Evolutionary Biology with Elisabet Sahtouris

[GreyOneIII]

Seems like a convenient escape route for folks who know they are not making a difference with their lives.

[gaiagale]

Brilliant!

thank-you for sharing this interview with Elisabet Sahtouris

[aaronzvz]

I agree with much of what she said about the human conscience, However there are some things I disagree with. Particularly her opinion of western science. The scientific method is set up to take ego and self centered perspective out of the pursuit of truth and understanding. Western science chooses not to presume something to be true until it is verifiable while leaving room to suppose and question in this pursuit until we have the means of verifiable evidence.

[gaiagale]

@aaronzvz Ideally "Western science chooses not to presume something to be true until it is verifiable while leaving room to suppose and question in this pursuit until we have the means of verifiable evidence" this is what the western scientists would have us believe ...remember E.S.reminds us of story, in fact, in this very video, Ms.S. make a point that western science is based in the Abrahamic philosophies (religious modes of thinking) Conscious creation is more an eastern science perspective

[aaronzvz]

Very Interesting....

[somecallmejames]

by the way, not to say that either of these two people are stupid, they seem to be in control of their individual so called realities, but, literally, ignorant people who aren't aware of ego and such, think they purely know what reality is... so, I didn;t want to be misunderstood, i dont think these very nice people would try to push anything they considered reality onto somebody else...

[somecallmejames]

Um, shes wrong. There is one reality. Conflict comes from detachment from said reality. But, reality is basically a nonexistent "thing," its one of those terms that describes nothing real. The "one" reality I mentioned, its just now, i mean, there really isn't even the one, there is just no such thing as reality. The afore mentioned "conflict" does exist though, and its when stupid people use their ego to think they have something called reality.

[billyg89]

This woman needs to read up on some Jean Paul Sartre or Nietzsche to realize that what she is saying has been said long ago. (about subjectivity)

And as for Intelligence existing without life? To explain this simply, it's called chemistry. I don't like this girl very much.

[billyg89]

this woman is wrong on a alot of points. Science seeks to understand the objective characteristics of our environment through inter-relational subjectivity, not its nature as a machine. Nature becomes a book to be read, not a force of some supernatural power. We don't need god in order to understand how something works... do we need god to explain a tree is displaying tropism or how weather is possible? Science trys to explain things as long as there is concrete evidence to do so...

[philardery]

Worth watching, for me. Sahtouris's 1998 science writing ("A Walk Through Time") tells earth's story credibly. The consciousness BS seems to have seeped in later. Have she (and Alan) read Julian Jaynes?

[renaudldw]

Alan Steinfeld is so sissy...

[jawesome1]

Evolutionary Biologist....isn't that an oxymoron.

[vysehrad]

Uh... no? Evolution is the central theory of biology.

[Neanderthalcousin]

She makes facile, archaic observations.

Scientists are aware that they have certain biases and beliefs. They try to transcend them with the scientific method.

[emmerton]

absolutely right

[tarnopol]

I looked her up: business consultant. No more research necessary. This is a perfect example of utterly sloppy thinking -- category errors everywhere. She's either means this crap or is taking advantage of the usual anti-evolution climate in our oh-so-educated country to make money. Nice. I'm done!

[gaiagale]

@tarnopol ...In spite of your "I'm done!" ...apparently you still had a lot on your mind ...2 more replies worth

[tarnopol]

@gaiagale I realize my comments threaten your religious beliefs, but I have nothing to add to them. I'd love to know what her PhD is actually in -- funny she doesn't note that. One thing is clear: no professional evolutionary biologist refers to him- or herself as an "evolution biologist" -- all the other drivel she spouts aside. I studied the history of science, specializing in the history of evolutionary theory, 19th and 20thCs, at Cornell and Penn.

[gaiagale]

@tarnopol wow quick response! ;-]) ...thanks for getting back to me!...Interesting that you use the word 'threaten' ...your use of the word speaks volumes about you having very little to do with me since my reply came out of my natural curiosity about my understanding of the content of your comment.

btw if anything is clear about your comment and subsequent reply ...it is... that you have little regard for anyone else's opinion

[tarnopol]

@gaiagale Oh, please, it was snark for snark and you know it. As far as opinions go, I respect them when they deserve respect. People aren't entitled to their own facts. And when a person who makes money as a motivational speaker, glomming together watered down New-Age bullshit "biology" for the edification of executives passes herself off as an expert, well, yes, I treat her (or her followers) the same way I treat Rush Limbaugh (or his) when he declaims on global warming's non-existence.

