Original audio source
Evo and SI open this week's podcast with birthday greetings for Charles Darwin. The herd celebrates this event with a discussion of "Seeing and Believing," Jerry Coyne's review of books by Kenneth Miller and Karl Giberson. The question that Coyne and the herd address is whether science and religion are compatible. Evo thinks the answer to this question may differ for scientists and non-scientists, and Chappy thinks that science should be considered as a method of inquiry, or a way of thinking and learning, rather than a body of knowledge about particular phenomena. (00:00)
SI opens this segment by noting another anniversary that occurred recently, then leads the herd in a discussion of Giberson's "argument from convenience" (many thanks to Jerry Coyne for coining that term) for retaining religious beliefs. After chewing on this idea for awhile, the herd discusses Michael Brooks' proposition that people are born with a predisposition to believe in the supernatural. Evo offers some good reasons for agreeing with the proposition, but OG, ever the skeptic, wants more evidence before she'll accept it. (21:05)
After OG reveals the latest poll results, the herd discusses the Freedom from Religion Foundation's latest billboard campaign. Are the billboards part of an atheist meme? SI wraps up the evening with an interesting observation about President Barack Obama's second swearing-in ceremony. (39:31)
Musical Selections:
Opening Music [00:06]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [19:23]: excerpt from "The Atheists's Hymn"
Bridge Music [38:26]: excerpt from "Swing to the Left"
Closing Music [54:25]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)
This Week's Goddamned Links
Seeing and Believing by Jerry Coyne
Born believers: How your brain creates God
Intelligent design, revisited
Praise Darwin!
Obama's Oath
Give this post a thumbs up
I dig this post
Vote up on The Atheist Spot
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32 comments:
Billboard stolen on Darwin Bicentennial
This show was completely absorbing. I must say, when I think of things the way they are today along with the show's discussion of religion today and in the future, I walk away slightly dispirited (can I say that?) with the porspect of there always being religion in the world. A rational world to me equates with progress. Theocracies (and religion) equate with stagnation...........
Sadly, karaoke may always exist, too. What can you do?
porspect?
porspect - 1. v. The act of inspecting pores or inspecting for pores. I porspected your face, and you need a good facial scrub.
2. n. Respect for porpoises. It's difficult to have any porspect for Flipper after he admitted using steroids.
PhillyChief,
I have come across your blog as I often do, going from one to the other.
I am interested because if I understand, you are American Indian. It is a little of a coincidence for me in Europe because a very good friend has a wife who is American Indian also, and an ex friend who is also.
It is also interesting that you are atheist because my friend, the one I just mentioned, is also, and he also says he is marxist. I am catholic but it never becomes a problem between him and me, and neither on his blog with most of the people who are not religious.
It is also never a problem with my friends around me in Paris, of all religious or non-religious beliefs.
Greetings,
Valérie
PS: thank you for not having censorship here.
Flipper took steroids? Did he and A-Rod have the same trainer?
Wait, let me guess: Flipper had no idea what the trainer was feeding him, but he got suspicious when his gills and fins grew massively and his penis shriveled away to nearly nothing.
Valerie -
It may interest you to know that SI is an actual member of the Spanish Inquistion. Despite that, he gets along famously with heathens. It's a small world.
Evo:
You mischievous devil, you've been misspelling your name again; you know the correct spelling is "evil." ;)
Valérie:
In case you're wondering, I wanted you to know that I'm not really an owl. Nor am I in the pest control business.
But due to years of banging it against the wall, Evo's head really does look like a skull.
I now know how biased, closed-minded, cruel and unfair (lack of porspect) Philly Chief and Chappy are towards our bottle-nosed cousins. Everyone knows Flipper eventually became spokesman for a generation and the lead singer/songwriter for the punk band of the same name: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipper_(band)
He was especially well known to spike up his dorsal fin during shows and having his beak pierced.
I do have a history of being very disporspectful
Something's fishy in Atlantis. I'm floundering here, throw me a life line, don't let me sink to Neptunes grave! The sole porpoise of the post is to discuss religion and science. I don't mean to carp at you, but if you want to talk about fish, find another grouper.
Cod help us!
"It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming."
John Steinbeck
Valérie:
Ex is not being truthful. I recently found this baby picture of him online. He's the one on the bottom right. I'm sure you can see the resemblance from his blogger profile picture.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/reddit/a-bucket-of-baby-owls/
That picture was no doubt taken just after being told he had to go on another trolley ride with Nanny.
Stop It! You guys are killing me.
Ah! Here is were you'all hang out! How this I miss it for so long?
OK, you found it Lorena. Now - Shhhhhhhh. Think of this as a secret hideout.
"OK, you found it Lorena. Now - Shhhhhhhh. Think of this as a secret hideout."
It's not secret anymore, gorilla-boy!
A virtual den of iniquity!
So, how do you fellas plan on spending eternity, then? Oh... that's right... dead! LOL!
I'll try to remember y'all, though... maybe.
Hey, Chumplain... don't you ever visit your own blog? Needs updating, son!
Boooooorrrring!
I needs to be up to date on the latest atheist baloney, boy! Anything new and even stupider than that last batch of infidel fecal matter to come down the pipe?
You guys are no fun, anymore!
OK, kids. Where are you? Don't be bashful. You can do it. Just one more time!! The heathen herds are missing you!!
I have been praying fervently for a return of the Herd. And the same thing happens that has happened all my life when I pray....nothing.
Like a hungover, deluded Led Zeppelin fan looking for a Zeppelin reunion, I check back here at AGP every few weeks hoping for another John Bonham drum solo. But the auditorium is empty. :( Perhaps a rejuvenated show done on a quarterly schedule might work? I am gonna keep bugging you guys. The religious infection is spreading and the only prescription is more cowbell..(shit sorry, SNL flashback)..I mean more AGPs!!
Wow. That's just pathetic. ;)
I don't think we'll be able to do Stairway to Heaven again. Think of us like the Beatles. We've got thriving solo careers, and maybe someday we'll re-unite, if a promoter offers us enough money.
Then again, maybe some deranged Christian will shoot one of us after getting an autograph.
Note to self: don't sign autographs
I saw the Ramones once at the Tower and on the way to their bus some fan wanted an autograph and I heard Joey say, "sign it yourself. Who's gonna know?" I can't remember if that was before or after he told the crowd to "fuck off".
He never got shot, which is further proof I shouldn't sign autographs, and perhaps that it doesn't pay to be a nice guy.
Let's just hope the assassin get the right "John"....
Guys, have I missed something? Why no new episodes?? I'm almost done with the backlog and desperate to hear some more up-to-date rantings :(
Sensei - We're all still blogging. Do you enjoy reading? :)
Evo:
What is this "reading" of which you speak?
"Reading..." an interesting notion. It's just so much easier to find the time to listen, but point well taken.
Ex, the question *you* should be asking is not "what is this reading of which you speak." The question from you should be "who is this 'we' of whom you speak"?
And this answer, of course, is "all the important ones." :)
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