Author and lecturer Christopher diCarlo is a pain in the ass, and he wants you to be one too.

DiCarlo is a philosophy professor who has held academic positions at numerous universities, including at Harvard University as a visiting research scholar. His latest book is How to Become a Really Good Pain in the Ass: A Critical Thinker’s Guide to Asking the Right Questions. He will speak about his book this Friday, Aug. 26, at 6:00 p.m. at the Rusty MacDonald library.

The event is organized by Center for Inquiry Saskatchewan. Previously known as Saskatoon Freethinkers, it is a group of volunteers who are committed to promoting science and reason.

George Williamson, the spokesperson for CFI Saskatchewan, says that a freethinker is “someone who’s committed to the method of using reason and seeking out appropriate evidence or appropriate authorities on questions of knowledge.”

Through his book, diCarlo will explain how to seek that evidence by asking the right questions so people will be able to recognize the truth amongst unfounded beliefs.

Williamson says diCarlo is “redoing the role of Socrates in ancient Athens.” Rather than blatantly accepting the word of an authority, such as a lawyer or banker, diCarlo is encouraging the public to probe with insightful questions so they can spot faulty reasoning, just as Socrates did.

By thinking critically, according to Williamson, it becomes easier to comprehend the world around you, rather than simply accepting superstition. In his book, diCarlo teaches how to think critically when it comes to life’s big questions, such as the meaning of life.

CFI Saskatchewan is aiming for 60 to 80 people to attend diCarlo’s presentation and find out “how to become a really good pain in the ass” for themselves.