Richard Dawkins:Lecture1. Waking up in the universe (4 of 7)

[necrosmith]

Amazing lecturer.

[HungryTacoBoy]

At 2:47, when he says, "This here is a map...", I thought he was joking because it looked like a blank sheet. XD Then it showed a closer view.

[f0revern0ty0urs2]

that about steak and encyclopedia didn't make any sense at all

[inventiveinsanity]

He's putting the strength of teeth into perspective.

[cogitopunk]

look who's ranting, Doc. what irks me most about these pages is the smug, condescending, self-congratulatory tone. so quick to jump on that scourge, that horrible, hopeless lot, the "religious". you seem to think youve stumbled across something special in atheism - trust me, you havent. im ashamed to call myself atheist listening to some of you. im not saying youre worse, just that its an even field. this isnt inspirational. dawkins may know a thing or too about DNA, but he's no Poet, no Genius

[patonburns]

impressive. but ultimately, beside the point. atheism is a form of theism, a faith. his intellect lacks somewhat. id rather speculate idly on my own non existence then listen to this, perhaps but im no guru

[DrMontague]

Religions have certain rituals and practices in order to worship a supposed supernatural being. e.g. they meet every Sunday to worship. Atheists do not have these rituals etc. An atheist is simply 'a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings'

Online dictionary.

[wellingtonburns]

perhaps but both require faith, both presume to speak in terms of the existence of god, which is both logically absurd and spiritually bankrupt. ponder that, Doc

[wellingtonburns]

furthermore, i dont like the way i was blocked from responding to the honourable doctor's remark, just for giving my two pennies worth. small-minded and spineless. dont do it again!

[markgg1]

How cam atheism be theism... what a stupid statement. The whole point of the word is that is NOT theism. And you can say I have faith, or belief or whatever... its just words. But I have faith in science and things that I can see and test, and there is evidence for. You have 'faith' in something there is ZERO evidence for

[DrMontague]

Faith has more than one definition.

1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.

2.belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.

3.the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.

[RajahBrooke]

Atheism has no dogma - it says nothing about the world, or how you should live it. All you need to be an Atheist, is to reject Theism. Two Atheists can have absolutely nothing in common with each other except that they don't believe in God. You and I may have nothing in common except that we don't believe in fairies - but you wouldn't call us Afairyist, and say we share a common religion. Stalin's Atheism was no more responsible for his evil than was his moustache. Your claim is fallacious.

[cogitopunk]

i beg to differ. atheism is a mindset, a mantra, its in our blood, faery deniers just dont cut it. its idolatrous. it precludes and prefigures. its an oversimplification, opium for the masses, perhaps necessary as a historical device, but nothing to shout about. the lowest common denominator. what does it ask of you? there are paths untrod, less sure. dont see how stalin comes into it. fellatio indeed and apt to describe the pitiful fawning of atheists upon these self satisfied pages

[RajahBrooke]

I have many Atheist friends, and we have little in common besides the fact that we are not religious. There are Liberals, Conservatives, Marxist, Anarchists, Buddhists, Taoists, Satanists, Science/Politics/Maths/English­/Philosophy/Classics students. We have nothing in common, morally or politically, and follow no common doctrine. My point about moustaches is that having one no more means you will have a political world view than not believing in God. Your point, such as it is, is misguided.

[RajahBrooke]

Also, what the hell do you mean "it's in our blood?" - basically everything you said after this sounds like big words thrown out completely at random, with no attempt to make a point.

[cogitopunk]

rather like theism then

[RajahBrooke]

I have no idea what you're talking about. Religions make claims about the world, about how one should live in that world, and what constitutes good behaviour. You can talk about Christian values (though there are different interpretations); you would struggle to find a Christian Taoist, or Satanist - since those ideas go against Christian dogma. Since Atheism has no dogma, you cannot claim there are "Atheist Values." That's why it's so difficult to organise Atheists, or even to agree in a name!

[DrMontague]

It's strange how the religious rant on about values and morals. Now let's look at the 10 commandments. What is about them they don't quite understand?! I know it's interpretation. E.g. when god said 'love thy enemy' should be interpreted as go and drop lots of bombs on them and do it in my name. Remember to read the foot notes that accompany the 10 commandments!

