Neil deGrasse Tyson and Richard Dawkins in Conversation | CSICon 2022

A man known for illuminating the wonders of life on Earth will honor a man who inspires us to explore the mysteries of the cosmos, as evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins presents the Richard Dawkins Award to astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Director of the world-renowned Hayden Planetarium, and beloved by millions as a best-selling author, host of the relaunched Cosmos television series, NOVA ScienceNOW, and the StarTalk podcast and TV series, Neil deGrasse Tyson has been sharing his love of science and discovery for most of his life.
The Richard Dawkins Award is presented annually by the Center for Inquiry, home to the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, given to a distinguished individual from the worlds of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism, upholding scientific truth wherever it may lead. Previous winners include philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett, Cosmos co-creator Ann Druyan, activist and author Ayaan Hirsi Ali, actor and writer Stephen Fry, comedian and actor Ricky Gervais, screenwriter and poet Javed Akhtar, and comedian and musician Tim Minchin.
The Center for Inquiry is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. CFI’s vision is a world in which evidence, science, and compassion-rather than superstition, pseudoscience, or prejudice-guide public policy.
You can join CFI and find out what we do to protect critical thinking and science by visiting: centerforinquiry.org/about
This talk took place at the CSICon 2022 in Las Vegas on October 21, 2022

[@fidomusic]

I had the pleasure of interviewing Neil for my PhD back in 1998 in his office at the Hayden Planetarium in NYC, so this was before he became famous. I can honestly say that out of the 20 astronomers and astrophysicists I interviewed he was the nicest and most generous with his time, giving me an hour and a half, answering my questions pleasantly and clearly. I was extremely pleased when he later became a tv star and household name. Great guy.

[@tofu8688]

What did you get your PhD in?

[@Dandontlie]

​@@tofu8688 ikr

[@csquared4538]

@@Dandontlie you shouldn't kick anyone, especially not

[@johnolamide6469]

I love listening to Richard Dawkins. It's like listening to music

[@peterzinya1]

Running With the Devil comes to mind.

[@vikingthedude]

That accent makes anyone sound smart. Especially when they are

[@frankwebster9110]

​@@vikingthedudeyeah, Dawkins is an example of why the accent sounds smart. A lot of great minds had it.

[@frankwebster9110]

​@@peterzinya1running with that which doesn't exist?

[@peterzinya1]

@@frankwebster9110 Evil people who go around killing people like last week in Florida, and there is no devil?

[@louisehaley5105]

My heroes of Science !

[@HopDavid]

If you had any interest in science you'd be face palming when Tyson botches basic math and physics. The Beyond Belief conference they remember so fondly was a disaster for this clique of self proclaimed skeptics. At that conference Tyson let drop three steaming piles of wrong history. Let this clueless clique become known for their stupidity and dishonesty.

[@kristenboussa2431]

Me too❤️

[@HopDavid]

@@kristenboussa2431 You must not know much math or physics. Or history. So much of Neil's stuff is wrong.

[@mrkutty0]

​@@HopDavid Site 2 instances where he was wrong pls

[@HopDavid]

@@mrkutty0 Tyson dropped 3 steaming piles of false history at the Beyond Belief Conference Neil and Richard are so fondly remembering. But each false history slams religion. So of course Dawkins like them, never mind that that they are false. I will discuss them one at a time. The first false history was Neil's Bush and Star Names story. This false account of President Bush's 9-11 speech was a standard part of Tyson's routine for 8 years from 2006 to 2014. In the wake of 9-11 Tyson has Bush bragging that his God was the God that named the stars to dis the Arabs. He called the speech "an attempt to distinguish we from they". That's what Hate-Thy-Neighbor Christians do, right? They exploit tragedy to sow division and hatred. However Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. Then Sean Davis of the Federalist blew the whistle on Tyson in 2014. At first Tyson's defenders were pointing out the Federalist is a right wing blog, therefore his accusations were false (ad hominem). They were also claiming Neil is credible because he is a respected astrophysicist (Appeal to Authority). However nobody could find the 9-11 speech Neil described. That did not phase Neil. He informed Davis "One of our mantras in science is that the absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence." Hey, Dawkins et al don't need no steenkin evidence to back up their claims! They are the voice of objective truth. But then Sean's exposé started getting more attention, even appearing in news outlets like The Washington Post. It was very obvious Neil was wrong. He was eventually forced to admit error. Neil eventually admitted that he had confused Bush's 9-11 speech with his eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. That vile accusation was a product of Neil's preconceived notions (A.K.A. confirmation bias). Neil apologized to Bush. But then said it didn't really matter because Bush and Star Names was his intro to his talk on Ghazali and the Islamic Golden Age. Neil said his erroneous Bush and Star Names story did not discredit the larger points he was making in that talk. However Tyson's talk on the Islamic Golden Age was also a steaming load. I will expand on that if you or anyone else reading this thread are interested.

[@alexandrerighi]

Great discussion. Too bad sound engineer forgot to switch audio line back to the speakers after showing the clip

[@toonedin]

Accurate diagnosis. It detracted from enjoying the rest of the video.

[@mandarkumthekar8565]

Richard Dawkins use of vocabulary is very nice and astonishing He is genius

[@HopDavid]

He is doddering old fool.

[@charlesdemaine3083]

Another excellent and must-listen conversation between these fantastically lettered messengers of truth.

[@HopDavid]

Neil is becoming more widely known for his misinformation. Bad math, wrong science and false history. His bad math and science are merely annoying. I don't give a fuck if pseudo nerds like yourself think JWST is parked in earth's shadow, for example. But Neil's wrong history is another matter. Using false history to push a narrative is a serious offense. Let Neil and his clueless clique become known for stupidity and dishonesty.

[@regisdixit]

_Fantastically,_ indeed. Literally.

[@pietropipparolo4329]

Delusional much?

[@HopDavid]

@@pietropipparolo4329 Tyson could tell his audience that π^2 = 10. Not one of his poser fans would bat an eye.

[@regisdixit]

@@HopDavid 'PI is exactly 3!' ~ NDT

[@Richard.Cabeza]

To me, two of the most intelligent and kind people. I'm always honored and excited to listen to them talk. Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge.

[@HopDavid]

Tyson routinely botches basic math and physics. He is also a source of false history. His fans do not notice this because they are generally clueless people with little actual interest in science and history.

[@kstar1489]

@@HopDavidnot true. Provide a specific example and reasons

[@HopDavid]

@@kstar1489 For an example of his false history: his Bush and Star Names story. President Bush’s actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion, delivered from a mosque.

[@nestorrfortuna1]

Thanks RD and NdGT for all you do. Kindly from Argentina

[@HopDavid]

Credulous pseudo nerd skeptics from all over the globe. If you were a skeptic you would notice when Tyson drops steaming piles of outrageously wrong history. If you had an actual interest in science you would notice when Neil botches basic math and physics. Let this clueless clique become known for their stupidity and dishonesty.

