TEDxCanberra - Ash Donaldson - Cognitive dissonance

Multiple-TED attendee and human factors expert, Ash Donaldson, wants us to better understand why we believe what we do. In this talk, Ash explains how our minds build belief and then breaks it down, showing us how and why humans are fooled into believing that things like Power Bands, anti-aging treatments and supplements actually work. Along the way, he tells us how as a trainee pilot he managed to nearly get himself killed by allowing his beliefs to rule logic and provable fact.

[@NYsalsa101]

This talk needs to go on the main TED channel. Thumbs up if you agree

[@Anteaterdance]

"teach kids how the brain really works. They'll appreciate science more." This is SOO true! I never had a teacher explain science as a way to overcome our natural biases. (which is such a key idea imo!) Thanks for sharing this. One of my Favorite TED talks!

[@donaldraley8901]

Absolutely one of the best talks I"ve ever heard!

[@bensmith8806]

This should be part of every public education curriculum in the country.

[@sinbadsailor1963]

Ben Smith Oh puleeze! The left-wing nonsense Donaldson starts spewing at 9:30 about George Bush and Iraq makes this video unsuitable for any captive audience, especially minor children in our public schools. His claim that Bush was "well known to fire or demote anyone who disagreed with his opinions" is pure nonsense. in fact, Bush was overly loyal to his subordinates and there was very little turnover at the Bush White House (much too little in my opinion). And Donaldson's claim that Bush exhibited cognitive dissonance because he didn't say he made a mistake going to war in 2001 is ridiculous. Almost every American would have made the same decision that Bush made based on the information he had before him. Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and John Kerry all took the same position to go to war with Iraq based on the same intelligence information Bush possessed. Here is a tip for Ash Donaldson: next time keep your left-wing propaganda out of your TED Talk. It shows that it's you that has the extreme bias that you claim is a problem. If you don't change your mind about your anti-Bush obsession, I think it's you that is suffering from cognitive dissonance.

[@bensmith8806]

Sinbad Sailor Although I have some very negative opinions about Bush, I absolutely agree with your point that he should have left politics out of his presentation. There were plenty of politically neutral ways he could have made the same point and he is likely introducing his own bias at that point; which is not only ironic but just goes to show how deep these biases can affect us. In any event, let me clarify my original comment: the subject matter, not this specific talk itself, is what I would like to see in more educational curriculums.

[@Pelhampete]

It was really great to read the entirety of your interaction with ‘Guardian’. It is SO RARE to see two people discuss anything of importance, and see one of them actually be GLAD to be exposed to a high-quality counter-view. I LOVE IT! I can count on 2 fingers the number of people I know who, when discussing matters of importance, want to be exposed to anything other than that which confirms their pre-existing view. Kudos to you!

[@lisasays6174]

What about the fact that we don't know WHAT the guy with the bracelet would say, and perhaps it was a gift, maybe even from someone who passed away; and what about the science which credits the body's response to belief?

[@PJ-tq8fn]

Lisa Says I totally agree. Whilst I don't agree that the band physically improves a person's strength or ability, we are taught through understanding cognitive bias not to judge others. You are also right about your second point, which reminds me of a study (in the 70's/80's I think) in which multiple participants were sold the same energy drink at varying prices. Those who had paid more for the drink reported experiencing greater levels of energy than those who had paid less and in testing had proved cognitively better by their belief.

[@guardianewjedijoel]

It was nice talking with you too, and I'm thankful that you influenced me to resolve my dissonance in a way that is logical and beneficial to the both of us. :)

[@dij7878]

This was awesome! I was looking for something to help me explain cognitive dissonance in my Social Psychology class. This is presentation is perfect. Thanks for posting it :-)

[@gardeniablossom4077]

I think this will really help me understand how to get my little ski students to overcome their fears and trust their skis as my coach would always tell me.

[@guardianewjedijoel]

I want to hug you! Finally someone who actually honestly considers arguments. You are indeed a RARE individual. If you ever want to discuss anything, I would LOVE to talk with you! Kudos right back at ya!

[@Shadow298]

This is exceptionally handy for me because am currently writing a Masters thesis on Cognitive Dissonance in Supernatural narrative and this is an excellent way to explain it to people who don't easily understand the concept of Cognitive Dissonance.

[@wanasaihunn4784]

well this is my first learning about cognitive dissonance, from your powerful example. I think I am familiar with the 'sick' feeling you describe, and I have been thinking about it a lot since watching your talk yesterday. I had to laugh at myself because I bought one of those bands in a surf shop when I was learning to surf. I think there is something in the 'placebo effect', for sure! thanks forthe thought provoking talk :)

[@Rayvvvone]

Absolutely brilliants talk. We need more of this. Most people I encounter, even the highly educated seem to walk around not being aware how cognitive dissonance is such a big factor in our lives. We all assume that we are logical geniuses, and that's how irrationality can get a foothold. How can we be deceived when we are so eminently logical? The impossible must be possible. Mix that with confirmation bias, and you get ideological wars.

