Sean Carroll: Has Science Refuted Religion

Sean Carroll is a theoretical physicist with the Department of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. Carroll specializes in dark energy and general relativity. He is an open atheist and occasionally takes part in formal debates.
Learn more about the Freedom From Religion Foundation at ffrf.org.

[@lloydchristmas4547]

35:07. "Life matters. Because the life we have right now is not a dress rehearsal. It's the only performance we get to give." - Sean M. Carroll

[@alankoslowski9473]

I think he paraphrased someone else, but yeah, it's a great quote.

[@shanestrickland5006]

This dude is actually both funny and honest. I have got to listen to this guy more.

[@Dr10Jeeps]

Sean Carroll is both brilliant and entertaining. That's quite a combination.

[@alankoslowski9473]

He's one of the smoothest, most articulate speakers I've ever heard. I've almost never heard a stammer, 'uhm', or superfluous vocal mannerism from him.

[@TshaajThomas]

He's blind.

[@GlorifiedTruth]

Yes, he is a Toastmaster Level Omega.@@alankoslowski9473

[@Alan-gi2ku]

@@alankoslowski9473My thoughts exactly.

[@steliosp1770]

I think if you are trying to train yourself in public speaking you MUST study Sean even irrespective of the subject matter. This might be the closest to a perfect talk/speech/whatever you want to call it that I have ever seen. Coherent arguments put forth in a way anyone can follow without demeaning the subtlety or complexity of the subject matter, keeping the audience engaged with allegory, jokes, thought experiments and using a relatable experiential vocabulary. What a man. Thank you for being who you are Professor Caroll!

[@trumanhw]

WHAT A GEM! I never hear people mention the hedonic treadmill and HE did. AWESOME. And that GEM at the end about determinism. I fucking love Sean Carroll. He's the best since Carl Sagan. Trumps deGrasse easily, and beats Krauss by being less emotional (condescending) in some of his debates. But, of course, I do love Krauss, and did love Tyson's talk at beyond belief. We're lucky for all of them.

[@leeu1707]

As he was finishing his speech, that was my exact thought! Best science divulgator and speaker I've heard since Carl Sagan (or even Feynman), hands down, hats off. Clear, amusing and inspiring.

[@lower_case_t]

Must be the name. Sean B. Caroll the biologist is also an amazing author, speaker and teacher. Look for his documentary on the discovery of DNA, "What Darwin never knew" here on YT,

[@stoya2s]

We need more Sean Carroll's in this world.

[@demikelis11]

When I see Sean Carroll, I give a Like

[@frankiewally1891]

What a wisdom pearls he drops before us....thank you Sean..you are a breath of fresh air in this muddy puddle of metaphysics and politics

[@GForceimpact]

Outstanding speech! A wonderful treatment on the subject life and death.

[@SrinivasKowtal]

Sean feels more awesome every time I hear him speak. A credit to humanity I say.

[@andrewagyeman3338]

Sean spanked Craig like a silly child! He is gifted

[@tommonk7651]

Congrats, Sean. Thank you for all you do. You are a great science communicator. Keep up the good work.

[@DoorknobHead]

Sean Carroll: better than any 'holy' book.

[@ABARANOWSKISKI]

I love that! I was once a brainwashed religious sheep, then I found reason! I love thinking for myself!!! :D

[@yumyum723]

​ABARANOWSKISKI I'm pleased for you as I was once the same. I still deal with a lot of criticism unfortunately though

[@isidoreaerys8745]

Carroll’s Murder of William Lane Craig is one for the history books

[@cullenarthur8879]

William lane Craig made a mistake debating Sean carrol, a physicist who actually knows what the hell he's talking about. He tried to use the same tired Kalam shit, and Carrol shut it down. Every time I run into a Craig fan boy I bring up that debate.

[@humanoverpopulation1352]

The highlights of that debate "Sean Carroll vs William Lane Craig" was AWESOME!

[@alankoslowski9473]

I think you mean Carroll vs Eben Alexander. I don't think he mentions WLC in this vid.

[@piratassarajevo4293]

@@alankoslowski9473 in the intro by dan barker, he mentuoned WLC

[@TranNguyenVungLay]

Physicist Sean Carroll is the leading of the open-human-mind of the century 21st.

