Richard Dawkins & Daniel Dennett. Oxford, 9 May 2012

Taped live at the event in Oxford, UK by
clearstory.co.uk/

[@Goattongue]

The fact that I can click a few buttons...and access content like this.... immediately...and pretty much for free...is an awesome thing.

[@MetalWolfz]

Totally agree youtube is one of the greatest intentions in human history. Shame some use it to spread hate and lies but that is just the tragedy of the commons

[@uncleshan]

i love this stuff. it's soooooo good. as a person that was brought up to fear god and not ask too many questions, or having to live with answers that created more questions than they dealt with. i have to say i now feel so free because of the integrity and goodwill and insight and bravery of people like dawkins, dennet, harris and hitchens, krauss, darwin etc. and the path they have blazed for all of us ( humanity ) thanks for posting this..

[@normanthrelfall2646]

Richard Dawkins is not being honest with you! Evolution’s Fantasy Production This has been built upon for years by humanists who embrace Darwinian Evolutionary Religion on the stage of the world. There are many actors in this production who are charismatic and eloquent in their approach of imaginary scenarios’. There are some well-known actors who have gained world acclaim under false pretenses. The curtain by rights should fall on the evolutionary fantasy production, but it won’t because the alternative is creation and that is unthinkable to many, because that means a Creator and there may be some moral rules to life that are not palatable to them. We have scientific proof from the ICA stones which contain patina which has been seen under microscope, manifesting their authenticity, found in Nazca tombs in the desert, with dinosaurs carved on them by the indigenous people. We have scientific evidence of Pre- Columbian pottery pieces which they like to conceal and hide in the back rooms of museums away from the public eye with dinosaurs on them. There have also been found textiles with dinosaurs embroidered upon them. We have scientific evidence of dinosaur petroglyphs etched on canyon walls by Anasazi Indians hundreds of years ago. We have scientific proof of dinosaur and human footprints together in Turkmenistan from the so- called Jurassic period. Even in Glen Rose Texas at the Paluxy River bed where rock strata was removed dinosaur footprints where discovered alongside human. We have solid scientific evidence of elephant prints and dinosaur prints in the same so-called Cretaceous formation. Humans, elephants and dinosaurs obviously danced together at the same time, and it was not 65 million years ago. We have scientific evidence of large mammals eating juvenile dinosaurs, proving they were around at the same time. We have evidence of red blood cells and tissues found in T.Rex and other dinosaurs in recent discoveries. We have substantial evidence from fairly recent archaeological discoveries in Peru that are tangible touchstones for grasping the significance of man and dinosaurs living together. Dr. Dennis Swift was an evolutionist until he did excavations in Peru and other places making discoveries that shocked him to the core. He is not alone in recognizing this world is not as old as the evolutionists make it out to be. The evidence reveals that the evolutionist’s geologic column and fine-tuned intellectual tower of time is pure fantasy and imagination teaching that dinosaurs and man lived at least 65 million years apart. This tower of time was invented by Charles Lyell and his contemporaries in order to oppose the Biblical account of Genesis. He got his book published in 1830 named Principles of Geology- in other words rules laid down for interpreting geology. All these things have to come to pass but the end is not yet. Rejecting God’s loving words through Jesus seems to be the order of the day. The theory of evolution is way past its bed-time. I am here for the sheep! Kind Regards

[@joshseguin2043]

Your an idiot

[@JohnSmith-hm7zk]

I was well on my way into the Catholic Priesthood and one day I picked up The God Delusion... thank you Richard Dawkins. You saved my life.

[@Skndlz2904]

I could listen to this all day.

[@Yaris510]

Two of the 20th century's, and now the 21st's, greatest minds in conversation. Fascinating

[@Yaris510]

***** I'm not sure that I follow you. It's not a question of 'getting out', but of reading their books: have YOU read either of the authors' works? If not, let me recommend to you: 'The Blind Watchmaker' and 'Climbing Mount Improbable' by Dawkins; and 'Darwin's Dangerous Idea' and 'Breaking the Spell' by Dennett

[@lancetschirhart7676]

So good. I recommend the Selfish Gene to anyone who hasn't read it (changed my life) but my favorite of his is The Extended Phenotype. (haven't read mt. Improbable though).

