The Weekly SPI Fellows Update
by Julie Esris
Secular Policy Institute is proud to welcome two new fellows:
John Joseph Kisakye is a professor of biology at the College of Natural Sciences at Makerere University in Uganda. He holds multiple degrees, including a PhD in Environmental Science, a Master’s Degree in Zoology (Parasitology), and postgraduate degrees in Biology Education, and Project Planning and Management. An intellectual with so many advanced degrees definitely is someone SPI is proud to have as a Fellow!
John Allen Paulos is a professor of mathematics at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Passionate about mathematical literacy, Paulos’s prime focus is in┬ámathematical logic and probability theory. And what professor of mathematics would be complete without also authoring┬áseveral books, with names┬áthat include┬áInnumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences and┬áIrreligion: A Mathematician Explains Why the Arguments for God Just Don’t Add Up?
News from Other Fellows
The infamous hack of extramarital affair dating service Ashley Madison┬áhas revealed names of adulterous celebrities, most infamously Josh Duggar of┬á19 Kids and Counting fame. But what kind of justice– if any– is vigilante justice? And are the consequences even more catastrophic than breaking up marriages? Philosopher and SPI fellow┬áRussell Blackford┬ásays yes. Find out why.
Yet┬áanother death sentence in the Middle East for apostasy and blasphemy, this time of┬áMohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir of┬áMauritania. What “blasphemous” act did he do? He condemned using Islam to justify slavery. Learn more about this ill-fated– and brave– man in this insightful article by writer and SPI Fellow┬áElham Manea.
Over the past several decades, certain words have become more taboo (the “N” word and other racial slurs), and some have become less taboo (“fuck”, “shit”, etc.). But why? Linguist and SPI Fellow┬áJohn McWhorter has a few ideas. In fact, he’s even working on a book that tackles┬áthis subject!