[@meicamdarzy7280]

Patreon saints of the wisdom Hard to grasp for someone who is living in the secular west a person like me who was living for 32 years under islamic barbaric propaganda in unfortunately called islamic republic of Iran can change dramatically by the beginning of lectures by heroes like neil Richard and my greatest hero of all late Christopher hitchens I personally owe my faculty to these guys Long live the memory of christopher the great Hitchens

[@natedill9180]

Well alot of European scientists have small amounts of Jewish in them so I hope your barbarically upbringing didn’t make you racist or hate peoples because of how they were born. We’re all one. Certain people may have discovered how to study science but science itself is natural to all humans since beginning of time. Every baby is born curious

[@HopDavid]

The are addled and/or dishonest conduits of misinformation. You are unaware that Tyson's cautionary tales against religion are based on invented history? Are you okay with using false history to push the narrative?

[@regisdixit]

In that first sentence you misspelled _Patron,_ and _Stains._

[@theflyingdutchguy9870]

i love the chemistry these guys have. great to listen too

[@regisdixit]

Sulfur and methane have great chemistry, if you love listening to flatulence.

[@HopDavid]

Dawkins has listened to Neil lay out his false histories several times. And he still endorses him. Richard is either credulous or dishonest. Perhaps both.

[@MrFester63]

@@regisdixit A recommendation from a personal passion?

[@regisdixit]

@@MrFester63 Oh, an ad hominem from a random troll. How rare.

[@dirtyfishydishcloth]

​@@regisdixitwho's the troll? Pot-kettle-black

[@tommycollier9172]

I fill like he's my best friend and I have never met him,it's a joy to listen to him.

[@paulfrunza]

Loved these 2 guys. Richard will always be the class act of a scientist and thinker everyone else aspire to. And Neil it is always a pleasure to listen to. A great communicator and a nice person to be around.

[@HopDavid]

Neil would be a great science communicator if he had some standards for rigor and accuracy. Sadly, he does not.

[@carmenmccauley585]

​@@HopDavidtroll.

[@HopDavid]

@@carmenmccauley585 Calling me names does not make Tyson's false history go away. Let Dawkin's clique become known for incompetence and dishonesty. I am hoping Tyson's slander against Newton will become more widely known.

[@rockpadstudios]

I didn't care for him at first, I guess I miss Carl Sagan. As you listen to him you realize there's no script, he is quick on his feet, and he is honest. I think it's true he is the Carl Sagan of our time.

[@HopDavid]

No, Tyson is not honest. Tyson and Dawkins are fondly reminiscing about the Beyond Belief conference they met at. At Beyond Belief Tyson let drop 3 false histories attacking religion. In 2014 Sean Davis called out Tyson's Bush and Star Names fiction. This false account of Bush's 9-11 speech received a lot of attention even appearing in news outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Tyson was forced to admit that he had confused Bush's eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts with his 9-11 speech. With a great deal of arm twisting Tyson acknowledged that Bush did *NOT* try to set Christians above Muslims in his 9-11 speech. Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion delivered from a mosque. Tyson has also been made aware of his false histories regarding Newton and Ghazali. These were also delivered at the Beyond Belief Conference and many other venues over the years. To this date Tyson has made the choice not to correct the misinformation he has spread. If it is not generating too much bad publicity why not let these fictions stand? They are still effectively pushing the narrative that religion stifles science. Dawkins et al also seem to be okay with lying to push this narrative. And I believe Tchiya Amit and Ashley Watson. Tyson has demonstrated this clueless clique is credulous and dishonest. Neil and his cult of personality have no regard for the truth.

[@rockpadstudios]

@@HopDavid religion did stifle science - people were burned alive for just questioning doctrine. Religion and the fairy tales has brought nothing but misery to the human race.

[@HopDavid]

@@rockpadstudios You may be right. And maybe it is a narrative that should be pushed. In which case you should be the first to condemn Neil's false histories. Or are you okay with lying to help make your case? If so, you have no credibility. Let Dawkins' clueless clique become known for their dishonesty.

[@rockpadstudios]

​@@HopDavidThe Christian religion just brushes by their lies and you don't have any issue with that. Maybe Neil misspoke 10 years ago and doesn't feel it's worth going on stage to talk about it. I don't see the points you bring up being that important to the main topics. You are just blindly defending the religion you were born with (as always). You should admit you didn't exist before you were born. You came into existence when sperm and the egg met and was lucky enough to grow and be born. You believe that humans unlike every other mammal get an immortal soul when the sperm and egg meet. What sins the body or the soul? If the body why must the soul be saved? If the soul why must the body suffer? If both then using Hebrews "the wages of sin is death" so the soul can die. The fact is when we die we go back to the same state we were before we were born. You can believe your stories but nobody ever comes back from the dead to say they were wrong or right. You believe god burns people alive forever for not believing in pedo priests and cons like Benny Hin for example. Neil and Dawkins are just saying there is no evidence that the god of the bible or any god exist. It's been 2000+ years since jesus died for your sins, what is jesus waiting for? All we are asking are simple questions and all we get are bible verses written 2000 years ago. How many more centuries do we have to have faith that someday jesus will return? Or whatever religion you believe... Take 2 steps back and ask yourself some basic questions?

[@pietropipparolo4329]

Dawkins is no more than a reporter of Science.He is not even a lab tech.

[@tommonk7651]

Both excellent science communicators.... It's good to see Dr. Dawkins looking and sounding so well. I don't get the criticism of DeGrasse-Tyson. He doesn't pretend to be anything other than a purveyor of scientific thought to the public, and he does it very well....

[@HopDavid]

Tyson would be a good science communicator if he had some standards for rigor and accuracy. He does not. Recently Tyson was telling his audience that the James Webb Space Telescope is parked at the L2 point in earth's shadow. You don't see a problem with that? Or that rocket propellent goes exponentially with payload mass. I could go on and on. Neil's audience does not notice when the man botches basic math and science. That is because they are posers with no actual interest in science. However Neil's bad math and science are merely annoying. Much worse is when he uses wrong history to push a narrative. Tyson has five false history he has used to attack religion. He dropped three steaming piles of wrong history at the Beyond Belief Conference Neil and Richard so fondly remember.

[@tommonk7651]

@@HopDavid I am no cosmologist or astrophysicist, but I think it's pretty easy to understand L2 as the Lagrange 2 point. I, as a layman, further understand that JWST is there to minimize its exposure to solar radiation/heat. He's speaking to laymen. He's dumbing it down. He studied at Harvard, Columbia, UT-Austin and Princeton. I think he earned his degrees.... And, believe me, religion has earned every bit of scorn that can be heaped upon it.... Since you don't mention what 5 historical points you claim are false, it is impossible to contradict you.

