The International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS) will hold a conference during the WCSF in November in its ongoing series: Searching for Absolute Values and Unity in the Sciences. The theme this year is: Science for the Benefit of Humanity

Dr. Alvin Weinberg will give a plenary address on "Scientific Millenarianism." There he looks, as we enter the 2nd millennium, at certain long-reaching catastrophes as comet collision with earth, global warming and disposal of nuclear waste and discusses possible solutions. Interestingly, beyond do nothing, more education, and a technical fix, he concludes that the possibility of religion playing an important role may be the ultimate answer.

There also will be a Festival-wide committee on Unification Thought, chaired by Prof. Ron Burr, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern Mississippi, entitled, "Constructing Theories for a Coming Age of Global Family." Topics will include "Religion vs Science," "Theories of Evolution and Creation," "Re-construction of the Concept of the Family," " Theoretical Heirs of Socialism and Capitalism," "Equalization of Technology," and "Harmony of Humans in Nature."

The basic organization of the conference will be:

Conference Chair: Dr. Tor Ragnar Gerholm, Professor of Physics, Emeritus, Stockholm University, Sweden

Conference Vice-Chairs: Dr. Richard L. Rubenstein, President, University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, Connecticut USA Dr. Norge W. Jerome, Professor Emeritus of Preventive Medicine, University of Kansas, School of Medicine, USA

Plenary Speakers Dr. Alvin M. Weinberg, Distinguished Fellow, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee USA

Committees

1. The Information Revolution, Higher Education and Research Dr. Marcelo Alonso, Principal Research Scientist (Rtd.), Florida Institute of Technology

2. Symmetry in its Various Aspects: Search for Order in the Universe Prof. Bulent Atalay, Chair, Department of Physics, Mary Washington College, Virginia

3. Human Universals and the Biological Foundations of Art Prof. Brett Cooke, Associate Professor of Russian, Texas A&M University Honorary Chair: Prof. Frederick Turner, Founding Professor of Arts and Humanities, University of Texas at Dallas

4. Treatment of Non-linear Systems in Physics and Economics Dr. Eugene Velikov, Vice President, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

5. Wholeness Through the Pathways of Wisdom Prof. W. Andrew Achenbaum, Professor of History and Deputy Director, Institute of Gerontology, University of Michigan

6. Life, Death and Eternal Hope Prof. Paul Badham, Chair, Theology and Religious Studies, University of Wales Honorary Chair: Prof. Carl Becker, Faculty of Integrated Human Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan

More information can be obtained from: Greg Breland, ICUS, 147 Goodridge Ave., Lexington, KY 40503.

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