UC Berkeley Q&A (2/2) - Richard Dawkins

[ThereWillBeBreakfast]

Is it weird that I just love his voice? It's so very calming. Of course, I also enjoy what he has to say :D

[evilyig]

The problem with organizing people based on something like non belief is that contrary to what the religious enjoy saying we're not a united dogma and atheism is not an active belief. The non believers are too varied to unify, unless we do so under a banner of frustration and intolerance for the primitive cultural relics of our past. It seems a catch 22 to me. With hope, the growth of this secular community will be exponential &in time religion will be regarded as we now regard fortune telling.

[ndrthrdr1]

@evilyig On meetup(dot)com I have found over 1,100 atheists in my area. Atheists unite!

[Invisty]

190 religious nutcases watched this video.

[jhibbitt1]

i didnt really understand the second last question or the answer to it :(

[jusguyz]

In my lifetime a National candidate could be elected by only eluding to faith but now one must profess his devotion to Jesus Christ. (Mormons excluded)

[MamaMario13]

@jusguyz i dont think a muslim would have a chance

[ananiasacts]

I'm disappointed to hear of an atheist lobbyist. What most motivates my atheism is a refusal to trade personal sovereignty for security, wealth, or power. Organized lobbying of government seems unjust to me--it is a desire to have a greater influence over leadership or policy than others have. I'd rather see atheists find more honest and direct ways to overcome criminal enterprises. Lobbying is meant to be coercive. The only fair way I see to defeat religion is to compel the pious to abandon it.

[elenazevetse]

Actually one thing Richard mentions is that you cannot measure that your spouse loves you by scientific means, and that is true to some extent. However, in neurology and psychology scientists have been able to scientifically point the changes in brain wave patterns when an emotion such as love triggers in the brain. Same thing with feelings of disgust, etc, etc. These things have already been scientifically mapped, so indeed we can scientifically in some way point the emotion of love.

[bleuscorpio]

0:34 LOL

[Ramshobraja]

I wish my more conservative university would have dawkins on our campus.

[magicbibledotcom]

Also the reason I think there isn't an Atheist political party and probably never will be... Or may not be for a long time at least....

Is because Atheists don't have a certain belief system in which they all share.

Where as Jews or Christians all follow a set of rules and morals that coincide with each other.

Atheists are rational and independent therefore there is no one set of rules or morals that could be put forth by a group of atheists as an atheists simply has a lack of belief.

[Ryosuke1208]

Its kinda unfortunate really atheism not to be a tax exempt organization and that it doesnt have many other benefits from other religious organizations lol

[dsdepadova]

@Ryosuke1208 In Germany if you step out of church, you don't have to pay church taxes.

[Ryosuke1208]

@dsdepadova It would be insane if you would have to

[falotnek]

That is assuming that Atheists do not have a set of rules and morals. Atheists share the same value system as society does. Morals do not come from scripture, but from an evolving society.

The good thing about an Atheist, is that such a person would not impose a set of rules just based on some book, but on evidence. And the evidence show that good behaviour makes a society prosper. Just like an Atheist who treats people nice and help people, because he or she knows this is beneficial and right.

[hooloovoo1st]

Only in religious fundamentalist nations is that even an issue.

I live in the UK and there is not a single political party that is based on a particular religious ideal. All parties are made up of people of various religious beliefs, as well as atheists, and they seem to function perfectly well. Or, at least, as well as any political party ever functions. Why is it that America can't seem to manage that? Bigotry and racism is rife, more so that any developed nation I can think of.

[inventiveinsanity]

We do have a set of rules and morals. It's called the law.

[daishotachi]

@inventiveinsanity What's legal isn't always good/just/right and what's good/just/right isn't always legal.

[SatanicVampireCorpse]

Laws are morals officiated in black and white by ink.

[MrRightAllTime]

that is why god bless america more lol

[magicbibledotcom]

lmao God bless America.

