Atlas Society's 2011 Summer Seminar in Anaheim, CA


Dennis Hardin

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The Atlas Society/Free Minds Summer Seminar 2011 will be held in Anaheim, California from July 7 to July 13, 2011.

Early Bird registration ($450) ends March 25, 2011.

Speakers include Nathaniel Branden, Barbara Branden, Marsha Enright, Edward Hudgins, Stephen Hicks, David Kelley, Tibor Machan, Michael Newberry, Duncan Scott, Fred Seddon, Will Thomas, and others to be announced.

After March 25, the fee will be $650 per person through April 29, and $800 per person after April 29.

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The tariff goes up by over 75 percent in a little more than a month? They must be really desperate for cash. I've seen comparable price differentials of 40 to 50 percent, quite often, but not this much in this short a time.

I'm dubious about this being a sound strategy, with a recession still raging. (I know it's ruling me out, even though I'm only 15 miles away for once. I might have the money to spare by late Spring. Not now.)

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> Early Bird registration ($450) ends March 25, 2011.

Isn't this a significant lowering of the price over many recent years? Didn't it used to be closer to a thousand dollars for tuition alone?

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> Early Bird registration ($450) ends March 25, 2011.

Isn't this a significant lowering of the price over many recent years? Didn't it used to be closer to a thousand dollars for tuition alone?

Tuition is still $800 if you don't act fast. This did strike me as a terrific deal, which is why I posted this notice. (I'm not exactly a huge fan of TAS, but I will probably go because of the Brandens and Stephen Hicks. And it's close to my home.)

Maybe Michael will make me OL's official consumer watchdog. I don't think Clark Howard is a member here.

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The tariff goes up by over 75 percent in a little more than a month? They must be really desperate for cash. I've seen comparable price differentials of 40 to 50 percent, quite often, but not this much in this short a time.

I'm dubious about this being a sound strategy, with a recession still raging. (I know it's ruling me out, even though I'm only 15 miles away for once. I might have the money to spare by late Spring. Not now.)

Isn't that why God invented plastic?

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[...] (I know it's ruling me out, even though I'm only 15 miles away for once. I might have the money to spare by late Spring. Not now.)

Isn't that why God invented plastic?

Cash only when possible, but especially for luxuries like this. I've learned, from frustrating experience, that's the only way to go. And this seminar's (early) cost is the same as for a set of new tires on one of the two cars, after six years.

Plastic was endowed upon us for true emergencies. I'm in a lifetime oversupply already of my quota of philosophic and political lectures. Especially when some of these will end up on streaming audio or cassettes anyway.

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[...] (I know it's ruling me out, even though I'm only 15 miles away for once. I might have the money to spare by late Spring. Not now.)

Isn't that why God invented plastic?

Cash only when possible, but especially for luxuries like this. I've learned, from frustrating experience, that's the only way to go. And this seminar's (early) cost is the same as for a set of new tires on one of the two cars, after six years.

Plastic was endowed upon us for true emergencies. I'm in a lifetime oversupply already of my quota of philosophic and political lectures. Especially when some of these will end up on streaming audio or cassettes anyway.

Cassettes????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JR

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$450-$800? No thanks. I'd sooner re-read Atlas Shrugged before I cough up such an amount to hear what Rand has already so eloquently stated.

Edited by Las Vegas
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Why does the web site have so little information?

Based on working at sci-fi conventions in the past, I know this is a lot of work. Still, there are some noticeable changes from last year and the year before.

Last year, they actually had a real web site with a domain name. It looks like this year, they are using some free hosting service.

Mainly I would like to have more exact start and end times. That would make it easier to decide how I might plan the trip.

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> Mainly I would like to have more exact start and end times.

Also the short blurbs describing the talks, the 'brochure copy' that each of us who was going to speak at a TAS conference had to write up.

Otherwise it's like going to a restaurant and being handed the menu which allows you to choose between three dishes: one is only described as "Meat Product", a second as "Vegetable or Mineral Product" and a third as "Pasta With Dairy Sauce".

Edited by Philip Coates
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[...] I'm in a lifetime oversupply already of my quota of philosophic and political lectures. Especially when some of these will end up on streaming audio or cassettes anyway.

Cassettes????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, cassettes, you elitist, you {grin} ... some places still sell them. They still are less of a danger to one's driving than CDs (remember Albert Brooks' demise in "Defending Your Life"?). Besides, an in-dash radio / cassette deck is less complicated, expensive, and theft-worthy, especially in older cars like mine.

