Conf. Intern.on Evolu. and Rat.

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Date
INTERNATIONAL  CONFERENCE  ON EVOLUTIONISM  AND  RATIONALISM
September 8-10, 1997
Zaragoza (Spain)

FIRST CIRCULAR

CONVENERS

Alternativa Racional a las Pseudociencias (ARP)
Asociacion Espanola de Humanismo Racional (AEHR)
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP)
Council for Secular Humanism (CSH)
Seminario de Historia de la Ciencia y la Tecnica de Aragon  (SEHCTAR)
Seminario Interdisciplinar de la Universidad de Zaragoza (SIUZ)
Sociedad Espanola de Historia de las Ciencias y de las Tecnicas (SEHCYT).


ORGANIZERS

Eustoquio MOLINA
Area de Paleontologia
Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra
Universidad de Zaragoza. 50009- Zaragoza. SPAIN
Phone: 34 76 761077, Fax: 34 76 761088
E-mail: emolina@msf.unizar.es

Jesus PUERTAS
Departamento de Filosofia
Instituto Luis Bunuel
Plaza Santo Domingo, 50003-Zaragoza. SPAIN
Phone and Fax: 34 76 283170
E-mail: jpuertas@encomix.com


SCIENTIFIC  COMMITTEE

Felix ARES, Founder of ARP, Universidad del Pais Vasco.
Javier E. ARMENTIA, President of ARP, Planetario de Pamplona.
Claude BABIN, Professor of Paleontology, Universite de Lyon.
H. James BIRX, Professor of Anthropology, Canisius College, Buffalo.
Gustavo BUENO, Professor of Philosophy, Universidad de Oviedo.
Mario BUNGE, Professor of Philosophy of Science, McGill University.
Alberto CARRERAS, President of SIUZ, Universidad de Zaragoza.
Alberto GOMIS, President of SEHCYT, Universidad de Alcala de Henares.
Mariano HORMIGON, President of SEHCTAR, Universidad de Zaragoza.
Paul KURTZ, Chairman of CSH and CSICOP, State University of New York.
Timothy J. MADIGAN, Executive Editor of Free Inquiry. The Center for Inquiry. 
Alberto MAKINISTIAN, Professor of Bioantropology and Evolution, Univ. Rosario. 
Leandro SEQUEIROS, Professor of Paleontology, Universidad de Cordoba.


PURPOSE  AND  SCOPE

The theory of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin, more than a century ago, has 
been corroborated and completed by many disciplines and is today the most 
influential scientific paradigm. Nevertheless, certain controversy still exists 
due to the great implications  for the origin of life and the future of 
humanity. To discuss these implications and assess our current understanding of 
Evolutionism and Rationalism, the University of Zaragoza is hosting a three-day 
conference.
The purpose of this conference is to analyze the implications of evolutionism in 
our society, regarding the Rational Humanism, the Cultural Evolution, the 
Creationism and the related pseudosciences. These interdisciplinary subjects 
will be discussed within the scope of History and Epistemology.
To promote the exchange of new ideas, and rigorously assess our current 
understanding on evolutionism and its implications, the conference will place a 
certain emphasis on interdisciplinarity. The aim of this conference is to bring 
together specialists from the various disciplines which have contributed to the 
study of evolution: biologists, paleontologists, anthropologists, philosophers, 
sociologists, historians, as well as rational humanists and other people 
interested in the different implications of the evolutionary theory.


CONFERENCE  FORMAT

The languages of the meeting will be English and Spanish, although French will 
also be official the probable simultaneous translation will only be possible 
between Spanish and English.
Following their review and acceptance by the Scientific Committee, contributed 
abstracts and invited lectures will be published and distributed at the 
beginning of the conference. The conference will result in a refereed 
proceedings book. As soon as posible, all papers should be provided on a 
diskette, preferably for Macintosh, together with a paper proof, since all the 
information and papers will be included in an Internet page at the following 
site: http://wzar.unizar.es/evolu.html
Please, use the pre-registration form enclosed here, or the electronic 
pre-registration at the Internet page, to let us know about your interest. Your 
pre-registration will help us to estimate the real needs of the conference, as 
well as keep you informed. The responders to the first announcement will obtain 
the second announcement (registration form, hotel reservation form and call for 
papers) in February, 1997.


PRACTICAL  INFORMATION

In September the weather in Zaragoza is generally fine, sunny and warm. Zaragoza 
airport has flights with Frankfurt, Jerez, Las Palmas, London, Madrid, Malaga, 
Palma de Mallorca, Paris and Tenerife. Several trains and buses connect Zaragoza 
with Madrid and Barcelona daily. Accommodation will be available in hotels that 
offer a special reduced price for the university and in the student halls of 
residence. If you need further information please contact the organizers: 
Eustoquio MOLINA and/or Jesus PUERTAS.



PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

Family name:                 				Given name:
Title:				                      	Sex (M/F):
Affiliation:

Mailing address:



Phone:				Fax:				
E-mail:

Attendance at the conference:    	Definitely	   	Probably    	Possibly

Presentation of a paper:		yes	  	no

Provisional title of presentation:



Special requests or suggestions:



Please return this form before January 20, 1997 to:

Eustoquio MOLINA
Area de Paleontologia
Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra
Universidad de Zaragoza
E-50009 Zaragoza
SPAIN 																				E-mail: emolina@msf.unizar.es