[@junevandermark952]

When I studied Stephen Hawking's theory, that the universe in one form or another always existed, and then studied that there were those back in history such as Plato and Aristotle that believed the same, at the age of 70, that was the end of my religious indoctrination. It all made sense, that if the universe always existed, there could not have been a creator, and it also made sense to me that suffering of all forms of life, was and is, natural. I'm 83 now, and feel whole just as I am, and I realize that if I try to treat others with kindness, I will always feel better about myself. It's as simple as that. “I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” Stephen Hawking

[@terrypussypower]

Amazing how a talk about death can be so life affirming. But that’s Sean Carroll for you!

[@SweatyShivers]

So my apartment looks the way it does because of the 2nd law of Thermodynamics? All this time I just thought I was a slob.

[@fathertime2020]

That's hilarious

[@eugenecoleman8525]

Something I'm very surprised abput is looking at the audience. It seems to be a pretty mixed demographic age wise, with a lot more older people than I would have imagined. That makes me very hopeful.

[@sydneymorey6059]

KZbin is simply the best. I love it. The more I use it the more I love it. Sean Carol’s rendition here is brilliant, I love him too. Cheers SBM.

[@Koran90123]

Sean Carroll is awesome! Thanks for finally uploading this.

[@TalladegaTom]

Great talk! LOUD Applause!

[@Schrodinger_]

I first knew Sean Carroll's name by reading his General Relativity textbook, which is really well written, by the way. At the time I, I had seen one of his debates but had no idea that it was him. So when I found out that, not only is he a public speaker and debater, but that he was _that_ debater I've seen before, it blew my mind! Now he turns out to be one of my favourite public speakers, as well as one of my favourite physics textbook authors.

[@booboo-ov3tj]

I wish almost everyone could escape from the jokes of the Bible.

[@tracer740]

but, so long as "almost everyone" is plagued with fear, guilt, superstitions and their denial of their mortality, the bible will continue to be just what it is ...

[@Rico-Suave_]

I just love Sean Carroll, can’t get enough

[@BearHeart13]

Have enjoyed Sean Carroll's writings since reading his during the blog, "Cosmic Variance" in mid-2000's and his books.

[@xerox1959]

Wonderful speech! Thanks

[@jeff2424]

Brilliant talk. I would love to see Sean debate Deepshit Chopra.

[@dylan3657]

an excellent educator

[@trafficjon400]

SCIENCE brains neurons helped me after that mix in the morning.

[@chastitywhiterose]

This guy brings humor to the subject of death. Somehow this cheered me up.

[@seandonahue8464]

Thanks Dan Barker for speaking out and doing it so well! I truly enjoyed all of your youtube available events! I love how great a speaker Sean Carroll is too! He has a gift to that I’m very happy to have enjoyed over these last few years. I’m a non-believer but can’t be out there. My wife is frightened not to believe, she was raised in such a way, can’t think outside the box she was raised, The Philippines. I go through the motions just for her. Thank you again Dan!

[@aaronh.8230]

I want him to speak at my funeral. My family would freak out, but if I were watching from above (which isn’t demonstrably possible), I’d love it. It’d be the best send off ever.

[@alegnalowe3679]

As an atheist and a practionist of healthy eating my belief is that we should keep not only our mind healthy as well as our bodies.this is the only life we get so let us live long and healthy as possible!

[@ramaraksha01]

The problem is deeper than we think - religion has the amazing ability to turn good people into total scum buckets and not even realize it "Boss promotes yes-men, those who support him & think he is perfect, boost his ego" Moral, ethical people: "What a scum bucket" "God will GIVE Heaven to only those who believe & support him & think he is perfect, sing his praises & boost his ego" Moral, Ethical people: "Praise the Lord!"

[@CarlWong5]

Thank you for recording and uploading this.

[@greatunwashed9116]

Funny, brilliant and insightful.

[@waynejoiner]

Sean, please come to Australia and give some talks.

[@Steve-in-the-uk]

What a joy it is to listen to this amazing man.

[@NoActuallyGo-KCUF-Yourself]

This was just delightful.

[@oscarg7460]

inspirational.

[@rhondaguerrero2869]

I like the way you explained everything!! Thank u

[@origins7298]

Great speech!

[@whirledpeas3477]

Just thinking about all the believers banging their heads is so funny.

[@alankoslowski9473]

I doubt they're banging their heads. When someone forms an emotionally-based perspective, rational explanations usually don't change their minds.

[@carlystur]

The speech starts at 4:05

[@ambulocetusnatans]

I got a joke for you all. A physicist who specializes in thermodynamics dies and wakes up in heaven. He says, "well then how do refrigerators work?" Like if you get it.

