Dawkins talks about some interesting stuff

[Prodigy54321]

just thought you might like to see this if you haven't already..I didn't see it until today

google video

Dawkins - "Queerer than we can suppose: The strangeness of science" (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6308228560462155344&q=dawkins&hl=e n)

[CaseS87]

great great video. he touches on a lot of things that i have been mulling over in my head non stop for the past month.

[hmkpoker]

Richard Dawkins is not just a scientist; he is an artist.

[Skidoo]

Richard Dawkins is not even a scientist; he is a materialist.

[Prodigy54321]

[ QUOTE ]
Richard Dawkins is not even a scientist; he is a materialist.

[/ QUOTE ]

funny that he speaks specifically about this in the video

[Skidoo]

That may or may not get him off the hook.

[Prodigy54321]

[ QUOTE ]
That may or may not get him off the hook.

[/ QUOTE ]

why would it have to get him off the hook?

I'm not sure exactly what he thinks on certain subjects, for isntance, I'm not sure I've heard him speak on many Dennett-like topics..but I'd imagine it would place him somewhat close or within some range of materialism

also, your distinction between a scientist and a materialist does not seem obvious to me..

I guess you are implying that Dawkins makes baseless assumptions that a materialistic in nature?..

if this is the case...I would agree that he does something like this for certain purposes..no doubt on discussing the dangers of religion he sometimes assumes that a specific religion is not true (although I believe you could come to very similar conclusion evena allowing for certain god possibilites)...but they are certainly not baseless

[Skidoo]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess you are implying that Dawkins makes baseless assumptions that a materialistic in nature?..

[/ QUOTE ]

That's more or less it. Materialism is not scientific, but metaphysical.

[tolbiny]

[ QUOTE ]
Richard Dawkins is not just a scientist; he is an artist.

[/ QUOTE ]


Wow, as I wrong. I thougt Richard Dawkins was British.


"The economically useful way to model a person is to treat him as a purposeful goal seeking agent with pleasurs and pains"

This quote shows he's at least half Austrain.

[Metric]

Was the "millions of deluded people" line at the end a joke, a half-joke, or was it basically the entire reason for the talk?

[madnak]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I guess you are implying that Dawkins makes baseless assumptions that a materialistic in nature?..

[/ QUOTE ]

That's more or less it. Materialism is not scientific, but metaphysical.

[/ QUOTE ]

Science is, however, materialistic.

[Skidoo]

Science is empirical, which is not the same as materialistic.

[ojc02]

[ QUOTE ]
Was the "millions of deluded people" line at the end a joke, a half-joke, or was it basically the entire reason for the talk?

[/ QUOTE ]

None of the above, I think. I think he just talks about that subject so much that he just couldn't help but throw that in. It's certainly appropriate for that moment in the talk.

[madnak]

Semantics. Science deals only with the material, therefore whether a scientist is a materialist is irrelevant to his professional competence, no matter what.

[Skidoo]

[ QUOTE ]
Science deals only with the material

[/ QUOTE ]

Incorrect.

Science deals only with the measurable, which is not the same thing. The distinction is critical.

[madnak]

How can something be measurable but not material? Even if something we currently consider immaterial were to be measured, it would immediately be considered material.

[Skidoo]

If something has measurable qualities, then what is known about it is what is measured. "Materialness" does not register on a measuring instrument. Matter is an idealism.

[madnak]

Material is more than just matter. Measurable qualities are material qualities.

[SNOWBALL]

[ QUOTE ]
Science is empirical, which is not the same as materialistic.

[/ QUOTE ]

No one has ever seen a quark, so science isn't really empirical, right?

[Prodigy54321]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Science deals only with the material

[/ QUOTE ]

Incorrect.

Science deals only with the measurable, which is not the same thing. The distinction is critical.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree...but so does materialism...all materialism that I know of has been expanded to include everything that is measurable...

it is a far cry from the materialism of a couple thousand years ago.

[Borodog]

I don't think I've ever heard a better defense of the fundamental axiom of praxeology (that man acts purposefully) than he gives right at the end when he talks about personification, purposefullness, and intentionality.

Good linky.