[@HopDavid]

@@tommonk7651 JWST is in a large halo orbit around the sun-earth L2 point and never comes near earth's shadow. A lot of people were commenting on this error in the StarTalk Lagrange explainer video and this is a rare occasion where Neil admitted his mistake. So, no, JWST is not at the L2 point to minimize exposure to solar radiation. But congrats for knowing L2 is the Lagrange 2 point. You seem more up on astrophysics that most of Tyson's fans. I could spend all evening and go into detail on Neil's 5 false histories. But someone in this forum would doubtless say I'm Gish galloping. So for the moment I will just stick to Tyson's Bush and Star Names story. This false account of President Bush's 9-11 speech was delivered to a several gatherings of celebrity skeptics. It was a standard part of Neil's routine for eight years. He told it at the 2006 Beyond Belief conference that Neil and Richard are fondly remembering in the above video. Tyson has Bush bragging that his God is the God that named the stars. He called Bush's 9-11 speech "an attempt to distinguish we from they". That's what Hate-Thy-Neighbor Christians do, right? They exploit tragedy to sow division and hatred. Sadly for Tyson and his credulous following, Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. Sean Davis blew the whistle on Tyson in 2014. At first neither Tyson nor his following would admit error. Tyson's fans were saying Sean Davis was a liar and that Tyson was credible because he was a respected astrophysicist with impressive credentials. But nobody could find the speech Tyson claimed existed. Tyson rather condescendingly informed Davis "One of our mantras in science is that the absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence." Then one of Tyson's fans noticed Bush said something vaguely similar in his eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. Tyson admitted that he had confused Bush's Space Shuttle Columbia eulogy speech with his 9-11 speech. Sean Davis had suggested this in his original article. And Tyson acknowledged that Bush had not tried to set Christians above Muslims. He apologized to Bush. Kudos to Tyson for reluctantly admitting his error after it started trending, even appearing in outlets like the New York Times and The Washington Post. But shame on the so called skeptics who swallowed Neil's bullshit story without question. Year after year after year for eight years. There are four more false histories Tyson uses to attack religion. I will go on to the next one later. I am hoping Tyson and his clique will become known for their credulity and dishonesty.

[@HopDavid]

@@tommonk7651 Have you had a chance to check out what I said about Neil's Bush and Star Names speech? Can I move on to his false history regarding Newton?

[@mknightyt]

People who believe in fairy tales can't or won't endeavor to understand the intricate working of the physical world and choose fable. Those who won't and prohibit others for thinking critically about life ,existence or consequences itself choose to believe often without questioning religion or magic

[@donaldjmccann]

Sound becomes unbearable at the end, but otherwise good discussion.

[@HopDavid]

I can't bear to watch the long, tedious exercise in 69ing one another. Did they mention the 2006 Beyond Belief conference? It annoys me this vid had no transcript with time stamps.

[@neilchhibber2946]

I have a deep respect for these distinguished intellectuals. Hearing them talk lowers my anxiety and tests my mental capabilities in a good way. I am so fortunate to have watched this video!

[@neurodivtries4101]

Richard Dawkins is the greatest man of our times.

[@HopDavid]

Richard's greatest contribution is coining the word "meme". Both these men are pop science celebrities.

[@Azho64]

I would love to see both read hate emails together that would be a blast.Have great respect for both thanks for the video

[@HopDavid]

It blows right by you when Tyson fucks up basic math and physics. You have no clue that much of his history is wrong. Tyson's following is truly dumber than a bag of rocks.

[@skate103]

Best idea ever!🤣

[@tonypavone9775]

Rationalia, there it is again. I'm in Neil, start the thing already!! I know, I know , these things take time, of which the universe has plenty of , but not us... Just hope that someday soon we will see the sprouting of this fabulous idea!!

[@pjaworek6793]

How "terrible" a rational life is, basing decisions on evidence and reason, just ludicrous. How are we supposed to keep robbing, killing, mind-controlling other people? Next you'll want to do something useful with society. It's a slippery slope.

[@HopDavid]

"One of our mantras in science is that the absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence" - Neil deGrasse Tyson's reply to Sean Davis' challenge. At first Tyson would not admit his Bush and Star Names story was false. But then the story started trending, even appearing in outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Tyson had confused Bush's 9-11 speech with his eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion delivered from a mosque. With a great deal of arm twisting Neil eventually admitted his error and apologized to President Bush. There were two other Nagasaki bull shit bombs set off at the Beyond Belief conference Neil and Richard so fondly remember. Neil's stories regarding Ghazali and Newton are also confused fictions. But Tyson has yet to acknowledge these errors. So please stop this lip service about evidence based policy. None of these self appointed ministers of truth give a damn about evidence. They are quite happy to repeat falsehoods if they seem to support the narrative.

[@askagain]

Thank you gentlemen, you are amongst the few people that make an orchestra out of any topic and turn any seemingly insignificant word into an erupting micro universe and am sure that if you wouldn't be limited by time and schedule conflicts, it would go on and neither of you would run out of ideas or fuel until you'd get interrupted by one like Lawrence Krauss , so, with admiration i wish you both the best and cannot wait to witness many more such dialogs in the future.

[@HopDavid]

Multi syllabic word salad. Tyson is a source of misinformation. I am hoping his following will become known for their stupidity and dishonesty.

[@tomnohmy1273]

Big fan of Neil

[@HopDavid]

You're a big fan of wrong science and false history?

[@tomnohmy1273]

@@HopDavid ur a loser troll deuchebag. Don't get u weirdo s. I've never trolled a person s comments. I have a life. Go back to helping ur mommy.

[@vpower2799]

@@HopDavid peasant

[@user-vm9hh2se7s]

@@HopDavid given how many comments you’ve posted you’re clearly Neil’s No1 closet fanboy 😂

[@HopDavid]

@@user-vm9hh2se7s Actually my target is Dawkins and the aalewis crowd. Given that y'all are okay with Tyson's false histories we can say you're credulous and'/or dishonest. Given that nobody notices when Tyson fucks up basic math and physics we can say you're posers without a deep interest in science.

[@fleabaglane]

Listening both is very smooth and mellow

[@Jade-ye1rp]

The bromance these two have give me life. ❤

[@aodiankong9454]

Nagkaroon ako ng interes sa larangan ng agham mula noong napakinggan ko si Propesor Niel De Grass Tyson sa kanyang programa at mga panayam. Naka-aaliw siya at kaalinsabay nito ang pagkatuto o pagkamulat sa maraming bagay na pawang katotohanan dahil may batayan sa agham at hindi ng mga katha o bunga lamang ng sariling kaisipan. Maigting ang aking pagnanais na sana ay magkadaupang-palad at makita ko ng personal o harap si Propesor.❤❤

[@SixthMassExtinction]

Brilliant discussion between two greats! Thankyou. ❤

[@danfulotikadoguga8632]

I love hearing these two poetic scientists discuss. I started with The Poetry of Science and I have ever been grateful for the insight they shared about science.