[@Lawless1960]

oo I do love a bit of physics

[@nontheistdavid]

Congrats Sean.

[@JeroenBaxexm]

amazing talk....!!!

[@alexp8368]

The people who in life after death are greedy,this life is not enough for them

[@thomastidswell7310]

Terrific.

[@lamb998]

this guys great, so clear

[@robjohnston1433]

He could compensate for "smaller book sales" than quacks and con-artists by vast earnings as a Stand-Up Comic! An excellent addition to the Atheist Pantheon since the loss of Hitch.

[@HarryNicNicholas]

31:00 just to say, art, music, writing all good ways to avoid being unhappy, you can never achieve the perfect piece of art, so it's always a challenge, and sometimes you can come close, and that's very happiness inducing.

[@russianaloha4576]

We need much more of THIS!! What an amazing video! Thank you so much for sharing this!! ❤ If i was learning this when i was in school, i probably would have actually went & listened!! 🙏

[@youknowcrimedontpay9257]

When people die their friends and family talk about giving the person a send off.. What does that actually mean? When you die it's no different then sleeping it not breathing and never waking up. What the heck are these people believing in thinking that they are going somewhere other then a 6 foot hole in the ground or a 1800 furnace. Smh

[@lepidoptera9337]

Grieving is hard. People don't want to have to go trough that.

[@zarathustrareborn7472]

Beautiful...

[@johnayers2483]

Just remember Dr. Carroll, Bill O’Reilly sells more books than Richard Dawkins, too. Keep fighting the good fight!

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

Thumbs up if you would like to work with sean and come up with the answer to life, the universe and everything and become a science hero. I think it's 42, just a hunch.

[@robertcox433]

No atoms zooming off to heaven, they all died.

[@joeyenniss9099]

Probably the most important and profound speech to ever grace humanity. Phenomenal.

[@spaveevo]

nice talk

[@Senazi08a]

This man is a gretest intellectual and philosopher in our life time

[@TheWorldsStage]

23:40 "I just got Windows Movie Maker and goddammit I'm going to use it!"

[@krisweaver7524]

Such a shame that there are actually empty seats in that room.

[@adamc1966]

Yes. Next. 🌎

[@radientbeing]

As a mathematician I think about infinity from a metamathematical perspective. Physicists have problems with infinities in the large and the small. Infinities are hard to ignore lately from string theory/loop quantum gravity etc resulting in the multiverse idea (also some cyclical as well as fractal versions). In set theory if Ultimate l, vs pluralism is resolved, the result may guide physics (or not if pluralism, a mathematical multiverse everything goes, is proven). He did not discuss the Strong Free Will Theorem (if we have free will so do electrons). No discussion of MWI interpretation of quantum physics.

[@RootDubz93]

Some of his mannerisms remind me of Michael Mcintyre

[@doydark4ever]

he s the buddha among physicist

[@Anne--Marie]

That would be Fred Alan Wolf.

[@johnrichardson7629]

The recently detected spike in neural activity at the moment of death is a safe place to file away near death experiences. NDEs were never as convincing as advertised. Now they are even less so. That said, the hard problem of consciousness remains hard.

[@diaryofnricom163]

11:42

[@chaotickreg7024]

6:50 He states his thesis. 8:30 A more specific claim

[@starofjustice1]

I mean, no, it hasn't (how can it when all believers tell other people about God is vague unquantifiable stuff), but I find it important to note the difference between what science and religion say. Religion says, "Come with us, we have all the answers." Science says, "We don't have all the answers, but with diligent effort we get closer every day."

[@peteypablo2081]

Wow!! Dan Barker and Sean Carroll together!!! If they're going to hell, I want to join them (you know..instead of being stuck for eternity worshipping a fu@#ed being that would create a place like hell ;)

[@filantkploser5589]

Why does being in a perfect state have to be impossible? It seems like it's more a consequence of evolution, not a fundamental rule. I can imagine someone existing constantly happy even if nothing interesting is going on, just destroy the brain circuits for boredom or something.

[@Rico-Suave_]

This is way better rational thinking then the theist arguing about “ why it’s wrong to eat babies and that atheist can’t justify that it’s wrong in their world view “

[@schmetterling4477]

I think you need to get help with that. ;-)

[@life42theuniverse]

21:42 In a 10^100 years when all the black holes have evaporated the energy will be just as smooth as the origin of the universe 10^0 years... just a difference of scale?

[@lepidoptera9337]

Yep.

