6. Believes that the individual can humanistic philosophy, attain the “Good Life” by self- patriotism, world peace, and the development and activities that furtherance of American Civil promote community welfare. Rights. As a private citizen and following his philosophic dictates 7. Believes in the development of arts he brought many cases to the and awareness of beauty, and the Supreme Court regarding civil appreciation of Nature’s loveliness rights and constitutional law. An and splendor. Corliss Lamont ardent supporter of such rights, Lamont was Director of the ACLU 8. Believes in the establishment of social programs from 1932 until 1954 and came under close that promote democracy, world peace, and scrutiny by Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who called him economic order. openly an Un-American socialist and a traitor to his class and country”. 9. Believes in the complete social implementation of reason, and scientific methods, with freedom of He taught courses on at Columbia speech and civil liberties for all. University where he endowed a Chair in Civil Liberties at Columbia School of Law. Author of 16 10. Believes that Humanism is a philosophy ever books and hundreds of pamphlets, he is best open to experimental testing, new facts and remembered for his Philosophy of Humanism and rigorous reasoning. Illusion of Immortality, as well as, Humanist Weddings and Funerals and biographies of John In his later years Lamont was given the Gandhi Dewey and . In his Philosophy, he Peace Award, served on the Board of Directors of defined 10 characteristics of a Humanist: the ACLU, and the National Urban League, and the American Humanist Association. He was a man who daily lived his humanistic values in words and deeds and heavily supported these issues with

The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010 7

funds and time, He died in 1995 and his presence on this earth made a lasting difference to this Which Way is Heaven? world. by Dana Cervine

Quote of the Month At breakfast, my nine year-old son says there are perfect versions Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, of things beyond earth, like a circle, like us. I and sometimes I think we're not. In either case, ask if he learned this the idea is quite staggering. -Arthur C. Clarke, at school, but he replies no…I was just thinking science fiction writer (1917-2008) about it. Like Plato, I say, you've stumbled upon the world of Ideals, and he nods, continues eating his cereal. The morning more Secular Coalition for America Calls perfect, here, for End to Faith-Based Employment than any conjured heaven. Discrimination Dane Cervine lives in Santa Cruz, California, where he leads a double life as poet, and director of The issue of religious discrimination in hiring for children’s mental health programs. His book The faith-based organizations receiving federal funds is Jeweled Net of Indra was published in 2007 by a concern for the Secular Coalition for America and Plain View Press. its members. You can reach our Poetry Editor, Michelle People are fired or denied employment from Rhea, at [email protected] federally funded religious institutions each year for failing to subscribe to a particular religious faith. In today’s tough economy, this means that in some cases people must choose whether to lie about Getting to Know the Board (#5): their religious or nonreligious beliefs in order to get Jim Balter a job or risk losing their an existing job—while these organizations receive millions of your federal tax dollars. Jim was born at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, which, ironically, is now Scientology’s west coast Please tell Attorney General Holder it is headquarters. He grew up in Van Nuys and was on unacceptable for religious institutions that accept the high school chess and math teams. He won a federal dollars to be allowed to discriminate in math award and the reception featured Edward hiring based on religious preferences. Urge Teller–had Jim known more about Teller, he might Attorney General Holder to send a representative to have been inclined to throw a pie at him! the follow-up Subcommittee Hearing and fully explain why the Obama Administration believes Jim’s parents met as naval officers on the religious institutions providing social services—not Manhattan Project. She was a cryptographic typist religious services—deserve special treatment and and he was head of cryptographic repair. They were exemption from discriminatory hiring prohibitions. moderate Democrats and smokers; Jim is an anti- Please make your voice heard before the new year nuke, pacifist, arch-progressive who hates tobacco. and email Attorney General Holder by clicking here. His parents were “high holy day” Jews who rarely mentioned God other than making him “swear to (http://action.secular.org/p/dia/action/public/?action God” when they thought he was fibbing. _KEY=5271)

8 The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010

Jim once overheard his father telling his 13-year old brother that he wasn’t old enough to be an atheist, Jim moved to Santa Barbara in 1996 and joined which, even at 11, Jim found odd; he might have HSSB in 2004 after attending the Passion of the become an atheist just out of rebellion, but he Christ panel discussion. He started providing found other reasons. He spent a lot of time in the meeting writeups for the newsletter in 2006 and Van Nuys library, first reading fairy tales, then has been on the Board since 2008; he manages mythology, then science fiction. He attended the photo album and occasionally helps maintain Hebrew school during his mythology phase, and the website. Jim can often be seen at HSSB events crystallized for him when he couldn’t tell holding hands with his sweetheart (and fellow the difference between current and ancient myths. HSSB member) Robin Hamlin.