[cogitoanathema]

and doc, this is getting pathetic. how many more times will you attempt to censor me? who are you protecting? what are you afraid of? id expect this is of the faithful, but not of the epistemelogically redeemed

[DrMontague]

Afraid?! Bollocks. I don't put up with creationistn shits who constantly present straw man arguments against science . Any reputable college or university would not tolerate such misrepresentation of science. They would kick their arses straight out the door. I follow suit. Plus they get told to go and fuck themselves.

[DrMontague]

Here's is a challengein order to see if you fall into the straw man argument type of person. A simple question. Have transitional fossils been found? If you don't already know the answer then research and then comment.

[cogitoanathema]

you know what doc, you really are a card! unhinged yet mildly amusing. of evolution i have no doubt, nature is exquisite but crazed. not so much the survival of the fittest, but of the canniest, humanity being exhibit A. the serene aloofness of science betrays only its supreme ignorance. when science does get to bottom of things, and finds that we are but the effluvium of universal ranglings, you'll be screaming out for god, but alas he wont exist! i only wish to take you downa notch or two

[DrMontague]

See. I was was right. People like you have no dssire to expand your mind. You couldn't take up my challenge, it exposed you and your cronies for what you really are. Creationists time wasters and Fuckwits.

[forza599]

:] Thanks for that! Great video as well, you can tell he's quite passionate about the majesty of the natural world, no imaginary friends required.

[aryonas]

Down what notches may we fall when Religion and fanatical fools have made damn sure we're thought to be evil at the slightest poke towards god not existing. While religion has gone unchallenged for too long it has now become the largest dictatorship ever, forcing people to be ignorant, as is the nature of such things. Then you suggest that Science is ignorant? Were I the Doctor, I'd disregard you're comments as it seems clear that any form of sense has left you, were it there at all.

[antonyrichardson30]

@cogitoanathema Wranglings possibly, and still you make no sense.

[cogitopunk]

i have many theist friends, and we have very little in common besides the fact that we're "religious" (most of them are cunts, frankly im embaressed to be associated with them). In essence, atheists make claims, atheists have agendas, everyone's out there in the thick of it, making ends meet etc. you are saying something about 'God'. thats a claim. its not neautral. till then

[RajahBrooke]

God doesn't even come into it for me. I make no claims about it, because it doesn't matter. In the same way that I don't find myself making a case against anything for which there is zero evidence. I suppose I personally believe in the Scientific Method. There is no Atheist holy book, no Atheist morality. Are you saying there's no Christian morality? Oh please say you are, it would put another nail in the arguments of religious people!

[cogitopunk]

if so then how do you go about making claims about his non-existence? science will never know what it is to be human, and when it does, it will self destruct or they will destroy it. christian morality is no different from yours, more of less. we all live and die and get along in between

[RajahBrooke]

I don't make a positive claim about his non-existence, only an evidencial claim about his existence. In the same way that I don't go around positively affirming my non-belief in fairies; there is simply no reason to believe. If there were, I would accept it. Also, the difference between my morality and Christian morality, is that mine comes through a personal consideration of the things that lead to human happyness, whereas yours comes from a holy book; there is no Atheist morality.

[cogitoanathema]

does that make you morally superior? do you consider yourself privileged and these others, hapless cretins? if there is no reason to believe, then how do you account for the innumerable that did, do and will? delusion? sorry if i gave the impression, but im no christian, nor would i count myself "religious". i know that science is invaluable, irrestible, but it will always lead back to that which has always been, desire and death.

[cogitoanathema]

moreover, what evidence can be furnished for the non existence of a supreme being, a superannuated deity let alone a vegetative demiurge? if "god doesnt even come into it", then why are you defining yourself along the lines of theism? let sleeping dogs lie, as they say

[RajahBrooke]

It's not that there's evidence against God, it's just that there's no evidence for him. I don't say "I don't believe there's a microscopic teacup orbiting the earth" because there's evidence that this isn't true - but because there isn't any in the affirmative.

Atheists are in the minority, in an otherwise Theistic world, and the only thing that unites us is our unbelief. I could call myself a Bright, a Rationalist or a Naturalist I suppose, but they are either unclear, or sound arrogant.

[Streetballer32]

this video reminds me of my videos!!1 6

[maglavagna]

He's really brainy.

[Bigturns33]

Richard Dawkins, VERY VERY SMART MAN. Very intellectually sound individual. Also a great writer. His book are phenominal and very extensive its just the way he is. Great presenter to truly a teacher.