[@AtamMardes]

It takes gullibility to consider sacred the claim that an invisible man gave birth to himself via virgin birth to sacrifice & resurrect himself to forgive a petty fruit eating mishap in order to save you from a hell & give you heavenly eternal life. It takes arrogance to believe the burden of disproving the claim is on those who are not gullible.

[@manfrummt]

Good simplistic linear thinking, using atom theory to define "life" is nauseating.

[@rpeavey50]

Who is the one person that disliked this video? I am hoping they chose dislike by mistake! ;)

[@pdoylemi]

Ken Ham.

[@rpeavey50]

Pat Doyle Ha!

[@artstrology]

11:49 - Both can be true. The oldest science, is the measure and observation of individual people and their products. Most people, do not know anything about this science, and academia has done no experimentation on it, and it is not allowed due to religious dogma and its hold on academia. Study this, and religious academia is done in a fortnight. The proof is everywhere. Any person and their product, their motivation, even the shape of their art products whether in science or the arts, is easily correlated. Jung and Freud born on the same day, in the human consciousness calendar, which is a 20 day cycle. Chronobiology has been sidelined for way too long.

[@HarryNicNicholas]

just to say i'm very much a hard atheist, but i can't believe the universe, so pretty, only allows us a hundred years to get things going, my afterlife would be to journey around this universe until i have seen it all, and then come back to earth and see all of that too.

[@schmetterling4477]

The universe has made sure that you can't do that. ;-)

[@robertcox433]

I don’t know that you can, your dealing with the mind. It’s often a wall of stubborn attachment to their beliefs.

[@mistag3860]

666th like - oh noes.

[@manfrummt]

This sounds more like a childish fan club picking on the other guy, than truth seekers. The question is why do you work so hard to disprove your creator?

[@johnallison6054]

My parents definitely exist

[@jayanderson66]

Lack of evidence. Do not believe in fairies either.

[@ALavin-en1kr]

The definition of religion is ‘that to which we are bound’. Good luck in trying to unbind yourself. Align, or float into space holding on to a rock without a compass.

[@user-lt9cz2yv2o]

The only thing science can refute is science.

[@schmetterling4477]

It doesn't have to refute religion. Religion has been a failure since day one. It has caused nothing but poverty and bloodshed. ;-)

[@rosieokelly]

He assumes a soul has weight and obeys some rules of physics. Under his thinking, we should not even be able to formulate thoughts or insights...why? Because atoms can't explain thought...his theories do nothing to defy the existence of a soul, much less God....but I will pray for his soul.

[@alankoslowski9473]

Your statement doesn't seem to make sense. If thoughts are produced by the brain, and we have a brain, why wouldn't he think we can form them? You seem to be presupposing a soul exists.

[@joeyenniss9099]

bro you didn't understand anything he said. You clearly don't understand emergent systems which he literally talked about in the speech. Atoms cant pump blood either but if you put the right ones together it can create an emergent system that can, but the atoms will always follow the law the laws of physics. We know thoughts are created in the brain, which is made of atoms, and the atoms always follow the laws of physics. Quantum field theory perfectly explains the behavior of atoms, all of the forces are 100% accounted for, so therefore any kind of soul acting on those atoms would SUSPEND THE LAWS OF PHYSICS which is impossible and would require insane amounts of evidence to even be considered real. It is so obvious that consciousness is completely physical. Its why if you remove a part of the brain it completely changes that individuals conscious experience.

[@jayanderson66]

When you are knocked unconscious and wake up, How come your soul does not tell you what happened? It is incapable of interacting with you or we would see that something is interacting with your brain. Your senses are but there is no ghost in the machine.

[@ALavin-en1kr]

The body doesn’t survive as a body, or form, energy survives; is always conserved, electromagnetism and magnetism survives. Satan fought for individuality, this view of science by Carroll is religious, against Satan, as it denies individuality or anything that survives as an individual entity. Sorry Satan, you are part of the whole, according to Carroll, there is no individuality that once given is never taken away. Get used to it Satan, according to Carroll that is your fate you fought for individuality, why? Now still fighting for it, it is getting state, and Carroll is not on board with you. He does not believe in individual monads that evolve and are beamed up into unity. No such individuality survives, the world is just the world, no individuality, no evolution, no being reunited with the Cosmos, no rebellion, just alignment that is the new religion,, alignment is actually taking place. Who knew? Satan you lost, at least according to Carroll.

[@schmetterling4477]

What's up with the bullshit? ;-)

[@TshaajThomas]

He's wrong.

[@alankoslowski9473]

No he's not.