From May 24th to 28th, Paul and I will be in Atlanta for the delights of ATLOSCon 2012. You can review the planned events and register here. Here’s what Paul and I will be doing:

Forgiveness, Redemption, and the Virtue of Justice Speaker: Diana Hsieh Date: Saturday, May 26, 2012 Time: 03:00 pm EST to 04:00 pm EST

As we live our lives, some people will harm us by their moral wrongs and honest errors, and we may commit such wrongs and errors ourselves. Objective moral judgment is an essential part of the rational response to such events. Yet circumstances often call for more than judgment: sometimes, forgiveness and redemption come into play. In this lecture, Diana Hsieh will explore the nature, function, and limits of forgiveness and redemption in relation to the virtue of justice. Then, with the help of the audience, she will apply that understanding to common examples of wrongs and errors.

Alas, this talk is up against sex and alcohol! I’m doomed! I just hope that enough people feel too guilty to talk about sex, but not guilty enough to want to drown their sorrows in liquor!

Panel Discussion and Q&A on Exercise Speaker: Ken Andrews, Jenn Casey, Tori Press, Diana Hsieh Date: Saturday, May 26, 2012 Time: 04:45 pm EST to 05:45 pm EST

This panel will be a roundtable discussion of different exercise methods (including running, Crossfit, Super Slow/Body by Science, and yoga) and their effects. The panelists will discuss their own motivations and experiences with exercise and will take questions from the audience.

I’m excited to talk about my experiences with SuperSlow, as well as to hear what others are doing and why.

Live Philosophy In Action Webcast Speaker: Diana Hsieh Date: Sunday, May 27, 2012 Time: 11:00 am EST to 12:00 pm EST

I’ll be broadcasting my live Philosophy in Action Webcast on Sunday morning, as usual. I’m not sure of the questions yet, but they’ll be announced the week before.

Philosophy in Action Workshop Speaker: Diana Hsieh Date: Sunday, May 27, 2012 Time: 01:00 pm EST to 02:00 pm EST

A virtuous person does not merely need to know the abstract principles of rational egoism: he needs to live them, day in and day out, in word and deed. When faced with the kinds of complex problems that arise in ordinary life, acting virtuously can be a major challenge. In this workshop, Diana Hsieh will lead a discussion on how to think through such real-life problems in a principled way, while respecting differences in context and values. Participants will submit questions in advance, and several will be explored in detail.

Maintaining Rational Optimism Speaker: Paul Hsieh Date: Saturday, May 26, 2012 Time: 04:45 pm EST to 05:45 pm EST

Given the state of current American culture and politics, it’s very easy to become pessimistic about the future. What are some methods we can adopt to maintain rational optimism, without falling into either error of undue pessimism or of wishful Pollyannaism? Given the current cultural/political context, how can we best preserve our long-term emotional health and maintain “the courage to face a lifetime”? Participants will be encouraged to share their own personal strategies and techniques, so that we can all incorporate the best of each others’ ideas into our own lives.

I’m a pessimist, so bah humbug to this talk!

Controversial Topics in Gun Rights and Self-Defense Speaker: Paul Hsieh Date: Sunday, May 27, 2012 Time: 02:45 pm EST to 03:45 pm EST

Objectivists recognize that the core principle of proper politics is individual rights, which includes the right to self-defense. But the proper application of these principles with respect to gun rights has often aroused passionate debate amongst Objectivists. This talk will cover some common Objectivist “hot button” issues with respect to gun rights, including (1) Should a rational government be able to require registration of firearms, (2) Does someone engaging in “open carry” constitute an “objective threat”, (3) What is the proper scope of self-defense vs. being obliged to delegate the use of force to the government, and (4) Is it moral and practical for citizens to own guns as a defense against future tyranny?

I’ve heard an early version of this talk, and it’s great!

Now… go check out the rest of the awesome offerings and register!