[AstroNet] announcement of the conference "Astronomy and Civilization" and request circulating the information

[Christian Hettlage]

Dear All,

Please find below the announcement of a conference about "Astronomy  
and Civilization" to be held in Budapest later this year.

Kind regards,

Christian

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Dear Astronet-owner,

it is a pleasure for me to let you know about our
conference "Astronomy and Civilization", an exceptional
conference to be held in Budapest, August 10-13, 2009.

The conference, held to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy
2009, is intended as an exceptional, multidisciplinary event on the most
challenging questions of science, religion, and philosophy.

Regarding the financial crisis of this year, it would be highly useful  
and timely
if you could help us to distribute the information about the conference
"Astronomy and Civilization", and putting a special emphasis on the
relations between astronomy and civilization.

We think that the only safe ground of our future is the wider
and deeper understanding of the Universe.
Actually, we have the impression that it needs a serious amount of
work enlightening the significance of astronomy for scientists,
philosophers, theologians, artists, sociologists, and the wide public.

It would be much appreciated if you could circulate the enclosed  
message among
the membership of Astronet.

Event Details:
From:   10 Aug 2009
To:     13 Aug 2009
Country:        Hungary
More info:      Link to event website (http://www.konkoly.hu/AC2009/)

Short synopsis of the conference:
The conference, held to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy  
2009,
is intended as an exceptional, multidisciplinary event on the most  
challenging
questions of science, religion, and philosophy. Its motto and central  
theme can be
stated as follows: “The level of knowledge attained in all ages has  
been determined
by the generally accepted theory of the Universe”, as observed by Paul  
Couderc in
Histoire de l'Astronomie, 1960, page 8. The goal of the conference is  
to call attention
to the close relations between astronomy, natural sciences and  
civilization, first of
all to the foundational, active and renewing role of astronomy in the  
development of
our civilization and shaping our future, searching for our cosmic  
origin and our common
heritage which connect all citizens of planet Earth. The only safe  
ground of our future
is the wider and deeper understanding of the Universe. Nowadays, in  
the era of the consumer
society, it is more and more usual to regard astronomy as an  
uneconomic, superfluous branch
of science. This view presents a threatening danger not only to the  
intellectual and social
status of astronomy in modern societies, but also to the future of  
science and civilization.
Astronomical insights and observations have profound implications for  
the development of science,
philosophy, culture and the general conception of the universe. The  
conference intends to combine
plenary sessions on big questions in an inspiring manner with  
minisymposia on cutting-edge
research in physics, astrobiology, complexity sciences, and on the  
relations between art,
religion and astronomy. Therefore, in addition to the plenary talks, a  
few minisymposia will be
held: “Physical Cosmological Models and the Astronomically Observed  
Universe”; “Complexity,
Emergence and Astrobiological Aspects of the Universe”; “Astronomy and  
High Tech” and
“Astronomy, Art and Religion”.

Your kind feedback would be much appreciated. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Attila Grandpierre
Co-chair of the SOC of "Astronomy and Civilization" conference
Konkoly Observatory
of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
http://www.konkoly.hu/AC2009/
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