[@moirosalina]

I love Neils hounest feedback to Richard and also his responds

[@eduardogarcia3636]

Just two days ago I went to see Neil live and let me tell you.. it’s something else.. quite the experience

[@HopDavid]

He hollers and waves his arms. Great wardrobe! Was he barefoot for your show? The most entertaining parts is when he completely fucks up basic physics. Or his wrong history is also fun. You can watch his audience eat that shit up. And know that Neil's following is some of the most clueless folks on this planet.

[@jthomas5o158]

Two of the absolute greatest minds, on this planet!

[@GilbertoHernandez-xl9ig]

I saw that video he mentions In the beginning. The "sensitivity with your state of mind" part i said it at the same time. I remember those words of neil very accurstely and I believe they hold the key to being a good educatorm

[@j_j8758]

It feels like they've come together after so many years on KZbin. I remember watching that Startalk episode on TV accidentally. I think it was 2011 or 2012. I might be wrong. I didn't even know their names. I just watched it coz it was interesting talk.

[@NiklasMX]

What a fantastic conversation between these two beautiful minds!

[@balaji-kartha]

the brilliance of scientific minds is awesome

[@HopDavid]

Neither of these pop science celebrities are scientists.

[@mrkutty0]

Both these men have introduced, motivated and inspired us with their knowledge, wit & wisdom. Jus listening/watching to these men will make u smarter😊

[@HopDavid]

Well Actually... listening to them will make you even stupider. Tyson is a source of bad math, wrong science and false history. Neil's and his false histories attacking religion have been embraced by people like Dawkins, Novella, Krauss et al. Thus demonstrating these self proclaimed skeptics are as credulous as they come. Let this clueless cult become known for stupidity and dishonesty.

[@ZadokthePriest11]

admired both for a very long times. glad for the conversation

[@HopDavid]

You admire sloppy scholarship? You admire Tyson's misinformation?

[@ICarus-eu3jv]

What misinformation?

[@HopDavid]

@@ICarus-eu3jv Tyson dropped three steaming piles at the San Diego conference Neil and Richard are fondly reminiscing about. Google: Bush and Star Names. This was the title of Tyson's talk where he gave a false account of President Bush's 9-11 speech. Tyson tells us that Bush was bragging that his God was the God that named the stars -- in "an attempt to distinguish we from they". In vids of the event the camera will sometimes play over the audience. You can see the rapturous faces of Dawkins and other credulous skeptics eating that shit up. Sadly for Tyson and his clueless cult, Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. At Beyond Belief Tyson also shared invented histories regarding Isaac Newton and Hamid al Ghazali. A few years later he told the same stories to the folks at TAM6, another high profile conference of self proclaimed skeptics. Tyson has told these stories over and over and over again, year after year after year. They are great examples of what Tyson calls political truths: falsehoods repeated until they become generally accepted. Let this clueless clique become known for stupidity and dishonesty.

[@ICarus-eu3jv]

@@HopDavid "Tyson dropped three steaming piles at the San Diego conference Neil and Richard are fondly reminiscing about. Google: Bush and Star Names. This was the title of Tyson's talk where he gave a false account of President Bush's 9-11 speech. Tyson tells us that Bush was bragging that his God was the God that named the stars -- in "an attempt to distinguish we from they". In vids of the event the camera will sometimes play over the audience. You can see the rapturous faces of Dawkins and other credulous skeptics eating that shit up. Sadly for Tyson and his clueless cult, Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. At Beyond Belief Tyson also shared invented histories regarding Isaac Newton and Hamid al Ghazali. A few years later he told the same stories to the folks at TAM6, another high profile conference of self proclaimed skeptics. Tyson has told these stories over and over and over again, year after year after year. They are great examples of what Tyson calls political truths: falsehoods repeated until they become generally accepted. Let this clueless clique become known for stupidity and dishonesty." Hamid al Ghazali was one of many factors that contributed to the decline of the golden age of Islamic scholarship. While the Mongol invasion and the Crusades are other major external factors, Neil deGrasse Tyson's choice of mentioning Hamid al Ghazali's edict was that it from within. Tyson was looking for a connection between an increase in religiosity and decrease in curiosity and scientific progress. Less than 1% of Nobel Prize winners have Islamic origins. Why is your reply is not showing up here? Have you been banned?

[@HopDavid]

@@ICarus-eu3jv I notice you chose to ignore Tyson's Bush and Star Names story. Tyson claims there is a Ghazali text containing the assertion that math is the work of the devil. There is no such Ghazali text. Tyson got this quote from the same place he got the Bush and Star names speech. It is a steaming nugget Neil pulled from his butt. Also Islamic innovation did not end with Ghazali. Al Tusi, the astronomer and mathematician came 100 yars after Ghazali. Abu al Hasan, the father of symbolic algebra, was born more than three centuries after Ghazali's death. There were many Islamic mathematicians and scientists in the centuries following Ghazali. Tyson points out that 1.4 billion Muslims alive today have earned only a handful of Nobel prizes in science. But you can say the same for the 1.4 billion people living in India. And the 1.4 billion people living in China. And these are populations that have enjoyed periods of innovation. In fact what Tyson calls the Arabic numerals come from India. And Islam's al Khwarizmi owes a lot to India's Brhamagupta when it comes to developing algebra. Caliphs were following the Koran's instructions when they gathered knowledge from all over the globe, preserved and copied it. They deserve credit for this. But Tyson falsely suggests the Arabs invented many of the concepts they gathered and spread. Tyson's history is false and his arguments ridiculous. Let his clueless following become known for stupidity and dishonesty.

[@sammo7877]

Great conversation shame about the audio at the end

[@rajeshkamath822000]

2 of the most brilliant men to ever walk this Earth. Science becomes poetry in their hands.

[@studioelb]

I love them both very intelligent people and respectful. My Respect. ❤

[@DavidBadilloMusic]

This is so awesome and wholesome. Imagine if we had video clips of gems like the ones Neil shared, from past scientists like Einstein, Bohr, Newton, Galileo!

[@HopDavid]

Einstein, Born, Newton and Galileo were actual scientists who made actual contributions.

[@DavidBadilloMusic]

@@HopDavid Be happy. They are not Einstein, but they've done good stuff.

[@HopDavid]

@@DavidBadilloMusic Not that familiar with Dawkins. But I know Tyson is pathetic. He has a very high Kardashian index. I'd give Neil credit as an educator if he did and homework. But he doesn't. So much of his pop science is inaccurate or even flat out wrong.

[@DavidBadilloMusic]

@@HopDavid Not necessarily trying to defend him but, do you have an example? I do like the guy, but I much appreciate truth, so I would love to know of any erroneous information he might be spreading, if he has done so.

