The Four Horsemen: Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens (4/12)

On the 30th of September 2007, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens sat down for a first-of-its-kind, unmoderated 2-hour discussion, convened by RDFRS and filmed by Josh Timonen.

All four authors have recently received a large amount of media attention for their writings against religion - some positive, and some negative. In this conversation the group trades stories of the public's reaction to their recent books, their unexpected successes, criticisms and common misrepresentations. They discuss the tough questions about religion that face to world today, and propose new strategies for going forward.

Credit:
The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science
http://richarddawkins.net/

If you are interested in purchasing a high-quality DVD of this presentation, you can find it here:
http://richarddawkins.net/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products...

(Note: All proceeds from the sale of this DVD will go to the Ayaan Hirsi Ali Security Trust.)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Atheism
• Richard
• Dawkins
• Daniel
• Dennett
• Sam
• Harris
• Christopher
• Hitchens
• Religion
• Christianity
• Islam
• Four
• Horsemen

[Thronsohn]

i just wish we could travel back in time to this day. id tell hitchens to see a doctor.

[BrosoKintobor]

I think Dennet's sympathetic view of many religious believers is very helpful. It's important that when trying to teach atheism and science we don't treat the religious believer as though they were an idiot. Almost all religious believers either haven't thought about the issues, or they have been stifled from free thought from a young age through upbringing or community. This doesn't make them idiotic.

[jakeyalmighty]

This is great

[sonykroket]

@RegularSmith

Well, i dont really need anyones approval

[RegularSmith]

@sonykroket I think you're both right in your different approaches. Just look at the speakers in the video. Hitchens and Dawkins are very forceful and mock believers for their idiocy and that def gets some believers to think. Harris and Dennet mock the belief more than the people and they win people over that way. We need all types of approaches to free thought and atheism to reach people of different personality types in order to be effective.

[dreadedwheat26]

im a bitch for the hitch,word up.

[InformationMinister]

@Xinfinitude hahaha not everyone likes the thought of disbelief, and there are billions of them.

[Xinfinitude]

why is there so many dislikes on this video? I don't get it.

[sonykroket]

@BrosoKintobor

Claiming evolution as false and the earth being 6000 years old does make one look like an idiot.

The religious tend to force their crap down everybody's throat, threatening scientific achievements

[drscribe]

@BrosoKintobor Patronising.

[GoodAvatar]

@BrosoKintobor Couldn't agree with you more, dude!

You have remarkably good phrasing, I have to say.

Personally, I think that the best way to "shake" people awake is to mock, not them, but their superstitious religious beliefs. Mock their superstition with wit, but treat the PERSON with dignity and respect.

Don't jeer or sneer at someone because they don't know what they're talking about.....

Just prove them wrong, and then MOCK THAT WRONGNESS, not the person.