What's funny about that statement and that viewpoint is that it shows America's arrogance in thinking that if there were a God he's favour their country the most.

I'm not saying America are arrogant but the people who believe the content of that statement to be true of reality are.

[magicbibledotcom]

I think all religious people are arrogant in thinking that if there were a God he'd favour humans and it shows why God certainly was created by man as we are a very arrogant species who think we're special.

Despite the fact we're simple animals with very large brains that allow us to reason.

The very idea of God is ludicrous, get a brain.

[paulusmagirl]

hahaha "organizing atheists has been

compared to herding cats"

[kyagh]

Indeed it is... every atheist usually thinks whith his own mind, making it quite difficult to force them to tkae a stand. On the other hand is quite easy to make someone who doesn't think with his mind take a stand.... that's why religions have such tremendous political influence.

[kingvernon]

Love the libelous quip. Smart guy is our Prof Dawkins.

[GermanStraight1]

it all comes down to what Prof. Dawkins calls Quote : bronce age mythology , I think He is right !!!

[AdiZetaFunction]

Yo homie, what's with da rating? Somthin' weird, ain't it? Mofo creationists BOTS doin' crazy stuff!

[OMRLPdedicate]

For your information, the Bible quotes no sources whatsoever and has less use, both as an historical document and as a foundation for a religion than a piece of paper upon which I have written "God doesn't exist.". You do know know when it was written (with the exception of the Gospels, which can be dated to the first century A.D.), you do not know who wrote it, why it was written or anything else about it which would make it reliable.

[hsdeogun]

Yes, finally someone gets it! Why can't anyone else see it?

[JebusGeist]

My facepalm bruise from trying to explain why the bible is not the ultimate historical authority to people will probably never have time to heal.

I explain that Christ/Christus is a title that was applied to more people than just jesus and then ask for the earliest extrareligious references to Jesus (by name not title) available and I always receive references that only use the title Christ/Christus never the name Jesus.

I swear they do it on purpose just to frustrate me.

[OMRLPdedicate]

Coupled with the bizzare inanity of its content, it has no value whatsoever, except as a piece of badly written fiction.

[Hardy44500]

Richard Dawkins is a brilliant Cool, rationale thinker

[tiberux]

Yes, he is

[Frankacy]

You write nice, concise, to-the-point statements

[vcool]

Why would UC Berkeley invite Francis Collins to give a talk? Are they dumb?

[oggasteen]

the Francis Collins talk was sponsored by a graduate Christian group on campus.

[EpifanesEuergetes]

I guess I'm gay then.

[AlexGerau]

I guess I'm gay too

[EpifanesEuergetes]

It seems that after awhile utuub accepts another minus for the same comment from the same user. I guess I'm doubly gay now.

[AlexGerau]

Oh, you're such a showoff. Bitch ;-)

[mdiem]

"It seems that after awhile utuub accepts another minus for the same comment from the same user."

I think all you need to do is refresh the page..

I'm too lazy to do that over and over just to give someone more than one thumb-down; is a little cheap and dishonest too.

But whatever. Do what you want.

(btw. I guess I'm gay too LOL)

[jdf088]

you sir are a complete and utter waste of skin.

[jdf088]

damn reply link sucks, was talkin bout smashking93 for those who might be confused as i hold professor Dawkins in the very highest regards.

[jdf088]

and ignorance rears it's ugly little head. such childish remarks just go to show the rest of the world how utterly immature and hateful you are. do us all a favor and grow up, you are lowering the average I.Q. of the entire community by several points.

[magua73]

SmashKing93

Wow, if that makes jdf088 gay then I'm gay too!

[ahabdelta]

so's your face

[ChaoticSouls]

Funny thing it says that spook. That is what cults also use to keep people from thinking when other intelligent beings bring up good reasons why the argument is wrong . Basically they put limits or chains on you which atheist do not have.