More to the point, I still have over 25 years of such presentations on cassettes. Including some of yours. Though I've given some of them away to libraries and Karl Hess Club members over the years, I'm not about to discard them.

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[...] (I know it's ruling me out, even though I'm only 15 miles away for once. I might have the money to spare by late Spring. Not now.)

Isn't that why God invented plastic?

Cash only when possible, but especially for luxuries like this. I've learned, from frustrating experience, that's the only way to go. And this seminar's (early) cost is the same as for a set of new tires on one of the two cars, after six years.

Plastic was endowed upon us for true emergencies. I'm in a lifetime oversupply already of my quota of philosophic and political lectures. Especially when some of these will end up on streaming audio or cassettes anyway.

You mean the chance to mingle with other quixotic, starry-eyed idealists means nothing to you?

(There’s bound to be a few of them there mixed in with cynical old farts like me.) :rolleyes:

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Why does the web site have so little information?

Based on working at sci-fi conventions in the past, I know this is a lot of work. Still, there are some noticeable changes from last year and the year before.

Last year, they actually had a real web site with a domain name. It looks like this year, they are using some free hosting service.

Mainly I would like to have more exact start and end times. That would make it easier to decide how I might plan the trip.

The event is still four months away. They are likely still in the planning stages. I suspect they will put up a more detailed agenda soon. You could call them and ask. Just be sure to act before the March 25 deadline.

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You should also consider that the web site promises a full refund if you decide to cancel, up until the end of June. That means you have little to lose by signing up early.

I also did some research on Super Shuttle options. You can take the Super Shuttle to and from LAX and LGB if you are going to this thing. So, you don't have to fly in and out John Wayne Airport (SNA). For me, at least, LAX offers many more flying options, including some direct flights.

The Super Shuttle is a blue van that picks up people going to the airport and drops off people arriving. It's a decent service that can often be had for less than $20 each way. You have to share the ride, but it's still a lot cheaper than a cab.

http://www.supershuttle.com/

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  • 4 weeks later...

I don't think that it was mentioned here, but the "Early Bird Registration" for this conference has been extended to April 22nd.

So, if you were considering attending the conference, you still have time to get this reduced rate ($450.). See the link at the top of this thread to go to their site (Note that registration is not on the TAS site, but they have a link to the conference site).

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  • 4 weeks later...

Atlas Society & Free Minds 2011 Summer Seminar (1, 2) will include:

David Kelley – “Perceiving Causality”

Related:

. . .

Harriman inclines to think that higher animals have direct experience of causation (cf. Enright 1991, §II). Like us, they “perceive that various actions they take make certain things happen. But they cannot go on to infer any generalizations from these perceptions” (28). The important thing is that Harriman rightly affirms that the human animal perceives some causal relations directly. (See “Hume – Experience of Cause and Effect” above* and Yale.) From those percepts, general causal principles (from “Pushed balls roll” to “Applied torque causes onset of rolling”) are formed after the general pattern of how universal concepts are formed from percepts. Harriman’s book is an attempt to spell out more specifically the abstraction process from elementary causal principles such as “pushed balls roll” to general scientific principles—the tremendous abstraction process that is ampliative induction—illustrated by episodes in the history of science (join with Note 27).

Kate Herrick – “The Problem of Induction”

Merlin Jetton – “Concepts: Similarity and Difference”

Prepare for Merlin’s presentation by reading his essay Pursuing Similarity, for which, the Abstract:

Jetton pursues the ontological status and cognitive roles of similarity, displaying and critiquing the analyses of philosophers, notably the analyses of Plato, Aristotle, Abelard, Henry of Harclay, Ockham, Locke, Leibniz, Wittgenstein, and Rand. He supplements philosophic thought on similarity with research and theory from cognitive and developmental psychologists, especially, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, Eleanor Rosch, Ryszard Michalski, and Frank Keil.

Barbara Branden – “Psycho-Epistemology and Principles of Efficient Thinking Today”

Peter Voss – “Approaches to Building Human-Level AI”

Charles Anderson – “Global Warming and Issues in Scientific Method”

Nathaniel Branden – “Why Self-Acceptance is Indispensable to Self-Esteem and Personal Development” (See here.)

Joel F. Wade – “You Are Here: Human Nature and Self-Acceptance”

Michael Newberry – Hands-On Art Workshop

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  • 1 month later...

