Prof. Michael Baum Interview (6/6) - Richard Dawkins

[Infiandreas]

I just love these talks dawkins have with other scientist. This was just awsome.

[koraxsan]

This is almost as listening to a proffesion pianist playing chopin, so much passion.

[VogonJ]

WoW! Best interview! What a decent, compassionate person Prof. Baum is!

It's nice to get confirmation on my own feeling of despair over modern relativism from such a person.

[diekontrolleure]

@VogonJ WHAT A MEAN PIECE OF SHIT!!!! I HAVE STUDIED AYURVEDA AND IT WORKS EVERY TIME!!!! FUCK THOSE UNBELIEVERS!!!!!

[Gilbertronium]

this interview couldnt be better, Micheal Baum has a great voice he almost sounds like Bill Nighy

[BreaksFast]

Great stuff.

[cpqarray]

I thoroughly enjoyed this interview and wish more than 14,000 would watch this.

[villagewood]

Recommendation to Mr. Dawkins: When you conduct, and film, such important interviews, and please keep doing so, it would be far more effective if the credentials of the subject were on the screne throughout, or put up more often. Especially for such an intervfiew on medicine. I saw it at the beginning, but then he becomes another person...keep these qualifications in the viewers face all the time...it will help. Thank you!

[number6of6the6beast]

loved this discussion!

[Rude1Killa]

Really enjoyed this discussion =)

[TomMackio]

Has anyone noticed that the Professor is Emporer Palpatine from Star Wars?

"You cannot fight the power of the dark side..."

[TomMackio]

Dawkins makes a good point. Don't trust the experts because they are sometimes wrong and it can be detrimental. Instead use your own faculties and logic to examine the evidence and make your own decisions. It's good to challenge the experts because that's the way research really evolves.

[Drregaleagle]

@1:20 Dawkins finally shows strong reasoning skills.

[Shyhalu]

"finally"?

[Drregaleagle]

For the longest time, Dawkins was simply explaining the theory of evolution. He seldom discussed the evidence before "The Greatest Show on Earth". @0:50 note Baum's use of the word "lay people"; almost suggesting that scientists are priests of a religion. Evidence with logical consistency is the backbone of science.

[GluttonForSex]

Finally?

[Unworshipediety]

great interview.

[adamb0000]

loved this ツ

[DavidColumbia]

facinating interview, thanks for posting this

[rotate85]

Excellent interview! Really enjoyed listening to Prof. Michael Baum speak.

[ananiasacts]

Yes... Baum was fantastic. I wish they'd connected the TMI (too much information) ideology with it's source--Christianity. But I suppose if they had you couldn't air the program on many stations without the filthy religious scum threatening to boycott advertisers etc. When are we going to find a way to protect the next generation of kids of this abhorrent industry?

[SketchyBack]

What a great man! Kind, knowledgeable, and passionate.

[DefaultPosition]

I so wish that these types of people were allowed to speak like this on TV.

There is a lack of intellectualism on TV, perhaps that is where the Internet can fill a void.

[HarpersFairy]

Indeed, the Internet could fill that void, and I hope that it does. Sadly, it's also proving to be an excellent echo chamber for irrationality of all stripes.

No matter how incredible your beliefs, you can find someone on the Internet who agree with you already, and countless others who will too once they come across your GeoCities page.

[janoreli]

Absolutely beautiful. How am I supposed to go work tomorrow and listen to some of my co-workers swear to the efficiacy of homeopathy...

[dotocomo]

richard dawkin is a legend...

[gungner78]

He almost made me cry there at the end, wonderful interview:)

[kurtilein3]

thelleht:

maybe i should explain a little bit more. scientific studies need to be published, this is not an option, if its not published its not science. so, no, there isnt "a website" with that information, its all over the internet, tons of it.

a good way to start: which drug do you want to see studies about? go to the wikipedia article about that drug, check out the links at the bottom.

[kurtilein3]

thelleht: try wikipedia.

[wolf1750]

Wonderful interview!

[Galactu5]

"Infinitely more beautiful"

Oh, so true. Make it a goal of yours to show that to every child you have the time to. It might be too late for the adults you know... sad

[snoggerforce76]

oh wow...

[mucalinda]

There are science and biology teachers here in Britain who won't teach Evolution (even though they believe it themselves) because they are afraid of offending pupils' religious beliefs. The fear that their pupils might be offended has greater weight than science. Middle- class loony left liberalism gone mad.

[cutepinkbandanaman]

Why aren't the normal parents outraged? The teachers are hurting the future of their children.