[dariause]

Dawkins obviously believes that religion is ignorant and foolish, though he never really comes out and says it. And by sayuing that children should not be labeled as christians because their parents are christians, he is really implying that he wants childrent to make their own decisions. he is absolutely right on that point. however, he fails to mention the fact that we don't teach both evolution and creation in public shools.

[EpicHiroDJ]

Yes, and he also "fails" to mention that astrology and alchemy aren't taught in public schools... what's your point?

[paulie1982]

Good point, he also fails to mention the fact that they aren't teaching both that the sun could go around the earth or the earth could go around the sun, that the earth could be either flat or spherical & that gravity is just a "theory",i wonder why,maybe because they do not pass even the most basic tests in the scientific method, therefore they are not science, therefore they cannot be taught in science class. That includes creationism too, its not science, its religion masquerading as science.

[OMRLPdedicate]

Doesn't he say that religion is ignorant and foolish? Did you watch this video?

[eshgh1363]

That was interesting. I had a feeling that I'm listening to a guy who is really trying his best to make people laugh at him and themselves!

[PR0GRAMMING]

Go Dawks!

[JohnHolmes3000]

If not for religion, there wouldn't be enough bullshit, by far the biggest industry in America, in America. The people would have so much more money that they hadn't otherwise wasted that politicians couldn't sell their bullshit promises to the satisfied public; inflation would grind to a halt, perpetuating the cycle. Soon, other bullshiters like the mafiosi of Wall Street would go bankrupt. The ensuing chain reaction of veracity would cause our entire bullshit-based economy to collapse.

[spookshow1986]

When Dawkin talks about objective truth, does he include morals?

[swinkyuk]

strange you should ask that after you claim in another comment that you'd heard very good arguments for atheism, you infer you've heard all the usual arguments, obviously, from your question, you haven't studied atheism at all. Read Dawkins book, and get your answer.

[spookshow1986]

Moralilty claims, by atheist, are usually based on cultural relativism. However, other atheist have assumed that moralilty is something that has evovled, along with the human mind, and is evident throug our complex society. I was only questioning how does Dawking defines morality/ purpose. IF the inter view: Richard Dawkins BBC Interview(Korean Subtitled) : explains it all then i would label him a cultrual reltivist. Cultural relatism used beyond a tool is flawed.

[swinkyuk]

Dawkin's argument is that everyone's morals are derived from the same source. Religious claims that their morals come from the bible are flawed, as enyone who has read the bible objectively would see.

[spookshow1986]

The assumption that religion derives morality from the bible does not make any sense. We uphold the bible as a moral guide, but, we do believe that Good exist independent of what any one chooses to say about it. For this reason, the bible is to be interpreted as to something that acknowledges an independent truth, and does not create any.

[swinkyuk]

Sorry spookshow but I don't think you're making any sense, and who are "we"?

The bible is continally held up as a source of morals by christians. If the bible mearly acknowledges an independant truth as you say, then it's no more important than Easops fables as a book, and on THAT we can agree.

[spookshow1986]

By "we" i mean We the Catholics. I can see how you would assume that the Catholic bible would be no more significant than the fables you have mention, except "we" uphold these two laws as the most sacred commandments; 1). Love God with all you heart, soul, and Mind. 2). Love your neighbor as you love your self.

As you can see these two commandment by Christ conflict with such fables as the Vedas, which promotes the caste system. Independently from the bible, is it wrong to love all including

[spookshow1986]

your enemies? The most significant truth that the New Testament acknowledges is based on love and forgiveness. How is this wrong. If you want to attribute war and slavery to religion, as so many do after hearing the Christian demand for love and forgiveness, we do acknowledge that many time through out history politicians and the powerful have manipulated many to do horrible things in the name of God. However,

[spookshow1986]

there is another truth in the New Testament the acknowledges this will happen. Christ warned that there will be false prophets and messiahs that will fool many into doing evil things in the name of God. Therefore, as a Catholic, i must never forget to uphold the two greatest commandments and love God with all my MIND and to love my neighbors and Enemies with all my heart, and when the Church and any other Christians organization use God's name to promote evil acts such as war and genocide, it

[spookshow1986]

WE, and this time i mean all of us, must stop them and reveal their true nature. Like the bible says, we will know the evil ones by their fruits.

