Dan Dennett talks about purposely-confusing theology and how it’s used. He also describes his new project interviewing clergyman who secretly don’t believe anymore, and introduces a new term: “Deepity.” Dan Dennett is the author of many excellent books, including “Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon” and “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea”. He is also featured in the video “The Four Horsemen” along with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. Download Quicktime Version Small: c0116791.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com 720p HD: c0116791.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com Watch “The Four Horsemen” in HD on YouTube: www.youtube.com Filmed by JOSH TIMONEN Edited by JOEL PASHBY
On April 24, 2010, In Uncategorized, by admin
Dan Dennett talks about purposely-confusing theology and how it’s used. He also describes his new project interviewing clergyman who secretly don’t believe anymore, and introduces a new term: “Deepity.” Dan Dennett is the author of many excellent books, including “Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon” and “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea”. He is also featured [...]
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He is focusing on the clergy, but the key problem is not in church, but in the belief system of millions of people, many of whom do think that church is bullshit, but God exists outside of church, in their hearts, blah, blah…I agree with him, but it is this broader belief system that one should focus on in critique of religion, not the institution of the church. With these arguments, no matter how strong, he is just giving the religious a platform to advance another rhetorical critique.
@luarionte
No argument here. Although I think that because of the “incomplete” nature of science, religion in some form will always exist. As long as there is mystery, as long as there are unknowns, some crackpot theologian will be there to fill in the blanks with metaphysical nonsense.
@ClumsyRoot
Of course i (or anyone) will never know things with absolute 100% certain (because we really dont need to. I mean, why do we need to have that perfection of understanding?).
But i am 100% certain of what’s NOT true (that’s the diffrence). Scientists are never certain of what is true, but they are certain of what is NOT true!
We have to be this confident because otherwise Religious people will take that uncertainty as a weakness! That also the reason why religion still exists!
@luarionte
By what reasoning do you conclude that the odds are so small? As I see it, our ignorance in the face of this vast reality is nearly infinite itself; hence we lack the information necessary to formulate probabilities about such phenomena.
It may be the case that all speculation about such matters is futile. If so, then offering up “odds” of a God’s existence is equally pointless.
@ClumsyRoot
My point is that the odds ate so little that we can ignore that possibility! There is a possibility of me being ran over by a truck today, but that dosnt mean i have to stay home just because there are those possibilities. I have to make a choice: either abide those stupid probabilities and stay home or ignore them and take a stroll outside and live mi live without worries!
Now apply this to the concept of God!
@luarionte
I’m an atheist.
My point is, you speak with a confidence that is unfounded. It’s fair to say that the crude conceptions of God found within most religions are human inventions–that such beings don’t exist.
But the MOST we can say about the existence of anything beyond nature is that there is NO EVIDENCE for it.
BTW, how do you arrive at those odds? Seems to me you’d have to have a lot more information than is available to be making quantitative speculations on such matters.
@ClumsyRoot
Yes, a chance of 0,000000000000000(…)00001!
Who do religious people always ask that? (The famous “What if you’re wrong?” question)
Its ridiculous and it doesn’t mean anything!
@luarionte
Is there a chance that you’re wrong?
Don’t you get it people ! . Communism did tried to take the faith way from their people since , did not succeed
God does NOT exist!!!!
I cant believe that people are still discussing this fact!!!!
People say that “this is a very complex and controversial topic” – NO its Not!!!
Man created God in his mind in order to cope with the complexity of the Universe. Why is this so hard to understand??? Maybe because all religious people have been BRAINWASHED in their infancy!
@ASonOfMan Agreed
@boorens18 I was saying that if you saw him as a victim to those conditions then perhaps being more considerate to his condition would prove more effective than not. Victims should take responsibility but it always depends on the condition and how much control over their issues they have.
@goldenhawk786 I dont think you have ever debated with anybody
Just give me 5 examples of the scientific facts, atheist run away from.
@sarevor why feel pity for a troll? They quite literally are contributing to the degradation of the first world while they abuse a tool which was meant to connect. They encourage ignorance on important issues, and steer towards more damage. They take pleasure in causing frustration in others. There is a point when even a victim has to take responsibilty for their actions. Something tells me a mind like that is unlikely to ever.
@dietermauer The brightest minds in Human history, all were atheists? Really? Assuming your subjective statement is true, there have been many brilliant theists that have made “great” discoveries in Human history. The conflict theory that states that religion and science are in constant conflict has been proven false. All you need to do is look at history and see who made these discoveries.
@boorens18 Isn’t that a bit cold? You are basically using your intellectualism to be hurtful. You are claiming that he possesses qualities of being a victim. If so, then why are you treating him as something other than a victim? Why not help him?
i assume theres no god becasue there isnt an evidence for one. i think most atheists would be persuaded by evidence. the problem is that there isnt any for god. thats why the assumption is taken for granted. that doesnt make atheists fundamentalists.
@goldenhawk786 Well here’s one that will never run away from your questions. Fire away.
Dan Dennett might be one of the most intelligent humans that have ever walked the earth. Wonderful clip.
@dietermauer ,And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
@dietermauer For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
ignore golden, hes just trollin’ to get attention. He never got attention at home and thus feels a need to elicit an emotional response from people in any way he can, even if negative. He uses the anonamity offered by the internet to overcome his lack of social skills (which never developed due to insecurity). People like this are best left to be ignored. They eventually regress from lack of any genuine emotional contact and blow their own brains out.
@goldenhawk786 Logical? Really?!
I like this quote by Reinhold Niebuhr, a theologian himself:
“Rationality belongs to the cool observer, because of the stupidty of the average man who follows not reason but faith.
And his naive faith requires necessary illusions and emotionally potent oversimplifications, provided by the myth-makers to keep the believer on course.”
“they run away from logical argument and scientific facts.”
If scientific facts supporting a deity existed, atheism would not.
i have debated with atheists on Sam Harris forum called the Reason Project. so far they have no case but only abuse and insult. they run away from logical argument and scientific facts. atheists always do that. why. they are so shallow.