[@HopDavid]

@@DavidBadilloMusic I have made a list of Tyson's wrong claims titled "Fact Checking Neil deGrasse Tyson". If you Google that text string along with the quotation marks you can find my list. There are several hits with that title. Mine is from hopsblog. I will give one example here. Tyson's Bush and Star Names story. Tyson told this story at the Beyond Belief Conference Neil and Richard were reminiscing about. And also at TAM6. It was a standard part of his routine for 8 years. In the wake of 9-11 Tyson had President Bush bragging that his God was the God that named the stars. Tyson call the speech "an attempt to distinguish we from they." Of course Dawkins et al loved the story. It portrayed a Christian president too stupid to know that Muslims and Christians are both Abrahamic faiths. It also featured the hate-thy-neighbor Christian stereotype, a president who exploits disaster to sow divsion. Sadly for Tyson and his credulous following, Bush's actual speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. Sean Davis called out the Bush and Star Names story in 2014. At first Tyson would not admit error. Tyson could not produce the speech he claimed existed. But he informed Davis that in science they had a mantra that the absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence. But the story started receiving more attention, even appearing in outlets like the Washington Post. Eventually Tyson admitted he had confused Bush's eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts with his 9-11 speech. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. The Bush and Star Names story is one of five false histories Tyson's used to attack religion. I have nothing against arguing against religion if the arguments are truthful and the person making them is arguing in good faith. Heaven knows there are legitimate anti-theist arguments. But using false histories should be condemned. It should be condemned most vigorously by those pushing an anti-theist narrative. In the long run it does more harm than good for their credibility.

[@lovetownsend]

the hug at end meant alot

[@mut8inG]

There ain’t no such thing as “SUPER NATURAL”❗️”YOU CREATE REALITY.” Period. YOU joyfully chose to come out of this planet and YOU ARE IT, every molecule, every atom. Hallelujah 🎶👏🏼🌸

[@MustafaBaabad]

I am an Indonesian and it is a great effort for me to capture English conversation. The sound system surely need to be improved. Instead of placing one big speaker, they should use more smaller speakers at various locations. When the big speaker getting too loud, the sound bounced every where and created echo and the words hard to be captured. I love listening to Neil De Grass Tyson and Richard Dawkins, but when the sound gets too loud then I lost the words. Cheers from Indonesia.

[@idaearl927]

Thank you

[@SkyeMinch]

I’m crying this entire time 🥹😭💗

[@johnferguson4089]

I love hearing both of these gentlemen, they are so full of great ideas but after the video was played somewhere in the middle of the discussion there was an echo as if they were being recorded from a distant microphone and it became un-listenable so I had to terminate the video. A pity as I was enjoying the conversation.

[@PaulSinnema]

Although this is an older video it is not less important. Neil, again, convinces me that Science is the only true path. Knowing what you are talking about is the most important truth. Nice how Neil makes the distinction between Science and Art. Knowing that you don’t have to understand what see is also Science. A Scientist is not a person with an opinion (only) he/she knows what they are talking about because they studied it thoroughly. Neil and Richard have become my heroes, I love the fact that I’m not alone out there with my believes.

[@HopDavid]

Neil often doesn't know what he's talking about. However he will give you that impression since he speaks with such confidence. But if you happen to know some math, physics and history he is good for many face palms.

[@aubreeshepherd1873]

Love these guys!!!

[@alloverdaplace2043]

I could listen to these two all day

[@jassjason]

Fire 🔥 and ice 🧊 love it

[@sebastienbadia]

Rationality to the scientists Irrationality to the Artists: Oh ! That's a good idea ! I approve !

[@catalinpoppa7020]

Wow thank God no no i m joking for these two beautiful minds and of course hope we will see them talking with such intelectual clarity witt well they are SIMPLY inspirancional

[@lesliejora9344]

Good to c doctor Richard

[@reinforcedpenisstem]

Two legends!

[@HopDavid]

Legendary bull shitters. Tyson gets so much wrong. He invests all his time on wardrobe, crafting dramatic sound bites, hand gestures, etc. Which leaves him no time to study the topics he's supposedly explaining. Tyson's bad math and science and merely annoying. Who cares if his fans think there are more transcendental numbers than irrationals? However his wrong history is another matter. Using false history to push a narrative is a serious offense.

[@ProProboscis]

12:48 I'm happy to correct Neil on this one (not often you can do that): The constitution will have one article. Amendments are changes needed later to an existing body of law.

[@HopDavid]

On the contrary... Neil is often botching basic math and physics. And he is often a source of wrong history.

[@oldgymrat71]

I was an exaltar boy, lawyer athiest and sent my 2 children to Catholic grade school that they might know our cultural roots and choose for themseves.

[@HopDavid]

Maybe higher standards is another reason? Students from Catholic schools consistently have higher scores in standardized tests. Muslim and Christian philosophers institutionalized the scientific method. Muslim clerics and Catholic priests taught literacy, built schools, universities, libraries, hospitals and observatories. Galileo was taught his 3 R's by Catholic priests. He attended and worked at university built by a pope. Without the Catholic Church there would have been no Galileo. Tyson has used five false histories to attack religion. He shared three of these false histories at the 2006 Beyond Belief conference he and Neil are so fondly remembering the above vid. All three of these false histories were swallowed with question by the self proclaimed skeptics in attendance. Let these "skeptics" become known for their credulity. So far Tyson has acknowledged only one of his false histories. In 2014 Sean Davis of the Federalist blew the whistle on Tyson's Bush and Star Names story. In this false account of Bush's 9-11 speech Tyson has Bush bragging that his God is the God that named the stars. He called the speech "an attempt to distinguish we from they" Sadly for Tyson and his credulous fans, Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. It turns out that Tyson had confused Bush's 9-11 speech with his eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. At first Tyson would not admit error. But then the story started trending, even appearing in outlets like the New York TImes and The Washington Post. He had little choice but to fess up and apologized to Bush. The tale had been a standard part of Tyson's routine for eight years. He would often share it at gatherings of self proclaimed skeptics like Beyond Belief or James Randi's TAM gatherings. To this date I have not seen Tyson make any effort to correct his false histories regarding Isaac Newton and Hamid al Ghazali. Both of these stories are still effective in tarring religion. So Tyson, Dawkins et al are happy to let them remain in circulation. Let Dawkins and his clique become known for credulity and dishonesty.

[@XX-qi5eu]

Religion is a lie.

[@HopDavid]

@@XX-qi5eu Tyson and his friends have made no effort to correct his falsehoods. Let Dawkins’ clueless clique become known for dishonesty and stupidity.

[@lovetownsend]

Two of the most awesome dudes on planet.

[@captainzappbrannagan]

Both are heroes to me and I hope many others. Could listen to their conversations all day.

