Jacoby-Shermer debate, 3/10

[dwheel39]

If time, space, matter and energy (nature) all came into existence simultaneously then how could there POSSIBLY be a "natural" explanation for it's existence???? This is absurd. The origin of nature MUST constitute a METAphysical or SUPERnatural cause just by reason alone. There must be something outside of nature to bring it into being and "outside" cannot, by definition, entail an empirical or natural explanation. How can Shermer NOT see this?? He should be more "skeptical" of his own views :)

[dwheel39]

wait. . gaps in our scientific knowledge have been filled? How does describing the mechanics of how something works negate the question of it's origin? Does anyone else see this fallacy? It's like examining an auto factory run by robotic machines and then boasting, "ah ha! we KNOW how cars are made! This machine affects this one and so on...so therefore an "automobile designer" does not exist!

[LifeisBeautiful746]

Do atheists not understand that saying aliens made life on earth does not help there case? wake up people if aliens planted life then they would be made up of even more amazing stuff than what we are, which goes the opposite direction for the atheists argument.

[Ricardius1710]

Thanks for the video!

[Ricardius1710]

A natural explanation should always take precedence over a supernatural one. That's all there is to it. Even if there are no known natural explanations, it doesn't follow that god did it! It's okay for the scientist to say, we don't know, but we are researching and one day we will.

[GrahamSMcCann]

If Jacoby was brought up in a society with absolutely no religion - or anybody for that matter - he would still have evidence through the digging of science available, but there would be no way to study the earth to find Christianity or Islam etc, if it was not a mythology created by human societies and passed

[cristianfcao]

"Go forth and multiply!... but not in those words" LOL

[wildreams]

Go forth and multiply = Go fuck yourself?

[MorganMarvinson]

Why didn't the theists respond when Shermer asked? They certainly responded to Jacoby's opening remarks!

[198icbond]

GOO JACOBY ! he definitely won this debate. plus how can the big bang theory exist? how can explosion cause order? just look outside your window. could all of that be there by ACCIDENT?

[AtheismandSkepticism]

@198icbond

"plus how can the big bang theory exist? how can explosion cause order?"

Implying "we don't know stuff, therefore God dunnit".

And Christians still wonder why atheists don't believe in light of these 'amazing' arguments for God's existence.

[richaldeano]

Go, Shermer! Champion of Reason!

[Shutitup18]

Finally, Dr. Shermer talks and gives voice of reason!!!

[kombajndosalatek]

to be fank, Douglas Jacoby's arguments were very reasonable..

[VarialProductions]

until you consider the alternative...

[kombajndosalatek]

you don't understand what word "reasonable" mean, do you?

[beebobox]

sorta sad he doesn't attribute the joke at the start to the writer of said joke who was Woody Allen.

the one about telling someone to "go forth and multiply, but not in those words"

[kombajndosalatek]

wow, Woody Allen surely knew how to multiply with his daughter..

[beebobox]

wow, another person, totally oblivious to most people in the world surely know how to make comments unrelated to stuff.

:P

[watty024]

wasn't his daughter.

[unapologetic315]

This is a good example of how Michael Shermer has strengthened my faith as a theist. He said that we shouldn't hook our faith to current scientific gaps. He's absolutely right. I haven't done that since. If I ever meet Dr. Shermer, I will thank him.

[melindahj]

Science is the study of God...think about it...

[notna101]

god is a crok ov shit im gona prove god dnt exist 1 day! so fck god!

[jnrosemas]

You're as idiotic and ignorant as the christian apologist crowd. It just goes to show that stupid people can be found anywhere, regardless of their position on worldviews. To get to the point: you can't prove God doesn't exist. Science doesn't have that power. All you can do is prove how unlikely such a possibility is as Bertrund Russel has done with his celestial teapot example, etc. Go read a book, learn english, and quit it with the hatred. Nuff said.

[notna101]

i see your point but i find it a little far fetched. i mean what proof is there of god existence? there is no proof for or against this they are just theories of how we came into existence, you belive in god i believe in the big bang!

[jnrosemas]

First of all, I agree with you that there is no proof for God's existence and I do not believe in God, contrary to what you stated. The point I was trying to make with the Bertrund Russel argument (and Richard Dawkins talks about this quite eloquently) is to say that, although we can never say for certain that God doesn't exist (just as we can't say for certain there are no faeries at the bottom of the garden), we can point out the likelihood of such a diety existing is incredibly low.

[notna101]

thankyou! i have been trying to mak that point for years!

[johnnyp76]

moreover, a theist would argue that god created the big bang.

[co4e]

Why do proponents of Evolution and atheism insist on calling the complicated, complex? DNA is complex the weather is complex Really? Prove it. DNA is just an organic compound. It doesn't even survive outside of its organic container. What ever is actually going on, is far more robust than just DNA. What is going on survived 5 mass extictnions. Evolution by mutation is just an educated guess. Evolution is complicated not complex.

[Orlan54]

Prove that DNA or weather is complex? Complex simply means made of many parts, both items are made of many parts thus they are complex. DNA and how it affects "what is going on" is very well understood. Evolution is more than an educated guess and evolution operates on and produces many parts therefore it is complex. Any other stupid comments?

[spacecowboy95]

whats your point? none? ok...

[akambitsis3]

jacoby talked for 14 minutes and all he said was 'god did it'

[bdcarlitosway]

Typical god of the gaps argument, typical, "the numbers are just too big for "random chance" so god did it" argument... "I cant possibly give a rational explanation for how this happened, therefor god did it" MEDIOCRE LAZY ANSWER AND ASSUMPTION!

[GrahamSMcCann]

Yeah, it really comes down to that, I mean he is a Christian apologetic. If he was Islamic, he would be hooking it to Islam.@akambitsis3

[watty024]

that was a TOTAL woody allen ripoff! i said unto him...listen to woody allen "standup comic"....

[dexytao]

Having science explain a knowledge "gap" still does not discount the existence of God - let alone proving that He doesnt exist. In fact, it only strengthens the existence of God. If one really studies this topic, one would find that science and Christianity work together to prove each other correct. Science is not in opposition with God.

[ConstantlyQuestion]

"Having science explain a knowledge "gap" still does not discount the existence of God"

Of course not, you can't prove a negative. It does however mean that god is not needed as an explanation.

"In fact, it only strengthens the existence of God."

Now that's just silly.

[johnnyp76]

you need to take the outsider test for your belief. imagine you were a buddhist, or hindu etc. now listen to all the evidence and miracles in christianity. now answer the questions about plausibility. becuase you were brought up learning about miracles and jesus before you had a chance to know what is right and wrong, plausible and not. to someone brought up outside christianity, it is inherently implausible, to someone isnside it, it appears plausible.i know this, as i teach RE to younjg kids

[19Xfaster]

Shermer does not seem to be prepared for this "debate".

For example, when Jacoby tries to score points with his mention of Anthony Flew's "conversion" Shermer does not seem to know how to respond to that point. Two suggestions come to mind:

1. so what? is Flew an expert on evolution or beginnings of life?

2. read Carrier on the "conversion" and how

Flew withdrew!

[Kergillian]

Shermer is a very compelling speaker!

[hashmeltarif]

Some interesting points by Dr Shermer, when mentioning God and telling us that the problem with us is that we hook our faith in gaps in scientific knowledge was quite interesting especially as science comes the latin 'scienta' meaning knowledge.

Science is knowledge, the word just evolved.