Stephen Fry on empiricism

Clip from Splashlife's most excellent interview with Stephen Fry.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• empiricism
• Stephen
• Fry
• interview

[Martinrude]

@JaneEva Because, this has been done for millenia and there is still not a shred of empirical evidence.

[BelovedBitterSea]

I love Stephen Fry, and I certainly agree with most of his philosophy here, but I would have to say that while most older people may not have a strong reversal of beliefs, I've often read that people become more religious with age. So I think an adult that may have casually believed all their life may grow into a more fundamentalist belief.

[sniperquasi]

@BelovedBitterSea it's because of death looming closer, religion is a fine insurance.

[Digdigs2]

@JaneEva What makes you think people don't study religion prior to coming to the conclusion that atheism is correct? Is it because religious people never test or study the idea that God may exist, but accept it without question? I majored in comparative religion at university, having a deep interest in the subject, and while I always had a leaning to atheism, was open minded enough to test my beliefs... not something many religious people do.

[Digdigs2]

@JBrazosCole Religion in one form or another has been tested for over 10000 years, as yet not a shred of evidence to suggest it is anything more than fairy tales...

[b991228]

@noahfurlani He is talking about scientific empiricism.

[b991228]

@tenseman08 I beg to differ. These people were not atheist. These where people who had better things to do throughout their lives than go to church. A person who has stated throughout is life that he is an atheist will no more turn to god than he will turn to Santa Clause or the tooth fairy. It is not the job of friends and relatives to take a person who at death is trying to maintain grip on reality and attempt a conversion. Honor his wishes.

[b991228]

I have been looking to find a quick reply to the guy who levels the fierce scowl at me and demand the answer, "Are you an atheist!" I have a problem with answering yes to him because he will then assume that my soul purpose in life is to smite his divinity. Perhaps my better reply would be to tell them I am an empiricist. A seeker of empirical reality has a warm fussy feel to it. Of coarse if he asks I will tell him that his religion is not part empirical reality. A great fantasy though.

[tenseman08]

Yep..people do tend to become more religious the closer to death..their is a bit in the novel brave new world that catches it so brilliantly..

[retrogamerist]

@BelovedBitterSea Nah he's too awesome.