[@HopDavid]

Neil is a gift to apologists. When Dawkins endorses Tyson and his false histories he demonstrates a) he is credulous, b) he is dishonest, or c) he is credulous and dishonest. Neil is also a source of wrong math and physics. It is entertaining to watch him screw up freshman physics.

[@captainzappbrannagan]

@@HopDavid Hate much?

[@HopDavid]

@@captainzappbrannagan I hate falsehoods. How about you? Do you think it's okay to lie to push a narrative?

[@captainzappbrannagan]

@@HopDavid Yes when the narrative is objective truths. What exactly do you think neil is wrong about like with specific example.

[@HopDavid]

@@captainzappbrannagan A few examples of his wrong physics: He says rocket propellant goes exponentially with payload mass. Which is false. It goes exponentially with delta V. He says the James Webb Space Telescope is parked at the L2 point in Earth’s shadow to keep the telescope cold. JWST is in a large halo orbit around L2 and never comes near earth’s shadow. There are many examples. He invests more time on his wardrobe than he does studying the subjects he supposedly explains. His bad math and science are merely annoying. I don’t really care if his pseudo nerd fans think there are more transcendental numbers than irrationals for example. His wrong history is another matter. Using false history to push a narrative is a serious offense. An example of his false history is his Bush and Star Names story. He told this tale at the 2006 Beyond Belief Conference that Neil and Richard so fondly remember. He continued telling this story until 2014. This fiction was a standard part of his routine for eight years. In 2014 Sean Davis of The Federalist called out Neil’s tale. At first Neil and his cult members would not admit error. Nobody could find the divisive, Arab bashing speech Tyson described. Neil rather condescendingly informed Davis that absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence. But then the story started to trend, even appearing in The Washington Post. Neil was eventually forced to admit he had confused Bush’s eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts with his 9-11 speech. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. Bush’s actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. Other false histories from Tyson are his stories regarding Ghazali, Newton and Copernicus. Tyson has made no effort to correct this misinformation. Nor has anyone from Dawkins’ clique. They see no need to set the record straight so long as the false histories remain effective in pushing their narrative. Let this clueless clique become known for stupidity and dishonesty

[@aviator346]

Unfortunatly politicians do not have this level of intellect..

[@douglaswmcgavin8509]

The video is shaky at the start but it gets better. But the sound and video is really bad for the last 10 minutes. Please adjust its a great talk. Thank you

[@alexkang7360]

I love richard giggling

[@HopDavid]

He's good at giggling. But he evidently doesn't know who Leonhard Euler is. Sprained arms are common in this sophomoric bunch. You like to vigorously pat yourselves on the back for your scientific literacy. But none of you notice when Tyson fucks up basic math and physics. None of you notice when Tyson drops steaming piles of outrageously wrong history. Let this clueless clique become known for their stupidity and dishonesty.

[@alexkang7360]

@@HopDavid but im gay

[@HopDavid]

@@alexkang7360 Whether you are gay or straight you should be repelled by bad science and false history.

[@tomneedham1937]

It is a pity the audio is so bad, particularly the last 10 minutes or so. Here we have, arguably, two of the finest rational thinkers on Planet Earth being recorded by amateur audio engineers. It was a disgrace to both Dawkins and Tyson.

[@TBOTSS]

Dawkins disgraced himself when he ran away from William Lane Craig.

[@HopDavid]

Tyson is an addled buffoon. So much of his math, science and history are flat out false. And Dawkins endorses this source of falsehoods. Richard is either credulous or dishonest. Perhaps both. Your emperors are buck naked.

[@neologian1783]

@@TBOTSS There's a difference between "running away" and "refusing to give a crackpot a podium on your platform." :-) Much respect to Dawkins for knowing the difference.

[@TBOTSS]

@@neologian1783 So nothing to do with WLC beating up two of Dawkins' follow Four Housemen of Atheism - Harris and Hitchens? Humiliating fellow Oxford academics A.C. Greyling and Peter Adkins? Dawkins just after this time toured with Lawrence Kruass - do you remember what WLC did to Kruass?

[@neologian1783]

@@TBOTSS We clearly saw different debates LOL. WLC revealed himself to be a mental midget next to those guys. But whatever....one of the great things about the credulity of faith is it lets you see whatever you want to see...no matter what, and often in direct opposition to what actually is. We can agree to disagree. I'll go back to the land of evidence and reason and you can go back to waiting for your rapture LOL (good luck with that)

[@bretnetherton9273]

Awareness is known by awareness alone.

[@aminesaihe4844]

love you dawkinz from marocoo

[@HopDavid]

Credulous pseudo nerd skeptics from all over the globe. If you were a skeptic you would notice when Tyson drops steaming piles of outrageously wrong history. If you had an actual interest in science you would notice when Neil botches basic math and physics. Let this clueless clique become known for their stupidity and dishonesty.

[@aminesaihe4844]

@@HopDavid تكشمو كامل بالامازيغية هههه

[@HopDavid]

@@aminesaihe4844 دع المتشككين المعلنين عن أنفسهم يصبحون معروفين بسذاقتهم وخيانة الأمانة. تايسون هو مصدر الأكاذيب. يمكن للشخص الذي يتمتع بمهارات التفكير النقدي أن يشم تاريخه الخاطئ من مسافة بعيدة.

[@donnyh3497]

​@@HopDavid Show your god. Fool

[@HopDavid]

@@donnyh3497 Have you seen me claim the existence of God? No. I am pointing out that Tyson dropped three, large steaming piles of false history at the Beyond Belief conference he and Richard are so fondly remembering. Throwing a straw man at me doesn't make Tyson's fictions go away. Rather it is yet another example of Tyson's cult using logical fallacies to defend their butt naked emperor. Let this clueless clique become known for stupidity and dishonesty.

[@campervanman5340]

"I think Niel is probably one of the greatest minds ever to grace the earth". ~ Niel DeGrasse Tyson.

[@brandonjanssen1981]

Hey, I've used Dawkins tactics and tactics that are more similar to Neil and both and neither can work or backfire but I'm glad we have them both because I can't be bothered to deal with the retards on this planet lol

[@HopDavid]

Dawkins and a lot of other clueless folks seem to agree. Tyson has successfully marketed himself as a modern day Isaac Newton. Tyson's following doesn't seem to notice when Niel botches basic math and physics. They don't seem to notice Niel's false histories. Truly 'Murica is suffering a shortage of scientific literacy.

[@duckamuk1311]

@@HopDavid Just who is this "Niel" person you are referring to? Thank you for your opinion and keep up the average work.

[@HopDavid]

@@duckamuk1311 Niel Tyson: JWST is parked in earth's shadow so as to keep the telescope cold Duck Amuck: Oh my flying spaghetti monster! What genius! Tyson is a 21st century Isaac Newton! Hollister: Niel is an idiot. And his fans are idiots. They are oblivious to the fact Niel is a source of bad science and wrong history. Duck Amuck: Who is Niel? You truly are dumber than a bag of rocks.

