Another Goddamned Podcast #18: June 12, 2008

THIS WEEK - Evolutionary Psychology (Maybe), You Wanna Bet?, and Killing Peter Rabbit ... plus Another Goddamned Puzzle

Man: the questioning animal. Is there a psychologist in the house? No? Good. It's safe for the Herd to weigh in on evolutionary psychology. While none of us know much about the field, it doesn't stop us from discussing it and its relationship to gods and woo. Who’s flawed, wooists or those who use reason? Or are neither flawed? Is there a specific "god gene"? (0:00)

More on evolutionary psychology. OG is presented with a nightmare "desert island scenario," and turns down the opportunity of a lifetime. Is there an evolutionary advantage to reason? How about woo? (15:43)

Pascal's wager, and woo, and god. If you accept the bet without really believing — is that good enough for god? We try to figure out: How in the hell do we get in to heaven? Seriously, though, do some Christians make believe that they've made themselves believe? (32:07)

The new atheist video game - murder Abraham, Jesus, and Mohammed. Is that any fun? Remember: We have several hardcore gamers in our ranks. Results of Another Goddamned Puzzle from Podcast 16, and a new challenge. Can Venjanz do it again? (49:21)

Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [14:40]: excerpt from "Jesus Loves Me feat. Satan"
Bridge Music [30:26]: excerpt from "The Atheist's Hymn"
Bridge Music [48:17]: excerpt from "Swing to the Left"
Closing Music [1:08:24]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)

Original audio source

This Week's Goddamned Links
The Moral Animal by Robert Wright
Pascal's Wager
The New Atheist Video Game
More on (Moron?) the Game
Wired on the New Game
Tommy's "Pledge Project"

Puzzling Listener
Venjanz

Another Goddamned Podcast #9: April 3, 2008

THIS WEEK – Atheists, Agnostics, Antitheists ... and Superstitious "Rationalists"

Listener Venjanz asks the Herd to explain what we mean when we say "atheist," "agnostic," or "antitheist." We begin a discussion of these terms, not in reference to their dictionary definitions, but in reference to what they mean to us when we use them in our writing and our conversation. We briefly examine the concept of evidence. (0:00)

The discussion continues. Ex wonders if we shouldn't call ourselves "a-fideists." SI claims that "god" is a term for the entire supernatural realm. But OG points out that everyone, atheists included, may have some superstitious beliefs. (16:52)

More on atheists and superstititon. Philly thinks it's possible to be an atheist and still not be a skeptic. Do any of us carry a rabbit's foot, or wear a lucky shirt? Evo is skeptical about that. Somehow the conversation comes around to Mac vs. PC, vanilla vs. chocolate, and rationalizations in general. Knock on wood, it stays pretty lively. (31:23)

Poll results. Ex fulminates about the poll-takers and accuses them of irrational rationalizing. Evo disagrees. (48:49)

Opening Music [00:00]: excerpt from "Another Goddamned Draft"
Bridge Music [16:03]: excerpt from "Heathen Boogie"
Bridge Music [30:27]: excerpt from "Latin Down the Hatches"
Bridge Music [47:36]: excerpt from "Crouching Christian Hidden Atheist"
Closing Music [57:08]: excerpt from "As Jazzy as I Get"
(All music: copyright 2008 by Rachel Murie)

Original audio source

This Week's Goddamned Links
Some Definitions of "Atheist"
Bertrand Russell: What is an Agnostic?
Wikipedia on "Antitheism"
Common Superstitions
Vanilla or Chocolate?