Atlas Society & Free Minds 2011 Summer Seminar (1, 2) will include:

David Kelley – “Perceiving Causality”

Related:

. . .

Harriman inclines to think that higher animals have direct experience of causation (cf. Enright 1991, §II). Like us, they “perceive that various actions they take make certain things happen. But they cannot go on to infer any generalizations from these perceptions” (28). The important thing is that Harriman rightly affirms that the human animal perceives some causal relations directly. (See “Hume – Experience of Cause and Effect” above* and Yale.) From those percepts, general causal principles (from “Pushed balls roll” to “Applied torque causes onset of rolling”) are formed after the general pattern of how universal concepts are formed from percepts. Harriman’s book is an attempt to spell out more specifically the abstraction process from elementary causal principles such as “pushed balls roll” to general scientific principles—the tremendous abstraction process that is ampliative induction—illustrated by episodes in the history of science (join with Note 27).

Kate Herrick – “The Problem of Induction”

Merlin Jetton – “Concepts: Similarity and Difference”

Prepare for Merlin’s presentation by reading his essay Pursuing Similarity, for which, the Abstract:

Jetton pursues the ontological status and cognitive roles of similarity, displaying and critiquing the analyses of philosophers, notably the analyses of Plato, Aristotle, Abelard, Henry of Harclay, Ockham, Locke, Leibniz, Wittgenstein, and Rand. He supplements philosophic thought on similarity with research and theory from cognitive and developmental psychologists, especially, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, Eleanor Rosch, Ryszard Michalski, and Frank Keil.

Barbara Branden – “Psycho-Epistemology and Principles of Efficient Thinking Today”

Peter Voss – “Approaches to Building Human-Level AI”

Charles Anderson – “Global Warming and Issues in Scientific Method”

Nathaniel Branden – “Why Self-Acceptance is Indispensable to Self-Esteem and Personal Development” (See here.)

Joel F. Wade – “You Are Here: Human Nature and Self-Acceptance”

Michael Newberry – Hands-On Art Workshop

It's also going to include my talk "The Logic of Liberty: Aristotle, Ayn Rand, and the Logical Structure of the Political Spectrum." It's scheduled as the 9 am plenary session on Tuesday, July 12. I'm also delivering it on July 18 at the Karl Hess Club. This should be interesting--trying to tailor my talk for two somewhat different audiences. In any case, I'm having a BALL getting the Power Point slides and text whipped up into shape and practicing my delivery. I've already given it to two different groups, and the response has been very encouraging and helpful. Eventually, it will appear as an essay in The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies, and later as a chapter in my forthcoming book, In Search of True Alternatives.

My wife, daughter, and I are driving out to SoCal starting on Sunday, and we'll also be visiting with friends and relatives and motoring up to Mammoth Lakes, CA for my annual appearance at the Jazz Jubilee with the Side Street Strutters Jazz Band. We're going to celebrate July 4th by watching the local Elks Club fireworks display in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Long live the United States of America! :-)

REB

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Anyone attend the first day of Free Minds 2011? Anything noteworthy to share?

A friend emailed me and said that the Atlas Society's streaming video of the morning talks didn't work because of some kind of technical difficulty. Not too helpful for those in the boondocks who might have liked to tune in. (But did anyone try?)

We just got here (SoCal) last night and were still too tired and busy (with errands and doctor visit) to get over to FM for the first day. We will be there bright and early tomorrow, most importantly (IMO) to hear Barbara Branden's talk on psycho-epistemology and efficient thinking. (I'm hoping this will include an early announcement of a forthcoming book on same!)

I'm planning backups (Plan B and C) for my Tuesday talk on "The Logic of Liberty," in case my flash drive has trouble (like it did two years ago) "shaking hands" with the MAC provided for our Power Point presentations. Redundancy is for the paranoid -- and the sadder-but-wiser people of experience. :-) or should I say: :-/

REB

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P.S. -- sometimes people reveal their negativity toward you by their words, and sometimes by their silence. That's OK. People are entitled to their opinions, even if they keep them to themselves. :-)

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Roger,

We all love you. You know that.

:)

I wish I were at the event. But I'm not.

Michael

Actually, I ~don't~ know that, Michael. But it's always good to have your good will and encouragement, and I wasn't referring to you, anyway. And yes, I wish you and Kat were here, too. It's nice to bump into other OL folk like Mike Renzulli and Dennis Hardin and Merlin Jetton, though.