[@regisdixit]

@Get Zappéd 1974 He's the pharaoh of denial.

[@L_MAO_]

Two of my idols together ❤

[@HopDavid]

You have never noticed Neil botching basic math and physics? If not I would have to say you have a shallow interest in math and science. You have never noticed Neil's anti-theist histories are addled fictions? You evidently don't make it a habit to challenge claims to see if they are supported by evidence. Tyson likes to say scientific literacy empowers you to know when someone is full of shit. Your clueless cult really needs some scientific literacy.

[@illuminateyourmind]

Great chat between great minds. The point of adopting an arbitrary view in a debating exercise is to help gain objectivity. It’s something I feel was a misunderstanding in the book. It’s to gain a more flexible outlook and the ability to see more than the side that we prefer, and which is our line of least resistance. It’s an anti-dogma exercise.

[@HopDavid]

Great minds? Neil is a source of misinformation. You haven't noticed when he botches basic math and physics? You haven't noticed his false histories? Neil is a stupid person's idea of a great mind.

[@illuminateyourmind]

@@HopDavid troll much?

[@HopDavid]

@@illuminateyourmind For example Tyson's Bush and Star Names story. It was one of three false histories Tyson delivered at the Beyond Belief Conference Neil and Richard so fondly remember. And a false history Tyson would tell many times over the next eight years. Always received with enthusiastic applause from the self proclaimed skeptics in Tyson's audiences. He delivered it until the fall of 2014 when Sean Davis called out Neil's tale. At first Tyson would not admit his falsehoods. He rather condescendingly told Davis "One of our mantras in science is that the absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence." But then the story started to trend. It even appeared in the New York Times and the Washington Post. With a great deal of arm twisting Tyson admitted he had confused Bush's eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts with his 9-11 speech. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. In fact Bush's actual speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion. It was delivered from a mosque. Bush was the exact opposite of the xenophobic demagogue Tyson described. And there were two other false histories in delivered at Beyond Belief. Tyson's stories regarding Newton and Ghazali are also fiction. Has Tyson or any of his clique made an effort to correct this misinformation? Of course not. So long as these tales continue to persuade they will let them remain in circulation. Dawkins and Tyson have no regard for the truth. Let this toxic cult of personality become known for their dishonesty.

[@marylinc656]

Many high profile public figures find it incredibly difficult to publicly admit to being atheists because of the potential damage it might do to their reputation which I completely understand. For that reason I hugely admire Richard Dawkins outspoken efforts to spread the atheist message trying to encourage people to dump their religions and replace them with evidence based scientific truth.

[@titan2984]

Sound is clear after 47:50

[@jamesschneider2091]

On Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 read from the Book of Genesis as they orbited the Moon. Madalyn Murray O'Hair, founder of American Atheists, responded by suing the United States government, alleging violations of the First Amendment. I concur - based on a preponderance of evidence - with the plaintiff! 😉

[@jonmce1]

I'm not sure the jury system is the best form. The Germans do not use it but instead have more than one judge depending on the seriousness of the case. Has anyone actually ran experiments to determine what system gives the most accurate results.

[@DEEPMUCH]

Why did the audio get so terrible toward the end?

[@Forest-jj7pj]

¡ Muy bien !

[@larrykeyes4979]

"Then shut the fuck up" is poetic, and makes me smile! Fuck it! You go Neil!!!! That's one of the reasons I love you. You are the most genuine person I know.

[@himawansantoso]

Both are my heroes.

[@HopDavid]

Tyson's very good at attracting and holding attention. He is a great entertainer, a master at crafting viral soundbites. His hand gestures, cosmic themed wardrobe, vocal delivery are all well done efforts. Unfortunately he is too busy being compelling and entertaining to do his homework to get his facts straight. He is becoming more widely known as a source of misinformation. Bad math, wrong science and false history. This will become increasingly embarrassing for those who've put him on a pedestal. And that includes Dawkins and company. Neil has used five false histories to attack religion. Endorsing Tyson and his falsehoods demonstrates credulity and/or dishonesty. Tyson is an Achilles heel for Dawkins and friends.

[@krisbest6405]

According to Al Beilik this comes in an A,I ,,Concept, if you don,t like the laws of the cities you can live in the boom docks.

[@bees313]

Wonderful discussion. NDT is a great human being.

[@HopDavid]

I wish Neil would make some effort to correct the misinformation he's spread. His failure to do so demonstrates he has no regard for truth.

[@svendtang5432]

We need both voices of reason.. the persuasive and the bit your just wrong type.. especially in religion the latter needs to be put out there because we are so used to tip toe around it that we nearly forget to be clear when things simply are wrong

[@HopDavid]

You're okay with Tyson straight up inventing histories to slam religion? May his toxic cult of personality become known for stupidity and dishonesty.

[@abigailgerlach5443]

Page 65...access the movie "2010". Similar circumstances.

[@kstar1489]

Btw, Dawkins is wrong about the Maori thing. It’s about mentioning mauri contributions and history to science, though done differently, in terms of for instance medicine. This knowledge was not gathered in the typical scientific method way of more modern times, but did contribute and find verifiable knowledge. It’s not about telling myths. Also, not all science contributions can be taught in all classes, so having mentions of local indigenous people, or just indigenous people as a whole, and other cultures not often represented in science, is a good thing.

[@farazahmedatYOUTUBE]

22:00 Dream moment🎉

[@douglaswmcgavin8509]

I would consider myself a citizen of Rationalia. Where can I get my new id please. Thank you both for a great conversation.

[@HopDavid]

"One of our mantras in science is that the absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence" - Neil deGrasse Tyson's reply to Sean Davis' challenge. At first Tyson would not admit his Bush and Star Names story was false. But then the story started trending, even appearing in outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Tyson had confused Bush's 9-11 speech with his eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion delivered from a mosque. With a great deal of arm twisting Neil eventually admitted his error and apologized to President Bush. There were two other Nagasaki bull shit bombs set off at the Beyond Belief conference Neil and Richard so fondly remember. Neil's stories regarding Ghazali and Newton are also confused fictions. But Tyson has yet to acknowledge these errors. So please stop this lip service about evidence based policy. None of these self appointed ministers of truth give a damn about evidence. They are quite happy to repeat falsehoods if they seem to support their favorite narratives.

[@robertjohnson9500]

Science asks the question to uncover the truth in reality

[@TheHorseValse]

👏👏👏👏

[@alexanderpeca7080]

I don't know if ppl realize how important is Neil's point about allowing 'irrationalities' in our life. We already got a glimpse of how a strictly rational society may look like: the communists societies of the 20th century were ugly (normal life, buildings, etc). I am right now in Bali (Indonesia) and although I am an atheist and a rational human being, I admire all the beautiful things ppl do here in the name of Balinese Hinduism - the temples, the little offerings on the street, etc.

