The Ethics of Atheism - A Conversation with Dr Peter Boghossian

Podcast: http://www.fdrurl.com/FDR2168

Stefan Molyneux, host of Freedomain Radio, discusses faith, reason, philosophy and religion with Dr Peter Boghossian (apologies for the odd video color)

Dr. Peter Boghossian's main focus is bringing the tools of professional philosophers to people in a wide variety of contexts. Peter has a teaching pedigree spanning more than 20 years and 30 thousand students--in prisons, hospitals, public and private schools, seminaries, colleges and universities, Fortune 100 companies and small businesses. His fundamental objective is to teach people how to think through what often seem to be intractable problems.

Peter's primary research areas are critical thinking and moral reasoning. His doctoral research studies, funded by the State of Oregon and supported by the Oregon Department of Corrections, consisted of using the Socratic method to help prison inmates to increase their critical thinking and moral reasoning abilities and to increase their desistance to criminal behavior.

Peter's publications can be found in Diálogos, Education Policy Analysis Archives, The Clearing House: Educational Research Controversy and Practices, The Radical Academy; Offender Programs Report, Teaching Philosophy, Corrections Today, Informal Logic, The Skeptic, Journal of Philosophy of Education, Educational Philosophy and Theory, Inside Higher Ed, Essays in Philosophy, Federal Probation Journal, and the Journal of Correctional Education. If you'd like to learn more about his scholarship, his podcast interview with Philosophy News http://www.philosophynews.com/post/20... is a great place to start.

His work has been noted on The Huffington Post, The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason, and other media outlets; he was an invited guest on the Lars Larson Show, interviewed for the cover story of the Mercury, and advocated via social media by the Executive Director of the Skeptic Society, Michael Shermer, and bestselling author and head of Project Reason, Sam Harris.

Peter was a Councilman for the State of Oregon (LSTA), an advisor to Sockeye Magazine and The Weekly Alibi, wrote national philosophy curricula for the University of Phoenix and was a research fellow for the National Center for Teaching and Learning. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Prison Advisory Committee for Columbia River Correctional Institution, teaches Critical Thinking, Science and Pseudoscience, the Philosophy of Education, and Atheism at Portland State University, is an Affiliate Research Assistant Professor Oregon Health Science University, is Co-Director and Co-Founder (with Dr. Randy Blazak) of PSU's Center for Correction's Research, and a speaker for the Center for Inquiry http://www.centerforinquiry.net/speak....

When he's not working, Peter spends time with his family, practices jiu jutsu, watches science fiction movies and television (Stargate Universe, Battlestar Galactica, Misfits, Fringe), and plays computer games (Star Craft 2, Fallout 3, Skyrim, Diablo III).

You can follow Peter on Twitter @peterboghossian. If you want to join Peter's mailing list and learn about his upcoming public lectures and debates, from your mobile phone text "DELUSION" + your email address to 22333, or enter your email address on the bottom right of this page: http://philosophynews.com/peterboghos...

Freedomain Radio is the largest and most popular philosophy show on the web - http://www.freedomainradio.com

• Category

  Education

[James Boston]

It's your show, Stefan, so it's not my place to tell you how to run it. I would be, however, more than a little dismayed if I was asked to be a guest on a broadcast discussion, invited as an authority on a subject-matter and the host was as unmindful as you were of hyper-dominating the conversation.

Dr. Boghossian was very patient and gracious in handling the interruptions but I would have liked to hear more of what he had to say.

[theocean1973]

This video was recommended by Sam Harris, I can see why.

Atheism doesn't mean anything, it's just what theists call people who don't accept their version of reality!

[metal87power]

Life without reason is a bold life, but life without any faith is too worthless to be called a life. Faith means hope. Reason is just not enough.

[lovelogic47]

Addressed to "1tabligh" and "tryptala ":

Science is too hard, and so is philosophy, therefore God (eternal and timeless entity). If you're going to be an apologist, can't you do so without engaging in so many logical fallacies, in few sentences? Being generous, you're guilty of at least the following: 1) argument from final consequences 2) inconsistency 3) post-hoc ergo propter hoc 4) reductio ad absurdum and 5) tautology.

You're without logic or facts, which only leaves you with faith.

[tony anthony]

very good dialogue - enjoyed every bit of peter's!

[ChristophDollis]

As a blanket fact, no. As an increased tendency compared to religious people, on average, yes.

[allgoo19]

"I believe that a lot of non-religious people look to the state, and religious people look to God instead of the government.'

==

Are you saying non-religious believers worship the gov.?

[ChristophDollis]

I think humans have a certain evolved tendency to bow down to authority --- so do other primates.

I believe that a lot of non-religious people look to the state, and religious people look to God instead of the government.

Many exceptions, but that's the trend.

I think people should look to themselves and to truth and love of others.

[ChristophDollis]

But of course you meant more for the viewers' benefit and weren't implying that Peter was offended. And that's a fair point.

[ChristophDollis]

I totally agree with you in general, James.

However, I think Peter actually likes talking to Stefan and listening to him during these discussions. At least that was my firm impression after listening to another conversation between them where I felt they had a great rapport.

So I agree Stefan should try to do this more, especially with a great guest like Peter, but I think Peter may be more forgiving of that behaviour in this case.