What prompted my P.S. is the fact that I'm on various discussion groups which have listed desirable and/or interesting Free Minds talks, and find that I have not merited mention on any of them. (They know who they are.) Rather disappointing, I say.

It's also disappointing that although at long, long last, I'm scheduled for a frickin' PLENARY session on Tuesday, many of the people who actually ~are~ in attendance at Free Minds, even good friends of long-standing, are simply bailing on the event and not staying around long enough to hear my talk.

<sigh>

But I'm really excited about my talk, and by Galt, I'm going to deliver it, even if Becky is the only person in the audience. And when I'm through, I shall awaken her with a kiss. (And possibly more, if the room is dark. ;)

REB

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If I get some spare time on this trip, I'll try to post some comments and reflections on Free Minds 2011, and I hope other OL attendees of the seminar will do the same.

But I must say that by FAR the best talk I've heard so far was Timothy Sandefur's lecture on the Supreme Court and liberty. He is a very dynamic speaker--passionate, rational, amusing...all my favorite stuff. :-) Tibor also did quite well in the two talks I heard him give.

My impression is that there is somewhere between 100 and 200 people in attendance, judging from the number of people in the room during the plenary sessions, and the combined number during the concurrent sessions. If I'm way off, someone who knows can certainly chime in with the correct total.

I hear talk of holding smaller, 1-2 weekend conferences, because these 7-day events are so expensive and so difficult for people to take that much time away from their jobs. I guess it all depends on what you want to do for your vacation, and how much you want to spend.

I'm comped this year as a plenary speaker, so that certainly made a difference in our coming or not. Some (most?) plenary folks aren't even attending the full seminar on ~that~ basis. So, perhaps there's some merit in the more streamlined, shorter event idea. I dunno. I fear that people with minority viewpoints may get squeezed out that way...

REB

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Roger's speaking appearance in a week (the evening of 18 July) at the Karl Hess (supper) Club in Los Angeles / Culver City is, oh, slightly more reasonable, if you're anywhere in The Southland already:

$3 to the club, plus a $10 minimum food order at the restaurant. (With an all-you-can-eat $11.95 chicken special, that's not difficult to do and is value for the money.)

I hope these behemoth conference lineups are "trust-busted" by the voluntary actions of the marketplace. I'd have gladly paid to hear Roger and the other plenary speakers on individual tickets. Not several hundred dollars for the week, plus accommodations. There's a war on, y'know. (There's always a war on.)

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Anyone attend the first day of Free Minds 2011? Anything noteworthy to share?

REB

P.S. -- sometimes people reveal their negativity toward you by their words, and sometimes by their silence. That's OK. People are entitled to their opinions, even if they keep them to themselves. :-)

Quite frankly, I was not that thrilled with the first day, so I did choose to refrain from commenting on it. (David Kelley was a noteworthy exception.) I decided to leave at the lunch break and go work out. And I missed almost all of Friday’s seminar for reasons which were unavoidable. I did happen to get there in time to see Kerry O’Quinn’s preview of his forthcoming book, Reach for the Stars. O’Quinn is a talented speaker, and I enjoyed his comments on the many prominent Objectivists (Ayn Rand, the Brandens, Peikoff) he has known over the years. He held the audience’s rapt attention. I will look forward to reading his book.

Saturday, I am pleased to say, was a totally different story from Thursday. Timothy Sandefur’s lecture was as good as anything I have ever heard at one of these conferences. The other presentations I attended were mostly excellent. But the most interesting aspect of Saturday was the interaction with fellow Objectivists and OL’ers, most especially Mike Renzulli. We had a great time discussing Objectivist philosophy well into the evening.

I am delighted to say that the presentations I witnessed on Saturday—aside from my discussions with Mike--went a long way toward restoring my “faith” in the Atlas Society’s devotion to Objectivist ideas (as apart from libertarianism and anarcho-capitalism).

I’m looking forward to next week’s presentations. Roger: I will certainly make every effort to attend your Tuesday morning talk on “The Logic of Liberty.” Barring any major freeway traffic jams that morning, I should be there.

BTW, since Fred Stitt is making everyone write out their questions this year, let me know if you want me to include both the challenging, insightful question and a brilliant, eloquent response. It will be our secret. (Sort of.) :D

(That was a joke.)

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