[@klumaverik]

I would like for my children to become citizens of Rationalia. I want to be a citizen too but it probably won't happen in my lifetime.

[@HopDavid]

"One of our mantras in science is that the absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence" - Neil deGrasse Tyson's reply to Sean Davis' challenge. At first Tyson would not admit his Bush and Star Names story was false. But then the story started trending, even appearing in outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Tyson had confused Bush's 9-11 speech with his eulogy for the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. However in neither speech did Bush try to set Christians above Muslims. Bush's actual 9-11 speech was a call for tolerance and inclusion delivered from a mosque. With a great deal of arm twisting Neil eventually admitted his error and apologized to President Bush. There were two other Nagasaki bull shit bombs set off at the Beyond Belief conference Neil and Richard so fondly remember. Neil's stories regarding Ghazali and Newton are also confused fictions. But Tyson has yet to acknowledge these errors. So please stop this lip service about evidence based policy. None of these self appointed ministers of truth give a damn about evidence. They are quite happy to repeat falsehoods if they seem to support the narrative.

[@klumaverik]

@Hollister David What does your claims of Tyson's mistakes have to do with the city of Rationalia?

[@HopDavid]

@@klumaverik That those who claim to make evidence based decisions often don't really pay attention to evidence. They are just as vulnerable to confirmation bias and other human failings as the next person.

[@klumaverik]

@Hollister David @Hollister David I have to point out that just because you have found a couple examples of them being wring in some way doesn't justify throwing away their view points as a whole. You have to take each one independently. Now if that was a consistent issue, like Trump, I would have to agree.

[@johnjohnson6672]

Heroes? ...I dont think this conversation goes over too well at the Judgement. Its like, "Im so brilliant"..."Yeah, Im amazing too...I just wish I could have figured out what virtually all of humanity could comprehend in all of 2 seconds"..

[@johnhaddad3401]

Thought provoking conversation. Interesting reactions in the comments.

[@HopDavid]

Have you seen my comments calling out Neil's false histories?

[@johnhaddad3401]

@@HopDavid Yes I did. That was part of what made the comments interesting. (Not that I agree-)

[@HopDavid]

@@johnhaddad3401 Do you agree with my criticism of Tyson's Bush and Star Names video? That is a very well documented Tyson falsehood.

[@johnhaddad3401]

@@HopDavid I can't agree. I'm totally unfamiliar with Bush and Star names video.

[@HopDavid]

@@johnhaddad3401 When someone challenges Neil's claims the typical response from Tyson and his fans is to ignore it. Will any of Tyson's following in this thread bother to investigate my criticisms? I doubt it. You will advise your neighbors to challenge claims to see if they're supported by evidence. But you don't follow your own damn advice. Dawkins and company are very concerned about the motes in the eyes of their neighbors. But you are oblivious to the logs jammed in you own eye sockets.

[@butters8632]

The GOATS got the best humor

[@peterclarke6191]

The New Zealand issue is more about preserving the indigenous culture of the Maori than teaching an alternative to science. It ties in more w what Neil said about the left culture hopping to say, Navajo creation stories, to allay white guilt. It's well intentioned and certainly better than how the Australians just eradicated Aboriginal culture.

[@poupous5454]

Kneel for Neil Degrass... he has a knack of layman's playing things that are so complex... I owe him my pursuit and taste for curiosity in the skies and beyond!!|44°

[@HopDavid]

Neil routinely botches basic math and physics. He is making you even dumber.

[@KeyurRohit]

Which book are they talking about??

[@scottplumer3668]

Starry Messenger, NDT's latest.

[@KeyurRohit]

@@scottplumer3668 thanks I just got it

[@cyrusaalborg]

At the time 19 y old Christopher Hitchens should have wrote a piece to read for Apollo 8 crews

[@MT-kx2uc]

When he was a Trotskyist 😂😂

[@studentoflife3149]

You guys get Neil wrong. He’s actually a good listener… with people whose intellect he actually respects, Dawkins, Shapiro, Hawking, and here. He just doesn’t respect Joe Rogan and others in that level… he probably feels irritated.

[@tjwoosta]

At one point Mr Dawkins says something along the lines of "if we had 8 fingers instead of 10 we would have learned octal or hexadecimal instead and perhaps the digital computer would have been invented sooner. I'm curious how that would be possible? Didn't we have base 8 math before the transistor?

[@tube4Thabor]

I've very much a fan, but I don't think I would be willing to become a citizen of Rationalia.. It is a lovely aspiration, but as an engineer I see to many potential issues in the execution. Who is the arbiter of how much evidence is sufficient? Do we have sufficient evidence to enact laws protecting freedom, equality, or expressions of art? What about particular expressions of art such as hip-hop or death metal? Gathering and evaluating evidence can be a long process.. Or taking an example from Cosmos what about situations where we have different interpretations of the same evidence. Who gets to decided which interpretation will prevail? I absolutely accept the ideal that we should act as rationally as possible.. But I also believe there may be other ideals that should inform our action even when the evidence hasn't developed yet.

[@HopDavid]

That's the thing. Who appoints the ministers of truth? All of us carry our own set of preconceived notions. We are all prone to error and confirmation bias. Neil himself is a source of a great deal of false history. Anyone who endorse this source of misinformation doesn't really demand evidence. Tyson has made many claims wholly unsupported by evidence.

[@propagafun4368]

I love Dr. Tyson for his passion of science and great educator, but I can't stand it when he interrupted people between conversation. Dr. Dawkins and Dr. Sagan rarely interrupting people, they listen the argues first and give a reasonable answer calmly.

[@CE700Driver]

Dawkins corners NDT on one of the few items I also objected to in this book re: the the anecdote in "Starry Messenger" discussing the reading of genesis on the Apollo mission. NDT's response is weak and he talks in circles and interrupts rather than acknowledge Dawkins had a strong point. NDT is brilliant but in these moments has bought a little too much into his own legend.

[@DEEPMUCH]

37:30 This was so cute.

[@sergical5]

Legend though he is, Tyson is obnoxious. He even had Dawkins saying "Let me finish!"

[@HopDavid]

Neil invests more time in his wardrobe than he does studying the subjects he supposedly explains. He is a source of bad math, wrong physics and false history. How does he get away with it? Because his audience is clueless. They are generally posers with no actual interest in math, science or history. Most of Tyson's misinformation is harmless. I don't care if his audience believes there are more transcendental numbers than irrationals, for example. His wrong history is another matter. Using false history to push a narrative is a serious offense. By endorsing this source of misinformation Dawkins is signalling that he is either credulous or dishonest. Perhaps both.

[@omarwaheed9359]

I need transportation