tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post6303151907448166280..comments2023-09-07T06:36:59.520-04:00Comments on The Virtual Philosophy Club: The TED Talks: Is There a God?Ira Glicksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10800080810596424897noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-5808284264432332152007-12-28T12:46:00.000-05:002007-12-28T12:46:00.000-05:00Yes, I agree with Joel that Dennett's talk is a lo...Yes, I agree with Joel that Dennett's talk is a lot less shrill than Dawkins' and more or less makes the important point that one does not need God in order to be good.<BR/><BR/>It occurs to me that the notion of nature being random allows for much more freedom than of a central intelligence agency carrying out an agenda. Evolutionary theory allows anything to happen --- how much more freedom do we need?<BR/><BR/>StuStewart A Denenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14763670380122545608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-28821151717071352852007-12-24T10:19:00.000-05:002007-12-24T10:19:00.000-05:00Thanks Stu. This is a very interesting source for...Thanks Stu. This is a very interesting source for discussions. Another interesting talk in the same vein, but less militant than Dawkins is http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/94<BR/><BR/>Daniel Dennett discusses his ideas concerning the need for religious education in public schools.joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770806025343971171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8429570072441023296.post-55543112589578941912007-12-23T12:32:00.000-05:002007-12-23T12:32:00.000-05:00Thanks, Stu for posting this first of what I hope ...Thanks, Stu for posting this first of what I hope will be a series of TED talks we can discuss.<BR/><BR/>For Blog members who may have had trouble navigating the TED site, here is a direct link to <A HREF="http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/113" REL="nofollow"> Dawkins call for "militant atheism"</A>, presented in 2002 and posted to the TED website this year. <BR/><BR/>NOTE: To view a larger image, click on the rectangle in the upper right corner.<BR/><BR/>I hope it generates lots of discussion! <BR/><BR/>My initial reaction is that it is lots milder than his recent <I>The God Delusion</I>, which I plan to review in a separate new Topic next week. <BR/><BR/>Mild as this version is, Dawkins still manages to trash the US "Jewish lobby", as well as both Bush senior and junior. He makes the elitist argument that, while the majority of voters for both the Democratic and Republican parties would not support a professed non-believer, over 90% of the "intelligencia" are more or less athiests. <BR/><BR/>Dawkins distorts the view of Einstein regarding God. While mentioning atheism, theism, deism and non-theism, he pointedly leaves out pantheism. Einstein embraced Spinoza's God, which is a pantheistic view.<BR/><BR/>On the postitive side, the talk is engaging and he makes some excellent points with a supposed scientific journal devoted to the reasons for our belief that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs.<BR/><BR/>Ira GlicksteinIra Glicksteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10800080810596424897noreply@blogger.com