[@Yaris510]

'Climbing Mount Improbable' is an easier read than 'Selfish Gene' or 'Extended Phenotype' (both of which are superb, but rather cerebral); 'Improbable' is more fun, lavishly illustrated by Lalla Ward (Dawkins' wife)

[@Yaris510]

Hey Veronica, sorry but what does '0' mean? Am I missing some profoundly insightful reply? Please clarify!

[@krisc6216]

Stephan Bodini dennett? 'conciousness is an illusion of the mind'? No thank you

[@MrJinglesDU]

I love watching Richard Dawkins conversations on religion! Bring us into the new age Richard, where religion becomes apart of ancient history where it belongs.

[@The22on]

not apart (sic). a part

[@evanko7045]

Those guys were exchanging memes before millennials were born. Legends

[@Synathidy]

Okay, so they WERE talking about memes... I just was so surprised to hear these two intellectuals discussing memes, that every time I heard it I was like "is that really what I heard...?" Meta-meme: In Soviet Russia, memes exchange YOU.

[@vincenthawke8141]

@@Synathidy Well, Richard Dawkins invented the term meme.

[@lizgichora6472]

Thank you very much.

[@VvDOPAMEANvV]

Incredible! Daniel Dennett delivers again! And thank you Richard!

[@jessivehadit]

This is one of the best videos out there on the topic!

[@DouwedeJong]

Thanks for uploading this video.

[@TheCosmicTang]

Fascinating talk; I've been impatiently waiting for the next Dawkins event and it did not disappoint.

[@AafkeArt]

Thanks for uploading this.

[@Alkalite]

And the explanatory metaphors and analogies were just incredible!

[@BlacksmithTWD]

I don't object to them except for Richard's claim about when religious people make the claim that they were intending what they claimed as a metaphor, he equates it with dishonesty. But then again, Richard is a biologist and Dennet has the better credentials at general philosophy. Theology is one of the branches of general philosophy, just as science is one of the branches of general philosophy. I happen to think Dawkins has become too much of a specialist, (and probably too old as well) to be able to understand the claims made by completely different branches within general philosophy.

[@INDIOIRLANDES]

richard...profesor i salute here from ireland i love the way you are teching to people how to think....

[@vincenthawke8141]

My only complaint is that this video is not long enough. Amazing discussion between two great minds!

[@Lukas-lh7mb]

I dont understand everything,(i speak in Polish) but that what I understand is awsome!

[@pooddescrewch8718]

I understand no Polish , so congrats to you

[@footyfan85]

When children are constantly told that someone like this is a "wolf" or that when something happens in your life that makes you question your faith is "the devil" and EVERYTHING that draws you away from god should be ignored or understood to be the work of the devil, then you essentially build a firewall against knowledge or even listening/understanding a different point of view and people are left to talk to their priests or Sunday school teachers to reinforce what they "should be" believing.

[@moonlandingagain3228]

speak to their priest who will then sexually abuse them in the name of god

[@daylightdemon]

... OR, it will trigger curiousity in at least some of them, and thereby dilute the pernicious influence of their religion. Consider, historically, how many advancements that even they're aware of were, at some point in history, touted as the work of the Devil

[@truvelocity]

This is wonderful. Thanks for recording and uploading this.

[@IntelligentDesignsLLC]

Thank you, Prof. Dennett and Dawkins for making it easy you are readily understood.

[@tomjames1734]

I am a particle physicist and the last question that was asked angered me to no end. We completely understand the laws of chemistry and physics that define and explain solid objects. A combination of the laws of electrostatics, and a property of quantum mechanics called the Pauli exclusion principle provide the forces that prevent solid objects from passing through each other. Source - Masters degree and PhD in physics.