Jim is a scientific materialist and “strong” atheist, Favorite Web Sites and thinks that the notions of God and “life after death” are incoherent, The following websites are taken from those links and he can argue his listed at our own website. If you have favorite websites case. His favorite or blogs that you visit often (that appeal to Humanists), candidate for an let our editor know: explanation for why the mailto:[email protected] laws of physics are just as they are is the  Internet Infidels A popular web discussion forum for concept of modal atheists, freethinkers, secularists, and metaphysical realism: the startling naturalists where discussions range from serious (but fun) notion that all philosophical debates to jokes. possible worlds exist  The Secular Web The Internet Infidels resource (and thus, worlds with center for information about a naturalistic worldview. all possible other laws of  American Humanist Association An umbrella physics also exist, some organization for organizations like the Humanist of them with critters Society of Santa Barbara wondering why their  British Humanist Association The BHA exists to laws of physics are just Jim Balter promote Humanism and support and represent people the way they are). who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs. Jim attended UCLA and majored in mathematics  Secularhumanism.org An umbrella organization that and computer science, started working for the HSSB is a member of. It is affiliated with the Center computer science department as a freshman, and For Inquiry has been a software developer ever since. He is also  Secular Coalition for America Lobbying group to interested in artificial intelligence, cognitive science, support separation of church and state and other philosophy of mind, and progressive politics. Jim is political concerns of non-religious people a fan of Noam Chomsky, with whom he once had  Freedom From Religion Foundation Protecting the breakfast (along with a dozen other people), and he principle of the separation of church and state has also hung out with Daniel Dennett, his favorite  American United For Separation of Church and “horseman”. State Organization that uses lawsuits and lobbying to promote the separation of church and state Jim’s primary transportation and his favorite form  The Atheist Alliance International umbrella of recreation is his bicycle. On it he has toured organization supporting atheists with conventions, a France and ridden from SF to LA in the AIDS Ride, speaker bureau, and Secular Nation magazine and he recently rode the Santa Barbara Metric  Richards Dawkins Blog and source of his books and DVDs Century.

The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010 9

 Corliss-Lamont A major humanist philosopher of the 20 th Century who promoted from HSSB Contact Information his position as teacher at Columbia University. The Officers: Corless Lamont Chapter of the American Humanist President: Ron Kronenberg Association is located in metropolitan New York City. 967-0883  To Think Collection of book reviews, but the most "mailto:[email protected]" interesting section is his collections of quotes that are Secretary: Diane Krohn relevant to critical thinkers. 569-5503  William Edelen Former minister with a theological "mailto:[email protected]" and spiritual approach to criticizing religion Treasurer: Neal Rosenthal  Skeptic Magazine The website for a great magazine 617-6188 promoting science and critical thinking. You can also "mailto:[email protected]" sign up for eSkeptic weekly newsletter.

Board Members at Large: Non-HSSB Events of Interest Jim Balter Patricia Hiles by Diane Krohn Wayne Beckman Joe Navarro

Sandy Garcia Ray Stone Upcoming events of interest to humanists, atheists, Andrew Hankin Mary Wilk skeptics, and freethinkers:

Newsletter Editor Upcoming Events in California: : Ray Stone

mailto:[email protected] December 5: Skeptics Society, Cal Tech,

Pasadena. Dr. Leonard Mlodinow: The Grand Newsletter Deadline: Design – When and How Did the Universe Deadline for submissions to the Secular Circular is Begin? Midnight, the last day of each month. http://www.skeptic.com/upcoming-lectures/ HSSB meetings are held on the 3rd Saturday of each Upcoming Events Outside of California: month at 2:30 pm, usually in the Patio Room of Vista del Monte, 3775 Modoc Rd., Santa Barbara. More information May 19-22, 2011: Secular Coalition for America, is available at our web site: Biennial Strategic Summit, Washington, D.C. www.SantaBarbaraHumanists.org or by contacting any This is a one of a kind participatory meeting of board member. At meetings, a donation of $2 from members and $5 from non-members is appreciated. First- leaders, activists and thinkers all from within our time visitors are welcome on a complimentary basis. secular movement. You will collaborate, network, and strategize with them to improve our Secular To send a copy of this newsletter to someone interested in Decade plan. our Society, please send their contact information to: PO https://www.secular.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1 Box 30232, Santa Barbara, CA 93130, or contact Mary &id=18 Wilk at 967-3045, or [email protected]. Newsletters are also available at the above web address. Note: Although this meeting does not take place until May, the registration rates increase in January, Annual HSSB membership dues are $36 for a single 2011, so if you are considering attending, register person, $60 for a couple, and $100 (or more) to become a before January 31. sponsor. One may subscribe to our newsletter only for an annual fee of $20.

Link to HSSB Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/Humanist.Society.of.Santa.B arbara

10 The HSSB Secular Circular -- December 2010

HSSB Calendar

Book Club. No December meeting.

Saturday, December 18, 5pm. Winter Solstice Party. Home of Catherine Bos, 1740 Olive Ave. For more details, see above.

Sunday, December 26, 10am Secular Sunday Thanksgiving Brunch for humanists, atheists, agnostics, skeptics, freethinkers, singles, couples and families. No cover charge – pay only for your food and drink. Cody's Cafe, 4898 Hollister Ave. in the Turnpike Center, Goleta. In the room to the right as you enter the restaurant, information phone 805-967-3045.

Humanist Society of Santa Barbara PO Box 30232 Santa Barbara, CA 93130