9/21 Russell’s Tea Party
Posted on September 18th, 2008 by SAIU
Event: Russell’s Tea Party
Date: 9/21/08
Time: 12pm (noon)
Location: Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) Charter Room
Discussion topic: How do you feel about the “new atheist” movement, and how does this fit into your desires for the SAIU? We’ll also discuss the possibility of a 21+ Skeptics in the Pub night for of-age members, and go over upcoming events for those who are interested.
Description/explanation: Bertrand Russell coined the analogy of a celestial teapot, now dubbed “Russell’s Teapot,” which is now one of the first examples of a parody religion. These parody religions include the Flying Spaghetti Monster (www.venganza.org), the Invisible Pink Unicorn (Wikipedia page), and the Church of Google(www.thechurchofgoogle.org), among others. Following is Russell’s original description of the flying teapot analogy:
If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.
The Russell’s Tea Party is, for SAIU, a time for discussion. Dry tea is provided, but we’ll borrow hot water from the IMU Starbucks or food court, or purchase other desired drinks or food there.