[@reprogrammingmind]

Where's your videos?

[@AdaptaFilms]

Tom James Post the links. So we can watch your videos.

[@hectordiaz7042]

So you were angered stupid fuck point

[@TheLuckySaGe]

I love dawkins =)

[@revansatoda]

Thank you. Absolutely superb!

[@kangre63]

My two favorite intellects that give me some hope for humanity.

[@JasonSmith-qf5sw]

I must say that I feel for those folks that are caught in the trap of becoming an atheist while an active clergy. That must be unimaginably difficult to accept, and deal with. It's quite tragic, to my mind.

[@corvusoculum5154]

I see it as honesty of the first order, to be celebrated and encouraged. Most clergy know once they go through the translations how absurd the entire premise of all man made religions are. They are manacles, and the true test is to throw them off, and be good for good's sake, and enjoy what you have, for the brief moment you have it. There need be no why.

[@No1ANTAGON1ST]

Truth must never be forgotten. That's true if atheism is the truth or any spiritual outlook.

[@Djorgal]

What is the most sad? To realize that you've just wasted half of your life or to waste the entirety of it never realizing? I'm not here making an argument about whether it's true or not, I would say the same for an atheist that gets a divine revelation. That's exactly as hard, but it doesn't make it a bad thing.

[@anitahyche1]

It is gut wrenching to go through, it's pure fear over God, hel!, Loss of family.despite the fact their Bible says to take care of family...embarrassing too. They are in crisis, and the laity too face the same issues. Their own family may ignore them after they've spent a life time trying to make their parents happy and failing...knowing you will never see them again is social and familial suicide.

[@The22on]

Dennett says it's difficult to tell someone that his or her professional like was based on a lie.

[@xozeluiz6301]

Values & principles are not a matter of religion. Anyone can have em.

[@The22on]

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho Marx

[@TheTyno37]

This was great! Thanks!

[@willmpet]

It is wonderful to listen to Linda LaScola!

[@waspbloke]

This mundifies my epigastriam...I think!?!

[@marlinknight5136]

Be careful. That might turn you inside out and when you shit it'll come out under your chin.

[@edtExodus]

Craig already admitted that the motivation for his argument comes from emotional bias.

[@clay10h]

I love it when I find a new RD video in my subscriptions!!

[@kayvee256]

You're very insightful. Thanks!

[@kirtooahmadinejad]

I am glad that the world has enough stability, that talks like these can happen. At the same time i am afraid that if this stabilty is destroyed by war, natural disasters etc, the god people will once again get overwhelming power. Because when you really look at the masses of humanity, people are sheep, and in dire situations, these sheep tend to accept the nonsence :(

[@RAMnnn1892]

I think people choose thnigs that work when in dire situations.

[@craighawkins5876]

The genie is now out of the bottle. Fundamental aspects of theism are mutating into watered down versions of their former selves; and can never go back into the bottle. Religious memes can only survive under conditions that allow them to be undercover - and not be criticized. I think Dennett is correct: there is no religious revival ...the cackles and noises being heard from the religious right, are simple knee jerk responses to a modernity that is no longer tolerant toward unreasoned gullibility. The internet is like a giant churning meme machine that is slowly sifting and exposing gullible minds to upgraded memes (reason not faith); essentially collapsing their old thinking. I don't think the current generation can now be indoctrinated in the way earlier generations were; there is just too much competing information.

[@necrosunderground]

It depends how deeply immersed the family (and by extension, the community) is.If you get a fairly rural or isolated, or low income area with limited resources and access to information, it ups the odds of a certain percentage of the current generation being indoctrinated. And of course, under those circumstances, curiosity and questioning will be squashed as much as possible. Can't have the kiddies asking questions, now, can we? However, most likely within the next generation, we'll see it really falling away. The best example I can think of is in the language of the rural Appalachian Mountains. The English used by the local population was actually closer to the Queen's English than most of the rest of the country (as odd as that sounds, since the stereotype suggests a drawling, backwoods inbred dialect), as it was settled primarily by the Scots-Irish with little to no exposure to outside influence, so it existed with very little change. It wasn't until the advent of television and exposure to the outside world that the local language began to evolve. So it's going to be a sort of pocket evolution for another generation or two, but by and large, you are correct.

