Douglas Adams 1of2: Human nature as an evolved creature

Douglas Adams talks about how our nature as an evolved creature and our limited perspective, can lead to some fundamental assumptions and misconceptions. Most of the talk is included, but a few minutes were taken out to fit it to two clips. Image quality isn't great, and the source video isn't much better.

From a conference in 1998 called Der Digitale Planet (The Digital Planet, I guess), which also included Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Jared Diamond and Steven Pinker. Links follow:

Richard Dawkins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdBOb9tQjNU

Daniel Dennett: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psBwnE0ByUw

Stephen Pinker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVrb5ClvDho

Jared Diamond: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV_P1VGqMBo


Found here (at the bottom):
http://www.reitstoen.com/dennett.php

Direct link to video (real media):
http://www.web-for-vision.com:8080/ramgen/SPIEGEL/Wfv_Isdn.smil

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• evolution
• adaptation
• cavemen
• misconceptions
• intelligent
• design
• intentionality

[theinquisitor]

@davisne, are you seriously asking that question? Let me ask you this. If Americans are descended from Europeans, why are there still Europeans? Because populations consist of lots of individuals and they can diverge. The only way you can make such a stultifyingly ignorant comment is if you have made no effort whatsoever to understand the subject you're criticising. It's like saying gravity isn't real because birds don't fall out of the sky like bricks.

[theinquisitor]

@stimpsonjcathoek, I'm sure he would if he was alive. He doesn't want to rule anyone. If you'd listened to The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy (the radio version), you'd know his views on rulership. That anyone who wants to rule necessarily isn't suitable to do it.

Also if you don't think the universe is bewildering, then you aren't paying attention. Adams knew that he didn't know. That is the beginning of true wisdom. Try it.

[henryporter101]

The puddle evaporated to soon.

[jimmy12312322]

thumbs up if you READ the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy......

[yatter1]

Evolution is nonsense, plainly nonsense, I did not evolve from a creationist, I am from a separate species. They were made by some lunatic god and I wasn´t.

[HENJAM48]

@davisne If nice people evolved from Christians, why are there still nut-cases?

[TheDeadmike31]

i miss douglas. he had a profound influence on my idea of humor and the world around me. he left far too soon.

[comanchio1976]

@theinquisitor @malakispanien @davisne All of them are fine, intelligent, provable answers to 'davisne's stultifyingly ignorant question. But if I may interject for a moment, with....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH, furthermore...... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[CataKlysmiC]

@theinquisitor In the footsteps of Socrates and many other great thinkers.

[ziegegeist]

@davisne You don't know who Douglas Adams is (was)?! You've pegged the wrong chap as 'brain dead'.

[ORCA4312]

If the world was made for me, why are there tigers, lightning, and disease?