Sam Harris at AAI 07 pt2 of 2 (Q&A)

This is Sam Harris' talk at the AAI 07 conference in Washington, DC.

Margaret Downey at:
http://www.Margaretdowney.com

Visit the AAI website at:
http://atheistalliance.org

See more videos like this at http://richarddawkins.net
and http://video.rationalresponders.com

Video by
The Richard Dawkins Foundation

Camera:
Wayne Marsala
Josh Timonen

Edited by
Josh Timonen

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Sam
• Harris
• Atheism
• Reason
• Science
• Richard
• Dawkins
• Foundation
• AAI

[taiwanjohn88]

How about we just call ourselves "normal"?

[johneamer]

Imagine having Harris, Hitchens, Dawkins, Dennett, Darwin and Russell at your dinner party. What an evening it would be. For extra fun I would hire Mahr as the waiter.

[lifeschild1]

As long as the teachings of religion persists to exist, within the system of society LEGALLY, in all of its diverse forms, there will never be freedom from such a mind altering cult. Instead of debate, change the system. This must be done for the future of mankind or our destruction will be most evident.

[TheLockon00]

I've yet to find a label that utterly describes myself. Technically, I'm a socialist, an atheist, a scientist (not professionally), a rationalist, an empiricist, a communist, a romantic, a metal head, a humanist, a secularist, a logician, a democrat, an anarchist (within reason), a martial artist, an athlete, a personal trainer, a comic book geek, and so on. Notice that many of these words overlap, but none of them completely contain another. People are complicated and have complicated opinions.

[mindsmirror]

@dnlbraden Yep, and she has really big titties too, lol. I think I'd rate her physical attractiveness as a 7/10 when the titties are taken into account. Now, there's nothing wrong with being a 7/10. In fact, I tend to prefer women in that range because they're not so hot that you constantly worry about losing them, but they're still quite attractive. Also keep in mind the fact that I would rate her brain as a 10/10 and I think that's what really makes her so attractive.

[CommandLineCowboy]

Instead of the word Atheist how about "One less", as in I believe in one less gods than you do.

[dnlbraden]

That first question chick was the hot chick from the ray comfort/kirkman nightline special vs. two atheists. (She being one of the two atheists)

[Clifton100]

@Mo11yB1oom Thanks for your helpful comment. I don't think religious people need to be shot (on the whole. lol) nor do I feel malicious toward people who disagree with Dr. Harris

The quote you are curious about was written tongue-in-cheek but you are absolutely right. I did not make it clear, and it appears to me now (a bit too late:-) to have been written in really bad taste. I don't know how long ago that quote of mine was but I'm usually much more careful in my comment making.

[Mo11yB1oom]

@Clifton100 You said: "Anyone who didn't like what he said needs to be shot for being so closed-minded just like religious people".

You're joking yeah? If not I would say that I think you're inhabiting a valley of Harris' moral landscape with comments like that. Ha! (Closed minded can run like a mirror sometimes). (including this comment).

But I hope us rational people can be trusted to be only saying these things to bring humour from the sarcasm we espouse. Please excuse me if you were joking.

[supakyatto]

@JohananRaatz I agree. I'm an atheist, but I have experiences that are important to me like awe and self-transcending love, and it's refreshing for me to find a speaker like Harris who respects those and includes them when he articulates the atheist position.

[JohananRaatz]

I'm a theist, but after watching this talk (and the Q&A session) I have a new respect for Harris. Too many atheists seem to act like they are mad at religion and want to bulldoze spirituality in the process. Harris by contrast takes a much more thoughtful approach.

[SonOfNye]

I like Mr.Harris also reached "atheism" without ever having been introduced to it.