[@Gameomg]

It's so beautiful to see two smart people sit in a room and just talk.

[@BlaccEagle]

Awesome comment, it was spot on and made me smile. I wish that I could be on one these discussions one day with Dawkins, Dennett, Sam Harris or Lawrence Krauss. I love when intelligent people talk and reason about things.

[@willyakhdes2812]

wow... dawkins meets his idol, charles Darwin

[@user-zk1rk3mp9p]

fuck off

[@LockSteady]

A lack of belief is not a belief, much less a "belief system".

[@thunderfirebolt]

Watching Dawkins talk to Wendy Wright made me see how polite and courteous he is.

[@LeclercArt]

Great conversation.

[@stephenboing]

Isn't consciousness awesome!

[@Imafungi123]

Look at how bizarre and seemingly unproductive some aspects of biological systems in nature are. Intricate mating rituals, flashy and showy aesthetic designs, does every single aspect of a biological entity have a necessity? Religion is just one of those in the biological grey areas because the existence of free will, it was something that was aloud to sneak in. Look at everything humans do from trends of fashion and music and everything, religion is the same, though religion has its roots in law and order and community, it is a blending of that and culture/tradition/superstition

[@ristershah]

@Bat Computer right

[@ernsthaeckel5276]

Around 30 minutes in Dennett says "There are now ten times fewer Catholic priests than 30 years ago" and Dawkins says "That's very encouraging!" Perfect!

[@Dillinger86]

I was just watching the Big bang Theory and I got this in my email what a treat!

[@isaak.studio]

Religions are digging their own grave. A very encouraging thought indeed.

[@acontinuousthumping6310]

fabulous

[@Neueregel]

Great talk.

[@bangladesh408]

Wonderful mind

[@mahtafatemi7071]

So many facts..🌍❤

[@stevo728822]

What makes Mozart's music so appealing to listen to is you, the subject with the perspective of the music, not the music itself. The sound of falling raindrops sounds wonderful to the subject suffering from drought, but terrible to a subject in the 10th day of a tropical monsoon..

[@Raj0520]

Fantastic

[@billyc2010]

Very nice point. I have never thought of that before.

[@ElMufro]

Fascinating!

[@truvelocity]

I love the 54 minutes into it. Very good.

[@newideas0ffreedom865]

feel good listening such great minds . from Pakistan

[@philonaut662]

good discussion. very good.

[@BoingotheClown]

I clicked on this thinking "It's over an hour. That's awfully long.", but by the end I was wishing it was much longer.

[@10zerOne0]

luuuuuuuuuuuuuuv u RD u're the best 3 3

[@Morkindie]

I think formal logic and the scientific method should be taught in school as a separate course. Together, they are much more important than anything else I can think of right now.

[@DickDickstein]

Love when he does these with no moderator. Keep it up. These are your best videos. Just sitting and talking to people who aren't held slave to superstition.

[@TheKrantzed]

you can tell you are fucking awesome when people flock to see you have a casual conversation.

[@atheistexchristian]

How lucky we are in this day and age to be able to see a conversation like this .....how different the world would have been and would be today if such profound conversations were so easily available to see 50 years ago. Religion would have a much less hold on the world

[@x5vampire5x]

...awesome

[@tdav1991]

great talk!

[@atomicLogic]

"That is very encouraging" LOL

[@dixonsusa]

Thoroughly enjoyable. I am most definitely going to make it a point to go and see a Dawkins debate. I regret never seeing a Hitchens debate. Dawkins has had such a huge influence on my beliefs I feel it would be a crying shame to never get to see one of his debates in person and, if lucky enough, shake his hand.

[@astat1]

The old man is still alive and professionally active? Amazing!

