Right or wrong? In conversation with Derren Brown (5/7)

Free learning from the Open University http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/body-mind

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Psychological illusionist Derren Brown talks to the OU's Nigel Warburton about whether being an atheist means you can't have any grounding for moral beliefs.

(Part 5 of 7)

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Articles by Nigel Warburton on OpenLearn http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/profiles/nigel-warburton

Study 'Philosophy and the human situation' with the OU http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/a211.htm

Explore qualifications in Arts and Humanities with the OU http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/arts-and-humanities/index.htm

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• Nigel Warburton
• Derren Brown
• atheist
• atheism
• religion
• God
• magic
• moral beliefs
• open university
• ou_a211

[hamatchristmas]

God I love Derren Brown. So eloquent, gets his points across perfectly, brilliantly intelligent. What a man

[Kawarukia]

The thing about morality and the bible in the end was simply brilliant. Derren Brown is a genius.

[Ellie8969]

@TheRABIDdude But that's the thing...so, so, so many religious people think exactly that. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's true. They simply cannot comprehend how morality can exist or how we can possibly know how to be good without their god. Some of them even claim that it's only their faith that stops them doing terrible things, which is rather worrying. Pointing out that most atheists lead good, productive, moral lives doesn't make any difference.

[TheRABIDdude]

I've gotta say that, although i hugely respect Derren Brown and the other parts of this interview on youtube, this episode seems kind of... obvious. how could anyone possibly be ignorant enough to think that without religion morality couldn't exist? that would be saying that if you're an athiest then you have no understanding of right or wrong.

[orladavey11]

god i love his head nodding thing.

[yapanuwan]

@SamuelLM1990 In the sense that we don't have any reference of what is good and bad. Not even conscience, which can be altered by brainwashing.

[SamuelLM1990]

@yapanuwan expand upon that abit for me maybe? subjective in what sense?

[rwtj01]

spot on Derren... he hits the nail on the head

[headphones222]

@SubVLPer

I disagree, thank you.

[SubVLPer]

@headphones222 No exodus said slave are to be free in their seventh year IF they allow their kids and wife to become slaves. As for the new testament Jesus repeatedly endorsed old testament law in all of the Gospels(Matthew 5:18,Luke6:17). In Mark 9:10 Jesus blatantly endorsed old testament law which said that you can kill your kids. In Luke 19:27 there is no evidence that he was talking in parables I suspect that you're just saying that to rationalize the reality of Jesus and the bible.

[SubVLPer]

@headphones222 You are absolutely wrong about everything you said. In the bible it gives instructions on how to brand, where to get, and how to kill your theses people. These where not servants these were slaves. You don't kill servants however you do kill slaves. And there's a loophole in the old testament which allows someone to be a slave forever so it was indefinite and the bible explicitly endorsed all of this.

[headphones222]

@SubVLPer

Throughout the whole bible, following Jesus is a free will choice, reading the bible is also a free will choice.