Peter Harrison
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Artificial Intelligence Resources
Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence Why AI researchers shouldn’t turn their backs on the military The World Economic Forum warns that AI may destabilize the financial system Children ‘at risk of robot influence’ AI identifies heat-resistant coral reefs in Indonesia Google DeepMind’s AI can detect over 50 sight-threatening eye conditions Don’t expect IBM’s Watson to cure cancer anytime soon Engineers teach…
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State of Surveillance
In George Orwell’s 1984 the state had something like a TV in every room that was two way. There could be someone watching or listening to you at any time, and therefore you could not assume that it was safe to talk about any critical views of the state without being monitored. This vision has essentially become reality, but with vastly larger scope. Almost…
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Education Minister orders review of religious guidelines
Three years ago the Ministry of Education committed in mediation to prepare guidelines for schools in relation to religious instruction in schools. The Ministry then refused to continue work while human rights litigation was in progress. Recently there has been an about turn with recently released official information request Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins requesting that work on the guidelines should continue. Hipkins cited…
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Robson’s morals are not a good example
If there was ever a good example of why religious instruction in New Zealand primary schools is a bad idea Geoff Robson’s opinion piece would be it. If we want our schools to be a tolerant environment where children from any background or belief system can attend without being excluded, ostracised or bullied, giving religious fundamentalists like Robson open access to our children is…
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AI Storming Medical Image Analysis
The days of highly trained specialists being required to perform analysis of medical images is coming to a close.
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Should We Develop Autonomous Weapons?
The coupling of artificial intelligence and weapons is well under way. Any military strategist will tell you that technology is a huge tactical advantage on the battlefield. At Agincourt it was the longbow, and in World War II the nuclear weapon. Deciding not to take advantage of new technology might just be the last decision you make. We have had cruise missiles capable of…
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Humanist Conference to be held in August
Humanist Conference will be held in August featuring international speakers talking about human rights and secularism. [button link=”https://conference.humanist.nz/”]Get Tickets Here[/button]
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Little to end Blasphemy Law
Justice Minister Andrew Little has introduced legislation to repeal Blasphemous Libel. The Rationalists and Humanists have long opposed this legislation as a contravention of basic human right of free speech.
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Rationalists lay complaint with United Nations over Human Rights Commission
The Rationalists have laid a complaint with the United Nations over the failure of the Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Tribunal to address systemic discrimination on the basis of religion in New Zealand state primary schools.
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Christians Petition Hipkins
The Secular Education Network is now facing a reaction from fanatical evangelicals who want to maintain their privileged access to vulnerable children. In a plea to petition Chris Hipkins they say Please sign this petition to support the continued right to Religious Education in selected NZ schools. Religious freedom is the core value at stake here. The SEN continue to attack these important freedoms…
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President’s Corner, December 2017
November was a pretty busy month. We held the annual ‘dinner’ at the Bays Club in Browns bay where we awarded Susan and Des Vize the Bertrand Russell Award for hosting a family who fled Saudi Arabia to avoid the consequences of being an atheist in that country. The Vize family hosted the refugee family for six months. Judy also has provided significant personal…
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Jesus kicked out of house
Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard has modified the parliamentary prayer, initially removing both the Queen and Jesus Christ. After pressure from National he reinstated a reference to the Queen, but mention of Jesus Christ is still excluded. The New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists believe New Zealand should be a secular country where the state should not endorse or promote any specific…