[@freedomofspeech2238]

Today i feel so lucky for having a High school science teacher who spent one whole year on dawinism. All my work and studies were based on that. It was amazing the complexity of darwin's work from so long ago. thank you mr.teacher (forgot his name) it is one of my best memories of school :D Darwin is lucky no one killed him before exposing his work !

[@SolSilence]

The tie of a BOSS!

[@rarrmonkey]

All hail the almighty internet!

[@arranhc]

Awesome boat analogy

[@halflifeproductionz]

i'm a software developer, i've never heard of thinko. its interesting tho.

[@The22on]

What do software developers call a mistake in coding that's not a typo? In music, we call a bad note a 'clam'. We say, "Man, I sure hit a lot of clams in that last set".

[@whatabouttheearth]

@@The22on What? I've never heard of "clam" used in music, what is that? Jazz speak?

[@gourmander]

0:23:55 Informing, informing, informing. That is what will take away the veil of ignorance from the world

[@truvelocity]

My eyes!!! MYEYESSSS.... It burrrrrrrrns!

[@WarfaFarahsouthafrica5257]

Dawkins must be very happy sitting next to his idol Charles Darwin

[@VortexMotiveVision]

Surprised I missed this at the time! Looks a bit like Terry Pratchett in the audience.

[@mehdibaghbadran3182]

Imagine, we’re at the football stadium, we’ll have a huge noise, which we can’t understand, but all the people have talking to each other’s! and compare that with the pin quienes at north poll, you’ll hear the same noises, which they’re talking to each other’s, and we don’t understand them, even, all the birds in the sea side, are doing the same !!!!! This is the power of language!

[@TheLuckySaGe]

well said.

[@tristbjorn]

And thank the gods for that!

[@JayLFRodger]

Threatening an Atheist with Hell is like threatening a bald man with getting his hair cut off.

[@HiAdrian]

HD version still processing? The tags would let me hope so.

[@uncleshan]

well. you have some interesting opinions and views...thanks for sharing

[@MarcoArsenault]

lol @ that 2 seconds crowd sound loop at the end

[@Homo_sAPEien]

I always think that that Danial Dennett guy must be a tall dude. Idk if I’ve ever seen him stand up but, his legs always look so long.

[@TheFifthGreatApe]

I can't wait for that book on memes Dan!

[@confiscator]

The boat example is brilliant.

[@zikaihe]

Do you know what it takes to become a (post-doctoral) Professor at Oxford University?

[@101truthhurts]

I love students. They're so silly and funny and they think they're clever.

[@pooddescrewch8718]

Parents DO NOT have the right to mentally hobble their children . But its happening in the US .

[@jeff-onedayatatime.2870]

I have immense respect for Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett...and Karen Armstrong (see video at around 38 minutes!)

[@TonyZXT]

THIS!!!! I've been saying logic AND critical thinking should be required classes in schools for years now. It's sad that I honestly think I could do a better job with the education system than is currently done now, and I have no formal education in the field.

[@uncleshan]

12 days, right got it. it all makes sense now. thanks for clearing that all up for me. ?!#wtf

[@WhereJohnFrum]

Rock on.

[@TheJiminiflix]

One day I hope your eyes are opened.

[@Tasarran]

Wow, been a long time since I've seen a Sleestak...

[@TheVigilante2000]

I love someone saying that keeping children ignorant is child abuse.

[@RobertVincentMusic]

RIP Daniel Dennett 😢

[@Rafterman123]

Yesss, Dawkins video.... It's like finding an extra Easter egg in your garden three weeks after Easter

[@ExtrackterYT]

30:13 Dawkins: "That is VERY encouraging". The amount of hope that Richard feels with that sentence is profound :)

[@ergonomover]

After conferring with an expert in dance notation, I concur with Mr. Dennett that (specifically) contemporary dance has evolved past established notation systems like Labanotation. Modern dance has become somewhat 'alphabetized', and repertory can be transmitted without video support. Contemporary dance grew up with, and depends strongly upon video archiving.