For anyone who might be in Boston MLK Day weekend, I’ll be doing several panels at Arisia

Popular Logical Fallacies         Sat 1:00 PM
Rhetoric, logic, and (proper) argument appear to be rare commodities (as recent presidential campaigns have amply demonstrated). From “ad hominem” to “No True Scotsman”, find out what argument styles just plain don’t wash, and learn how to avoid making these mistakes yourself.

The Technology of Star Trek         Sun 11:30 AM
Come celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek by discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly about the depictions of technology on screen and paper: communicators, tricorders, hand-held computers, and dozens of things you remember that the panel forgot.

How We Learn                Sun 8:30 PM
How does the human mind absorb, retain, and recall information? What psychological and biological processes are involved? Does one learning method work for all, or do some learning styles suit certain types of people better?

Read All the Things!              Mon 10:00 AM
Sure, we have limited reading time, but there are some authors whose works clamor to be read in their entirety! Which authors? Come to this panel and find out! Each panelist will discuss the author whose complete works they deem absolutely essential. Come develop your reading list for the next year!

I Hate the Hero                 Mon 1:00 PM
Is there a story with a protagonist that you dislike or maybe is just not likeable. I don’t mean, ‘The heavy is cooler than the hero,’ which is common. I mean you loathe the hero, to the point of rooting for the antagonist just to see them fail. What makes a hero likeable and do they have to be likeable for fans to be interested in the story?

I hope to meet some of you there!