[inthefade]

such a rare combination. I'm glad he's a pretty prominent public figure.

Its pretty cool that he is an athiest too.

[rhcpdude]

Yeah, I agree.

I ordered 3 of his books on Amazon about an hour ago.

[goldensleeves]

You suspect you will be very grateful for those books, rhcpdude. Best wishes to you.

[radiofan6872]

He talks about the brain connections compared to a computer, early on.

What's that in 2007 computer technology? I'm sure things have changed in the last 16 years.

[muffinman1]

Binary systems have 2 states, 0 and 1, or on and off, while humans have millions. That does not mean that human are super computers,but that humans are capable of parallel computing better than comps. We know humans are stinky at long calculations, but we know that a computer is not creative.

[DrBen]

At the cellular level however it is the same. A neuron is either transmitting an action potential or it is not, so it mirrors a binary system, in particular a transistor. One neuron may be affected by many others, the balance between the excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the cell governs its firing. At the lowest level the system looks very much like a computer, but you are right when the processing is observed in totalis the brain can do much more

[DrMontague]

Gestalt psychology (also Gestalt of the Berlin School) is a theory of mind and brain that proposes that the operational principle of the brain is holistic, parallel, and analog, with self-organizing tendencies; or, that the whole is different than the sum of its parts.

Wikipedia

[BoozyBeggar]

To Catz007: Noone 'struggles' with believing in evolution any more than one 'strubbles' with believing in addition and subtraction. Theists, however, 'struggle' with 'God' all the time, just look at divorce rates and prison statistics among the religious. Don't forget about teen pregnancy.

[snugglyorange]

He's got a lovely bottom.

[themadonnalover]

Lick it;)

[radiofan6872]

Indeed he has. I rather fancy him.

[tacopylas]

Obviously, idolizing atheistic leaders and ideals and demonizing religious believers doesn't help in the least. But science hasn't won the war yet; that's what Dawkins thought happened 30 years ago, but religion is making a comeback. Science is winning all the battles but still losing the war. We need to organize, survive, spread, and overcome. Maybe not actively, for you, but don't undermine us.

[DrMontague]

I have argued that science has won the war. It has control of the reins. Science is in the strongest position it has ever been in in history of mankind. Dawkins et al have all been swept up/along by the capitalists media hype.

[DrMontague]

Before the down fall of the Berlin we had a nice enemy, so called communism. We never heard of Iraq or religious fundamentalism. Berlin wall comes down, suddenly a new enemy pops up i.e. religious fundamentalism. Are Dawkins et al so easily taken in by this propaganda and indoctrination. Dawkins accuses others of being easily deluded but so is he himself.

[blobshine]

When you take into account that the western world's media (especially America) is run by people like Rupert Murdoch who hold deeply Christian values, your theory doesn't make much sense.

[Erech01]

yeah religion is makin a com back....scientology, 9/11,........looks asif its comig back for the good...... i mean science is only trying to discover religion is trying to take over.......

[DrMontague]

All religious people are fucked up anyway. Christians go around preaching that they have peace of mind and are happy because they found Jesus. Scratch the surface of these people and they turn out to have mental health problem and often contemplate suicide. Evey Christian I've met are fucked up some way when you get to know them a bit better.

[drahyden]

Completely agreed dude, if someone need to be saved for something they dindt do, now thats fucked up...

[themadonnalover]

I know. Teenage pregnancy is a huge social problem on both sides of the Atlantic and yet when I challange supportive videos on Youtube they come back with psychotic abuse. Completly retarded.

[DrMontague]

In my opinion teenage pregancy is not a huge social problem. It's a natural. It's really a money issue. The capitalist state want a daddy who goes out to work and is a bread winner and a mummy who stops at home.

[themadonnalover]

Ah, thanks for that, an enlightening point of view.

[tacopylas]

Even if religion isn't the worst problem we face (which I think it might be), if it is a problem, someone needs to oppose it. And even if it weren't much of a threat, in the same way most conspiracy theories are, we should still indicate the fallacies of it, lest the masses revive an old disease of the mind. On this point I wouldn't criticize Dawkins in the least in how he addresses religion, and disregarding his warnings in any way can only add to what is now a real, serious threat to humanity.

