Het Denkgelag

Het Denkgelag is a Belgian association without lucrative purpose that organises skeptical conferences in Flanders. Het Denkgelag started out in 2012 as a series of discussion evenings of the skeptical organisation SKEPP,[2] but nowadays functions financially and legally independent from SKEPP. The mission of Het Denkgelag is to popularise scientific topics and to promote critical thinking for a broad audience. It has been described as “laid-back discussion evenings on philosophical, skeptical and scientific topics, in an informal atmosphere, with a crowd of interesting speakers and the audience as the central guest”.[1]

Het Denkgelag
Formation2012
Typenon-profit
PurposeBringing together interesting speakers to stimulate public discussion on science and reason and to foster critical thinking[1]
HeadquartersGhent
Region served
Flanders
Official language
Dutch, English
Chair
Pieter Brauwers
Parent organization
SKEPP
Volunteers
9
WebsiteDenkgelag.be

Events

The first series of lectures and discussions of Het Denkgelag took place in late 2012 in the cultural centre De Centrale in Ghent. Speakers included Johan Braeckman, Farah Focquaert, Chris French, Alicja Gescinska, Jürgen Mettepenningen, Stephen Law, Patrick Loobuyck, Herman Philipse, Emanuel Rutten, Jean Paul Van Bendegem and Dirk Verhofstadt.[1][2]

On 17 October 2013, Het Denkgelag organised the "Debate on the Limits of Science" in the Leon De Meyer auditorium (1000 seats) at the Universiteitsforum (UFO) of Ghent University. The debate was held between Daniel Dennett, Lawrence M. Krauss and Massimo Pigliucci, moderated by Maarten Boudry.[3][4]

The debate "Van aap tot robot. Debat over transhumanisme" ("From Ape to Robot. Debate on Transhumanism") with Kris Verburgh, Pieter Bonte, Philippe van Nedervelde and Martijntje Smits, presented by Brecht Decoene, was held on 27 November 2014 in De Centrale.[1][5][6][7][8]

On 26 January 2015 in the Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen (City Theatre of Antwerp, 2000 seats), the documentary The Unbelievers was screened, and the discussion "A Passion for Science and Reason" was held between Richard Dawkins and Lawrence M. Krauss, moderated by Julia Galef.[9][10][11][12][13]

On 12 March 2015 in the Miry Concertzaal, together with TEDx Ghent, Het Denkgelag hosted a series of lectures by Michael Shermer (how science and reason make the word a better place), Hugo Mercier (why people engage in discussions with each other), Carolyn Declerck (why economic interests force people to cooperate), Pieter Buteneers (how artificial intelligence can help disabled people in the future) and a debate on the technological singularity amongst other topics, led by Ruben Mersch.[14]

  • Pigliucci, Dennett and Krauss in 2013
    Pigliucci, Dennett and Krauss in 2013
  • Panorama of 'The Limits of Science'
    Panorama of 'The Limits of Science'
  • Pigliucci, Dennett, Krauss and Boudry in debate
    Pigliucci, Dennett, Krauss and Boudry in debate
  • 'Van aap tot robot' panel
    'Van aap tot robot' panel
  • Discussion on transhumanism
    Discussion on transhumanism
  • Martijntje Smits
    Martijntje Smits
  • Philippe van Nedervelde
    Philippe van Nedervelde
  • Kris Verburg
    Kris Verburg
  • Pieter Bonte
    Pieter Bonte

See also

References
  1. "Over Het Denkgelag" (in Dutch). Het Denkgelag. 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  2. Dries Van Giel (25 October 2012). "Het Denkgelag". SKEPP website (in Dutch). SKEPP. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  3. Fabrice Luyckx (18 October 2013). "Het Denkgelag: The Limits of Science". Schamper (in Dutch). Ghent University. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  4. "Video 2013: 'The Limits of Science'". Het Denkgelag. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. Van Giel, Jozef (25 January 2015). "Het Denkgelag: van Aap tot Robot (1)". Kritisch Denken. Episode 217 (in Dutch). Russells Theepot. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  6. Van Giel, Jozef (1 February 2015). "Het Denkgelag: van Aap tot Robot (2)". Kritisch Denken. Episode 217 (in Dutch). Russells Theepot. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  7. Jozef Van Giel (8 February 2015). "Het Denkgelag: van Aap tot Robot (3)". Kritisch Denken. Russells Theepot. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  8. Jozef Van Giel (15 February 2015). "Het Denkgelag: van Aap tot Robot (4)". Kritisch Denken (in Dutch). Russells Theepot. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  9. Isaac Demey (29 January 2015). "'Ik wil niemand bekeren'. Populaire evolutiebioloog Richard Dawkins houdt halt in Antwerpen". De Standaard (in Dutch). Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  10. "Britse bioloog Richard Dawkins komt naar België". Metro (in Dutch). 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  11. "A Passion For Science And Reason. An Evening with Richard Dawkins & Lawrence M. Krauss". Agenda (in Dutch). Gazet van Antwerpen. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  12. "A Passion For Science And Reason" (in Dutch). Het Denkgelag. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  13. Bruno Van de Casteele (1 February 2015). "A Passion for Science and Reason". Skeptoid. Brian Dunning. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  14. Lei Lei Lau & Andries Rosseau (13 March 2015). "Reasonable Doubt". Schamper (in Dutch). Ghent University. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
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