Skeptic's Science Symposium Q&A

In June 2011, five leading skeptics (Bill Nye, James Randi, Donald Prothero, Brian Dalton, and Michael Shermer) met at Caltech during the Skeptics Society's Science Symposium to discuss their experiences communicating science to the public.

Young audience members took advantage of these experts to ask excellent questions.

This video includes one of the hottest topics in the skeptical community today: What is the most effective approach for educating the public and promoting skepticism, science, and critical thinking skills—confrontation, or a more gentle and respectful approach?

There are several DVDs from the Science Symposium that you can order from Shop Skeptic:
http://www.skeptic.com/lectures/conferences/symposium-2011/

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Bill Nye
• James Randi
• Michael Shermer
• Mr. Deity
• Brian Dalton
• the Skeptics Society
• Skeptic magazine
• skeptic.com

[shlunko]

Is it just me or is James Randi looking more and more like Darwin?..

Love the video!!

[sqazsquat]

If Bill Nye grew a beard, do you think he'd look just like Abraham Lincoln?

[ragnarlava]

@shlunko James Randi has himself mentioned that similarity several times in the past. Indeed i personally think he purposefully is imitating Darwins look as if he is trying to get in to that league of great thinkers. Not saying he doesnt belong in that league, but there is only one James Randi, and we need him.

[LidiaJanklyTube]

LMAO randi looks like he is sleeping hahaha. they all look soo bored cuz that guy keep talking hahah

[LidiaJanklyTube]

WHAT!?? I MISSSED THIS EVENT?

[two0sixTay]

Bill Nye 2012



[dudev]

@Pygar2

Space isn't empty. It's not nothing. That's a misunderstanding of the

Big Bang on your part. And you're assuming that the default state of things was zero, or nothing. I say the universe has always existed in one state or another. And you say god, the creator, has always existed. The difference is that we know the universe exists. But there's no evidence for a god. And I already demonstrated why your hypocritical argument fails. It's a case of special pleading.

[Pygar2]

@dudev Then what made your "Vacuum Indistinguishable from God" any different than regular ol' Emptiness that does nothing? How can nothing, have a pattern? How can it have content to explode into a Big Bang? It all has to come from somewhere... and vacuum simply isn't up to the job.

[dudev]

@Pygar2

Go ahead and use special pleading. It only makes you sound like a walking talking contradiction. You want god to exist beyond space and time, but at the same time to be personal and to have the power to answer prayers. Your god, by your very argument, must be more complex than the universe. But your argument centers around all complex things coming about by design. You can't have it both ways, slick. In nature, patterns do arise all by themselves. There's no need for an outside force.

[Pygar2]

@dudev Okay, go ahead and rename God "Leprechaun" if you like, for the purpose of this conversation. Some people even pronounce it "Allah", which to me sounds like abusing the privilege of being wrong. Any spurious argument about God needing a second Creator, applies just as strongly to your fictional "Vacuum Indistinguishable from God". The difference is that a Creator creates, and a Creation was made. Your VIFG has neither reason nor ability to create... and yet we are here.

[mlicavoli71]

Wow. The Q&A portion became surprisingly political. Too political even. As many skeptics (Shermer, Penn and Teller, etc.) have shown skepticism and liberal statism do NOT necessarily go hand in hand. Why the hell were the Koch brothers brought up in a symposium about modern day atheism? There are appropriate outlets for political statements and debate. Use them!

[kev3d]

It is sad that many who accept bottom up evolution do not accept, and indeed strongly oppose, bottom up economics.