AAAS Conference to Explore Cosmology Questions and Religious Implications
Washington, DC (March 1, 1999)--Cosmologists, philosophers, and religious scholars will gather in Washington, D.C., for a three-day exploration of the origin and nature of the cosmos and the religious implications of scientific discovery in the universe.
The AAAS conference, Cosmic Questions, will explore three of the most provocative questions in contemporary cosmology and astronomy: What came before the Big Bang? Is the universe designed? And are we alone in the cosmos?
Recent discoveries, including distant galaxies in the early stages of formation, evidence that neutrinos have mass and probable liquid water on moons of Jupiter and planets outside the solar system, have enhanced our understanding of the evolution of stellar and planetary systems and life in the universe. At the same time, these discoveries have raised questions that have modern-day religious significance.
WHAT: Cosmic Questions ConferenceSpeakers will include:WHEN: Wednesday - Friday, April 14 - 16, 1999
WHERE: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Baird Auditorium
10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
- Stephen Hawking, Cambridge University (invited)
- Steven Weinberg, Nobel Laureate, University of Texas-Austin
- Owen Gingerich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
- Joel Primack, University of California-Santa Cruz
- Rocky Kolb, Fermi National Laboratory
- Jill Tarter, The SETI Institute
- John Polkinghorne, former President, Queens College, England
Editor's Note: Members of the media must RSVP using the attached form.
Did the Universe Have a Beginning? Is the Universe Designed?
Are We Alone?
AAAS Conference
April 14-16, 1999
(*indicates that the speaker has been invited to participate)
Day 1 (Wednesday, April 14) - Did the Universe Have a Beginning?
(Moderator: Joel Primack, Professor of Physics, University of California-Santa
Cruz)
Morning -
8:00 - Registration/Coffee -
9:00 - Welcome -
9:10 - Introduction to the Conference - Joel Primack
Session I - The Cultural and Scientific Background
9:45 - Athens and/or Jerusalem: Cosmology and/or Creation - Jaraslav
Pelikan, Sterling Professor Emeritus of History, Yale University
10:20 - The History of Scientific Cosmogony - Owen Gingerich, Professor of
Astronomy and the History of Science, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for
Astrophysics
10:55 - Standard Big Bang Cosmology: "The Big Bang Really Happened" - Sandra
Faber, University Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of
California-Santa Cruz
11:30 - Questions and Answers
12:00 - Lunch
Afternoon -
Session II - Before the Beginning?
Did time begin?
1:30 - No Boundary - Stephen Hawking*, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics,
Cambridge University
2:05 - External Inflation - Alan Guth, Victor F. Weisskopf Professor of
Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2:40 - Break
Does it matter religiously?
2:55 - "The Idea of a "Beginningless" World-Process: Hindu Perspectives,"
Anindita Baslev, Center for Cultural Research, Aarhus University, Denmark
3:30 - Robert John Russell, Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences,
Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley
4:05 - Panel discussion on "Beginnings" with morning and afternoon speakers
5:00 - Recess
Evening Program
Reception - for speakers and attendees
Cosmic Voyage - a showing of this IMAX film in the new theater at the Natural
History Museum followed by a talk by Rocky Kolb, Fermi National Laboratory, who
appears in the film
7:00 - Reception
7:30 - Cosmic Voyage
8:30 - Rocky Kolb, "A Recipe for Primordial Soup"
9:30 - Recess
Day 2 (Thursday, April 15) - Was the Universe Designed?
(Moderator: Owen Gingerich)
Morning -
8:30 - Coffee
Session III - Cosmic Evolution and Design
9:00 - What is the Meaning of "Design?" - John Leslie, Professor Emeritus of
Philosophy, University of Guelph
9:35 - The Cosmic Coincidences and the Cosmic Anthropic Principle(s) - John
D. Barrow, Director, Millennium Mathematics Project, Cambridge University
10:10 - The History of the Design Argument - Anna Case-Winters, Professor of
Theology, McCormick Theological Seminary
10:45 - Questions and Answers
11:45 - Lunch
Afternoon -
Session IV - Is the Universe Designed?
Debate on Design:
1:15 - Steven Weinberg, Jack S. Josey-Welch Foundation Chair in Science and
Regental Professor of Physics, University of Texas-Austin
1:50 - "Intelligibility and Intrinsic Fruitfulness," John Polkinghorne,
former President, Queens College, Cambridge, England
2:25 - Break
Religious Reflections -
2:40 - "Cosmic Design from the Perspective of Process Theology," David
Griffin, Director, Center for Process Studies, Claremont, California
3:15 -"Cosmic Design from a Buddhist Perspective," Trinh Xuan Thuan,
Professor of Astronomy, University of Virginia
3:50 - "What Did the Mystic Say to the Hotdog Vendor? Or Nothing by Design: A
Neo-Kabbalistic Perspective," Rabbi Laurence Kushner, Congregation Beth El,
Sudbury, Massachusetts
4:25 - Panel discussion on "Design" by morning and afternoon speakers.
5:30 - Recess
Day 3 (Friday, April 16) - Are we alone?
(Moderator: Audrey Chapman, Director, AAAS Program of Dialogue Between Science
and Religion)
Morning -
8:30 - Coffee
Session V - Life in the Universe
9:00 TBA
9:35 - Exotic life on Earth - Kenneth Nealson, Professor, California
Institute of Technology, and Senior Researcher in Astrobiology, Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
10:10 - Homes for life? - David Latham, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for
Astrophysics
10:45 - Questions and Answers
11:45 - Lunch
Afternoon -
Session VI - Intelligent Life in the Universe
1:15 - What is SETI? - Jill C. Tarter, Senior Program Scientist and Director,
Project Phoenix, The SETI Institute
Debate on the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligent life -
1:50 - "Not likely" - Irven DeVore, Ruth Moore Professor of Biological
Anthropology in the Departments of Anthropology and Organismic and Evolutionary
Biology, Harvard University
2:25 - "The Outlook for Cosmic Company" - Seth Shostak, Public Programs
Scientist, The SETI Institute
3:00 - Break
3:15 - Theological Reflection - John Haught, Professor of Theology,
Georgetown University
3:50 - Closing Reflection - Bill Moyers*
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC
April 14-16, 1999
American Association for the Advancement of Science
APPLICATION FOR MEDIA CREDENTIALS
(Please fill out and fax to 615-329-2848)
NAME/POSITION__________________________________________________________________
AFFILIATION
____________________________________________________________________
PHONE______________________________________ FAX_______________________________
ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________________
DATES YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE:
Wed. Thurs. Fri.EQUIPMENT NEEDS: If you plan to work from the Baird Auditorium, please complete the portion of the form within the box below. Please check appropriate categories:
4/14 4/15 4/16
( ) Print MediaI will file via:
( ) Photographer
( ) Radio/TV
( ) Portable terminalPlease note any special requirements you may have:
( ) Telephone
OTHER PERSONNEL (photo assistants, etc.) LIST NAME AND ASSIGNMENT:
NOTES
We will attempt to make available a limited number of telephones for local and
long distance calls (collect or credit cards), as well as faxes.
We must receive application forms no later than FRIDAY, April 9, 1999.
Credentials will not be mailed in advance. If others from your staff require
credentials, copy and use this form and return it to the fax number listed
below. Credentials will be available for pick-up at the Conference. Credentials
are NON-TRANSFERABLE.
Please return by April 9, 1999 to:
Joelle Polisky, 2100 West End Avenue, Suite 700, Nashville, TN 37203
Tel: 615-320-7532
Fax: 615-329-2848