[davenathan2002]

That was wonderful interview.

Forget "Science H. Logic". We want "Evidence H. Reason".

[versanil]

Baum is right on the money, excellent material. I remember hearing all the disquiet about MMR on the news broadcasts and I have to say I was swayed by the nay-saying. It's interesting to hear it was all a load of tosh.

[ASKaPHYSICIST]

but how do we improve scientific literacy in schools?

[ConradZaar]

Maybe we can start by hiring teachers who are themselves scientifically literate. I'm sure we all have horror stories from our youth about terrible teachers.

[Dandaniels1978]

Thank (was going to say God! but on second thought that wouldn't be appropriate) So thank reason and logic for giving us these two exceptional men at a time when the world is becoming more and more deluded! When will people take a moment to stop and marvel at themselves, at the universe, at nature. Life is incredible, who needs God or some higher being or crazy theories that are totally unfounded. It's simple people should believe in themselves as opposed to looking externally for answers.

[sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

Yay logic and reason, I haven't seen you in so long!

[dirtywrite]

Fantastic public service

[Bigfuckingjointsmate]

Thank you Mr. Dawkins for this. You are the modern day Carl Sagan. We need more of you...

[versanil]

I thought Carl Sagan was modern?

[dracpcpp]

maybe 25 years ago :D his famous series 'cosmos' was filmed during the cold war.

[nag73]

That literally brought a tear to my eye.

[jamesjohnking]

It brought one to my eye too, but figuratively. It's an interesting experience.

[dkg0]

Literally. And it does so every time I watch it.

[bdf2718]

Michael Baum, I love you! Not because of your name. Not because you talk seductively (you don't). Because you talk SENSE. Science is the best tool we have to investigate everything.

[jamesjohnking]

He sounds like Michael Caine.

[bdf2718]

Not a lot of people know that. :)

[Panpiper]

And it ends on a perfect note.

[flyhead2]

Everything said is true. The one issue not approached is public scepticism over the pharmaceutical companies, which do have a corrupting effect on medicine as proven in many scandals. This scepticism, in itself healthy, feeds the quasi-scientific rip-off merchants and must be dealt with in order to affirm the role of true science.

[Dorfkanal]

So true what Baum says. Thanks for uploading.

[macthornberg]

Can I just add, I have the greatest respect for Dawkins. My post refers to research in PNI. Do check it out. There appear to be links between immune function and belief. I also want to add, as someone who has a history in academia, although the scientific paradigm is one held, quite rightly, in high esteem, funding influences direction in research much more than I am comfortable with. This view is not unusual. That said - I too fear these numpties in parliament.

[maglavagna]

What a great interview. Very interesting.

[orrsy]

Thank you for posting these, very interesting. I hadn't heard Michael Baum speak before but he puts his points across eloquently and effectively.

[Adamalgorithm]

yeah a brilliant man. It gives me reassurance to see such a competent man chairing grant giving bodies. I can sleep well knowing that these institutions are doing a good job thanks to people like him

[macthornberg]

We already know that state of mind determines immunological parameters and although these studies are in their infancy, it does show we can not be quite so impartial to the effect of belief on the condition of the body and perhaps response to disease. I do urge caution in this area. The placebo effect itself may be a feature of this.

[marsCubed]

You are right, I can think of 3 examples which show harm caused by superstitious mumbo jumbo. 2 are mentioned in Richard Dawkins' excellent book, 'The God delusion'. One study found that being prayed for increased mortality, another is anecdotal; people facing death are much more morbid and frightened if they are religious. Another study from Israel shows that religious = more likely to be involved in traffic death.

Intelligent care and treatment works, not voodoo, it is fear and hopelessness

[markgg1]

state of mind has nothing to do with functioning of the immune system at all!

Someone in a coma, depressed, brain damaged etc etc,, will have the immune systems. Admittedly stress weakens the system, and stress can be caused by the brain (emotion for example) but it effects the nervous system, which in turn effects immunity.

Arguably being relaxed is important for immunity, but this can be explained by science and is not evidence for pseudo,complimentary,alternati­ve bollocks

[stuffisgd]

wonderfull interview. Thank you for posting.

[dkg0]

The last 45 seconds or so of this video are just awesome.

[petfoodonly]

Yeah, great vid. I'm stuck that these men really are driven to despair by the stupidity of some groups of the general public.

Baum looks on the verge of tears at times.

[Mathiaslengel]

@dkg0 yar, it is just so powerful. Some of Dawkins other films or the Melody Sheep songs give you the same awesome impression and makes you wanna go out and do an experiment.