[tacopylas]

I do believe that religion is a serious problem, especially when we allow it to thrive in modern society. If any secularists doubt this, then you do not understand what it means to *really* believe something fantastic about the world, or how easy and commonplace and dangerous it is to do so. While reports of extremism in the Muslim world may seem like propaganda, there is in fact a lot of acceptance of suicide bombers "in defense of Islam", which essentially means killing any infidels.

[tennisplayer103]

when will the day come when religion is wiped from society? There is a god!!! i must stress to you all! he goes by the name "DAWKINS"! We must clone this god and with his aid, slaughter those sheep within society. mwahahahahaha(evil laugh)

[DrMontague]

tennisplayer103. Another village idiot! at least this ones from Australia and not the States. This is the reason we Brits had to transport them to the sub continent aboard prison ships. You yanks might have to do the same with your creationists.

[tennisplayer103]

but i stress to you there is a god!! this god is DAWKINS! all hail dawkins :)

[DrMontague]

No one is blindly defending Dawkins. Indeed I'm a critic of Dawkins, not on evolution but on how he over emphasizes the power of religion in th 21st century. I argue science has won the battle. The teaching of evolution is here to stay. Anyone can search out a handful of fundamentalists of any major religion,

and dick heads like you.

[tennisplayer103]

:( u didnt have to be mean... yer i think thats true but i dont think religion will ever fade away no matter how much it is disproven. like an annoying little tick sucking the life out of u MWAHAHAHAHA (evil laugh)

[DrMontague]

If you are a creationist I am MEAN. That was just having a bit of fun!

[tennisplayer103]

ah good, cuz im not a creationist... i just create things??? this is the slowest conversation i have ever been engaged in.

[DrMontague]

What the f**k you on about?

[DrMontague]

Why can you not grasp what he argues. Small changes throughout the vast line of time gave rise to complex organisms. If you can't grasp this simple argument then you are the poor soul. My 5 yr old nephew can grasp it!

[lordsovereign]

yes Dr, they CAN grasp such ideas... it's just that they CHOOSE not to because such views, though overwhelmingly supported by rational empiricism, conflict with childhood indoctrination and resultant egomanical wishfull thinking. your 5 year old nephew can grasp it because he's more interested in basic common sense and truth than any adult theist.

[DrMontague]

I agree. Cheers mate.

[Catz007]

He's telling us we are too lucky we exist. That our body is a complex machine, and it is all amazing. Yet, ironically, it makes me believe even more in an Intelligent Designer. I just think Dawkins realises the sheer luck and struggles to find an answer - any answer but God. Poor lost soul

[DrMontague]

He explains our origin extremely well. 4.5 billion years in the making. We cannot comprehend that time scale. People for many generations believed the earth to 6000 yrs old. They can be forgiven they had no other evidence to go on. You should know better! you live in a privileged time of mass education and technology, Yet you believe still believe in pathetic ancient scribblings as to our origin.

[tennisplayer103]

GUESS WHOS BACK.. BACK BACK BACK AGAIN!!!! yeeess... dont do drugs or u may end up like me

:( very sad. GOOOOO DAWKINS!!!!!! he really f*cks religion up the asians are cool :P

[DrMontague]

You're blocked for being a cretin.

[DrMontague]

only those people who want social control for their own devious reasons will belittle him. They're losing the battle and they hate it, we r begining to head towards true enlightment. worker of the world unite u have nothing to lose but your chains!

[cbmw95]

Richars Dawinks does some thing we need to do every day. He uses the brain given him. If you believe in God he is using the brain God gave him.

[everyspecies]

I am always offended when some religious people see Dawkins as an indoctrinating equivalent to their 'leaders'. The difference is that dawkins aims to persuade through logic, evidence, humility and simply interesting ideas. These qualities are nowhere to be seen in self serving evangelical preaching for example which rely on fear of punishment, of hatred and twisted morals to get their message across.

[cbmw95]

I am trying to point out that most religious people do not think about any thing. They are trained not to question. No Critical thinking at all.

[higgism]

Man, Meeting Richard Dawkins in real life would be a mind blowing experience.

[DrMontague]

amplify

[riciard55]

wow ?god is not a question as in question and answers

[Crossofwood]

what?

[stanek]

Amazing.  I wish there was a way to hold the way I feel right now into everyday life.

[2Dlion]

likewise, how I accomplish that is by reading his books and watching these videos everyday ;)

[pjdude]

I love these videos.