[swinkyuk]

Well spookshow, that's a very long answer but it boils down to nothing. Of course war etc. is wrong but the bible is the last place to look for good examples in this area. So my original argument stands. But more interesting is the fact that you hold the catholic church up as a force for good. This is the church that has abused childeren for generations, colaborated with the nazis and the mafia, condemmed thousands to sufffer aids due to it's stance on condoms....

[swinkyuk]

..and wallows in wealth whilst watching millions starve.

Great example.

[GowanBray]

There must be more than this, how come so short ?

[Clausfarre]

What would man look like in 4 billion years? Well, dead as a door unless we migrate to a distant solar system. And even though modern human evolution may be running slow, our future selves will be unrecognizable given our present living conditions will cease to exist faily soon, seen in the time-span of billions of years.

[danmoore5000]

What the hell is up with Collins? Dawkins has never said that parents should be prosecuted for bringing up children with religion.

What he has said is that it's a form of child abuse to label a child with what is ostensibly an opinion before the child is old enough to make up his or her mind. Again, not that people should be prosecuted for it - it is a relatively minor form of abuse - but it is an abuse.

[sthcrox]

evolution question for dawkins: what will Man look like in 4 billion years in the future?

[tingtangs]

What makes you think he can answer that question?

[LandonLockhart15]

Richard Dawkins is one of the leading evolutionary Biologist alive. Do not make ignorant statements about him such as he is dumb or any such things. He has devoted his whole life to Biology. Someone said he is Anti God which I disagree with. He himself says in his book that he is not. Now Christopher Hitchens, whom is brilliant by the way, IS anti god, and i think he would admit that with a smile on his face.

[feeldhand]

educated fool,he is not athiest he is anti-god ,big big difference

[Gubbinz]

richard dawkins, one of the smartest of famous men

[ForzaInternazionale9]

Who the f*ck is francis collins ?

[danmoore5000]

Francis Collins was the second director of the Human Genome Project (the first was James Watson).

[EpicHiroDJ]

google is your friend.

[mmartini50]

LOL! He is a praying man...but he keeps quiet about it...

Quite right too!

[josephdrew87]

Dawkins face when he hears what Francis Collins said about him is brilliant! I'll help him bring that libel action if he wants.

[skatebawd]

are you serious you shithead?

[ckerton1]

if by 'dum' you mean very intelligent then your correct

[TRUECHARITY]

I think you meant to type 'dumb'

[TRUECHARITY]

Such language!!

But entertaining really, that you can properly spell the word 'fuck' but not the word 'dumb'

Are you a Christian?

[boardsnow44]

ur mean!

[TRUECHARITY]

Sorry :)

[GreatA383]

total ownage lol!!

[TRUECHARITY]

And I even tried to be polite about it!

[GreatA383]

"ur mean" boardsnow is such a bitch lol!!!

btw when boardsnow made his user name he probably meant to write snowboard but in his stupidity he wrote boardsnow LMAO!!!!!

[adamvonwillis]

bravo!

[tieInterceptor]

that was it? only 5 questions or so?

:(

[plimbuff]

Dawkins rocks.

[ogjimkenobi]

Hahahahahaha, I love the "herding cats" analogy, cause its so true.

I can tell my dog to do just about anything and she does it on command, instantly. (albeit because she is a very good dog).

When I try to tell to my cat to do something, she just stares at me cooly and doesn't do a goddamn thing.

Lol, its pretty hilarious.

[AristotleP]

Nice vid

[tuxfred]

Dawkins rules. I'd really like to attend a lecture of his one day.

[TheRiemannIntegral]

tuxfred,

tell me, why do you think this video has gotten only 2.5 stars, but you comment has gotten a +10 thumbs up?