Why We Believe in Gods - Dr. Andy Thomson (American Atheists 2009)

Andy Thomson explains the psychological mechanisms behind belief in his talk titled 'Why We Believe in Gods' at the American Atheist 2009 convention in Atlanta, Georgia.

Check out his book by the same name: http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Believe-God-Concise/dp/0984493212

Filmed and edited by Josh Timonen.
See more at http://RichardDawkins.net

Also see Richard Dawkins talk from this convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbza-UtseE0

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• andy
• thomson
• richard
• dawkins
• hitchens
• american
• atheist
• god
• gods
• religion
• christianity
• christ
• bible
• apologetics
• islam
• mohammed
• quran
• psychology
• evolution
• darwin
• science
• education

[kataang321]

OMG this is the video I first watched when I started to believe there might not be a god. (now I'm atheist) understanding why we believe in a scientific way can really make someone think.

[code933k]

@kataang321 I'm glad to read that! Time passes by and you are 12 years into it without noticing :)

By the way, just a recommendation, watch your use of the words belie(f/ve) We don't believe in science, nor get a belief system from it. Conversely, we get a system of ideas (philosophical/logical reasoning) and scientific trust (evidence/proof).

Some people will be confused if one talks about belief as religion has hijacked the concept.

Cheers.

[danrathje]

Good lecture but he's not saying anything new. Better people have said this before: M Shermer, P Churchland, S Pinker and M Gazzaniga. There's a brief author list for anyone interested.

[breasthound]

i liked the empathy part.

[Snuvs]

Thomson at 0:02

[lsynno]

Incredible fascinating but it has a down side i think im a better liar now

[confettibrains]

Religion is a lot like sports. People by nature like to form coalitions, take sides, and unite against another. This is why religion pretty much varies by nationality. All nations need to have their own religion. America has Christianity because we copy many of our ways of life from Europe. Middle East has Islam. China has spirituality without deism. India has Hinduism.

Rarely do two nations have share the same theistic view, just as they don't wish to share culture. People want "individuality"

[Solidfox154]

old Non sense 1000 years ago

[0Ryuxxx]

@kataang321 lol i like how u start ur comment By a 'OMG' x)

[kataang321]

@code933k Think would probably be a better word. "I started to think there might not be a god."