[gaiagale]

@tarnopol again your reply speaks volumes about you... and your description of how you respond to people sharing their opinion with you is quite enough evidence as to the spirit of this discussion on your part ...I was curious now I'm done

thanks

[tarnopol]

@gaiagale You weren't "curious"; you began, as anyone can see below, in the snark mode that you no doubt think you are incapable of doing. I mean, obviously. And that's the problem with irrational, religious, projected beliefs. That way of "thinking" is the default mode for all of us; only a collective and self-corrective method of thinking, rational inquiry, gives any hope of overcoming that drawback. So, enjoy your echo chamber. Toodles.

[gaiagale]

@tarnopol I was curious

I realize that you are convinced otherwise, still all of your allegations to the contrary only evidence that it is you projecting

clearly I began with sharing three observations that I had made (one of which was a recognition that the comments were made 3 year prior)

I also clearly typed that "I'm mildly curious if in the 3 year interval you've had any other insights"

now I understand that you are enjoying "your echo chamber" rather than gaining "any other insights"

[tarnopol]

@gaiagale Furthermore, here's why I refuse to be "nice" about this stuff: magical thinking and faith-based reasoning is rapidly leading to the extinction of our civilization, such as it is. The answer is not to replace one set of irrationalities with another, and, specifically, marshalling supposedly "lefty" New Age drivel in the service of business executives and globalization is no way forward either. She's not forthcoming about her background or qualifications, either. She's on the make.

[gaiagale]

@tarnopol thanks for sharing ...clearly we think differently since I have a great deal of respect for Elisabet Sahtouris' scientific sharings

...as I typed re your last reply ...I was curious ...and now I'm done

[tarnopol]

She knows jack shit about the history of science: the mechanical universe was dumped by Newton. In contradistinction to Descartes, actually. Self-made things is the essence of evolution; she somehow missed it. What is the improvement by jettisoning universe-as-machine in favor of universe-as-the-kind-of-mind-I­-just-happen-to-have? Talk about hubris! Argh.

[gaiagale]

@tarnopol indeed!..."Talk about hubris!" bingo in describing this/your reply

[tarnopol]

Garbage. I thought evolutionary biology had left some kind of progressivism and vitalism way behind? This is Julian Huxley without the elegance; Teilhard de Chardin with the Catholicism replaced by a stereotypical American-esque Me-ness pretending to be a deep insight. Yes, "we're all right." So, if I believe that Smurfs run the world, I'm not psychotic, I'm just "doing my thing." Excrementitious.

[gaiagale]

@tarnopol ...your first word pretty much sizes up the content of your reply quite succinctly yet there is some wordsmithing that suggests intelligence so.. I'm mildly curious if in the 3 year interval you've had any other insights

[cardellacole1]

the thought that thought of dreaming and the dream that dreampt of thinking is the oneness of conciousness

[ExistenceEreEssence]

Some of the worst philosophy I've ever heard.

This scientist should have stuck to science.

[jogayot]

look up "endless universe" for different cosmology...

[maunadeva]

Out of this world! What a cool lady! I don't believe myself of not knowing of her upto now.

Alan, Can you please post this video on Brack website. I Sahtouris being big part of Barack's scientific advisory commitee. I just know he is going to be president and I know it is scientis like Mrs. Sahtouris who are going to lead the way with our new pres! Could u pls, pls do post this on Barack web site? I really do appreciate this interview!

[newrealities]

you can post it for me, by using the imbedded reference #.

Thanks,

Alan

[IChoseTheRedPill]

interesting interveiw... you shouldn't interrupt your guest though. thanks for sharing this with us... peace2U!

[gaiagale]

@IChoseTheRedPill I thought the same once or twice :-]) ...interrupting is so easy to do when caught up in the excitement of awakening/understanding anew...

[paulagloria]

thank you Alan for asking me to help you shoot this. I think the nice person who offered her beautiful (decorated by herself) upper west side apartment helped so much to set the scene for this important interview, how we evolve.