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KING DAVE

King Dave "An atheist is something I am, not something I do" ~ Christopher Hitchens
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The Vastness of our Ignorance, Science and Religion. But only one is Proud of it. (Video Seminar from Neuroscientist Dr. David Eagleman)

Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:44 PM EDT
religion, islam, christianity, atheism, sam-harris
By King Dave

Dr. Eagleman holds joint appointments in the Departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the Baylor College of Medicine. His areas of scientific expertise include time perception, vision, synesthesia, and the intersection of neuroscience with the legal system. He directs the Laboratory for Perception and Action, and is the Founder and Director of Baylor College of Medicine's Initiative on Neuroscience and Law. Dr. Eagleman has written several neuroscience books, including Wednesday is Indigo Blue: Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia (co-authored with Richard Cytowic, MIT Press, 2009) and Dethronement: The Secret Life of the Unconscious Brain (Pantheon, 2010). He has also written an internationally bestselling book of literary fiction, Sum, which was named a Best Book of 2009 by Barnes and Noble, New Scientist, and the Chicago Tribune. Dr. Eagleman has written for the New York Times, Discover Magazine, Slate, and New Scientist, and he appears regularly on National Public Radio to discuss both science and literature.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

science

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 Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned.

 

religion

Neuroscientist David Eagleman says many very reasonable things and says them well. Unfortunately, on the subject of religion he appears to make a conscious effort to play the good cop to the bad cop of “the new atheism.” This posture will win him many friends, but it is intellectually dishonest. When one reads between the lines—or even when one just reads the lines—it becomes clear that what Eagleman is saying is every bit as deflationary as anything Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens or I say about the cherished doctrines of the faithful. ~ Sam Harris

 

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  • Public Discussion (10)
King Dave

This is a great video. I also agree with Sam Harris that atheists don't make the claim of scientific certainty, as from somewhere Dr. David Eagleman claims they do?

With the debt crisis looming and Michele, "Pray the Gay Away," Bachmann waging an all out personal Jihad against science, I hope you find the time to watch this video and leave me your thoughts...Thanks.

  • 5 votes
Reply#1 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:53 PM EDT
MWeaver

Will certainly watch it when I get home.

  • 4 votes
#1.1 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:56 PM EDT
MWeaver

It was a very good seminar. As with most Agnostics, I agree with most of what he's saying.

I don't, however, agree with the possibility of god.

  • 5 votes
#1.2 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:12 PM EDT
Socialist Plant

Remember that science is always self-scrutinizing, we are ever doubters of our own. Skeptical at the best of times, cynical at the worst.

My thing about God is, mmm...I can sum it up with this: "mess around with human history for a while then disappear for 2000+ years. Makes total sense."

That was a great seminar, and I do remember being astounding by the Hubble picture. Imagine the possibilities.

  • 3 votes
#1.3 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:35 PM EDT
King Dave

That was a great seminar,

I hate to beg, but not worthy of your vote?

I agree, very good seminar. Thanks for watching and your thoughts.

  • 3 votes
#1.4 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:37 PM EDT
Socialist Plant

I knew I was forgetting something. Voted up.

  • 3 votes
#1.5 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:39 PM EDT
Reply
King Dave

Will certainly watch it when I get home.

What do you mean? I put this together at work. It's called multi - tasking. We'll see how long that lasts, however. LOL

Yeah, it's a great video I found on Sam Harris' blog. Sam invites him to a debate @ his blog. I look forward to your thoughts MWeaver.

  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:18 PM EDT
RGoodfellow

A smart, and well thought out presentation, but I have to disagree with him. There is no room in serious scientific study for appeals to magic, and if that isn't the most basic definition of god, I don't know what is. (magic) The same "tools of science" he claims to have used to discount ESP, and "crystals" also rule out the tooth fairy, Santa Clause, and every version of god(s) put forth by humankind thus far. His use of the Hubble Deep Space Field, is clever, but he should take into consideration that we know from it, (and many suspected before it) that it would reveal other galaxies, and not fairy kingdoms, or pearly gates. In much the same way we can look at his so called possibility field and know that whatever it reveals, it will pretty much be things we have already seen, or know about, or of, even if we can not explain how it got there. It is fairly certain that will will not find unicorns, or leprechauns at some future point because our science has gotten better. One must also take into account when watching this clip, that he is paid well by a devoutly christian school, in the heart of David Koresh country.

  • 2 votes
Reply#3 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:49 PM EDT
King Dave

I would go as far as to say, there seems to be thought inside a lot of things, animals, plants even single cell organisms. If the universe is part of a multiverse and perhaps a smaller part of some living organism, there seems no reason to believe there is no internal thoughts behind that. This certainly does not require a God, and for sure a plant is not considered a God, but just a small part of a huge thinking organism. But it's just guess work on my part. That is why I like these videos.

  • 2 votes
#3.1 - Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:29 PM EDT
Reply
William H. Bickers

I enjoyed the video and believe that religious stories in the context of the culture and history of the times that is written. Religious stories was the science of their day and I have heard so pretty hard to believe stories from scientists such as the big bang started from an phenomenon smaller than an atom. I really believe that religion tries to accomplish many things and I focus on the wisdom of getting along with one another. Theories of afterlife in modern religion still falls in the possibilian scope of that issue. Thanks for this article and video.

  • 3 votes
Reply#4 - Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:31 AM EDT
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