[@MrShakamuni01]

I found this too. The overeducated have their own bookworld dissonance which seldom has anything to do with real evidence. Sometimes PHD's are the most useless.

[@Rayvvvone]

Alexis Tudor "The overeducated have their own bookworld dissonance..." - Sour grapes? Or are you really making a case for ignorance?

[@adamlucas4753]

"that's how irrationality can get a foothold." You state this as though the Universe were created perfectly rational and we just happen to allow the irrationality monster to creep in sometimes. Or, that despite the overwhelming evidence that our evolution and biology couldn't care less about the truth or (ir)rationality, we, somehow, have progressed considerably towards reducing the world around us to some rational, truthful end. How profound.

[@Rayvvvone]

Adam Lucas "the Universe were created perfectly rational" - what on earth are you babbling about? NO.. I am not saying that the UNIVERSE has a characteristic of being rational. I am saying that humans can make sense out of things. Hope that clarifies. And that sometimes, we have our heads way up our asses. The universe isn't "rational", mainly because the universe does not have a brain. Humans can be rational, we have brains, if we care to make the effort to use them properly.

[@adamlucas4753]

Rayvvvone The word 'foothold', rather explicitly, indicates that you believe irrationality to be a minority component of your universe. You could've just as accurately stated, "that's how irrationality tightens its stranglehold." The notion of being free of cognitive dissonance (esp. De facto or a priori) or that being free of it makes one better or right is a flawed belief (system). Ideological wars are endemic and necessary, the result of competitive evolution.

[@veselino1]

Great information, so much truth, thank you.

[@AshDonaldson]

@TheVariableConstant For the task of detecting an aircraft, the impression that we see the whole sky clearly is a cognitive construct - an illusion to provide a seamless model of reality. There are 2 major forms of eye movement: Smooth Tracking (pursuit) and Saccadic Movement (focus). Due to the almost imperceptible movement of aircraft at a distance, detection generally requires the small focus of the fovea to land on the target - a fixation from saccadic movement.

[@rabbit4400]

Awesome reply ^^ thats the kind of response I want and thinking I like. Not just someone saying believe or burn in hell. That was a thought provoking statement and I enjoyed reading it. Kudos!

[@caleyforber5974]

What a brilliant talk; I thoroughly enjoyed it and I learnt a lot, thank you!

[@dblack8141]

Your iq probably dropped 10 or more points and your morality disappeared 😒

[@jamb027]

I wish he would elaborate on "alternative therapies". By bundling everything together is a prejudice and goes against what science and evidence means. What is "alternative"? Who decides what it is? Do those people have any conflict of interest? Has cognitive dissionance affected those people who decide what "alternative is"? Also he seems to have not covered things like potential Conflict of interest within the medication business, which is also linked to politics and big business.

[@busgirly]

Wonderful, thank you. This has helped me understand more about personality clashes. Blessings,

[@sjshapir]

A very nice summary with excellent examples. I wish it were easier to get people to understand their thinking process. (Me being one of those people.)

[@AnyoneCanSee]

I now understand why my girlfriend became so upset when I showed her scientific studies that proved her crystal healing was nonsense. She's an intelligent wonderful person but she believes in these things and so I simply leave it alone. She goes and pays people to have treatment even when she has very little money but still I say nothing. The other reason also being the placebo effect. She truly believes in it and she does come back clearly happier and less stressed. So strangely I was actually doing her harm by attempting to prove her beliefs false.

[@AshDonaldson]

@TheVariableConstant Thanks for exploring this further. A couple of points of clarification: 1. I'm a Human Factors Engineer (I was a commercial pilot when I was younger). We look at the capabilities and limitations of human perception, cognition, behaviour and physiology, then design systems that 'fit' the human operator. 2. As you've correctly pointed out, with only 18 minutes, I didn't have time to explain visual perception in depth.

[@BillySnowball]

Cognitive dissonance certainly is interesting. I have a high metabolism. I don't think (i'm not sure) there is such thing as free will, in a causal universe. These two things together are real interesting

[@ChancelorBennett]

I feel like both can be possible the second we make a "free will" decision the causal effect takes place. They both exist and are changing the second that an event or decision is made. My opinion.

[@ageofdeception]

What a wonderful talk! Thank you!

[@guardianewjedijoel]

Happy new year to you too! :D

[@BlueBetaPro]

This was exactly what i was looking for.

[@anonymousnobody6289]

Every mental construct this man spoke of, he is completlye guilty of.

[@slumbermeadow]

Yeah we know that. We are all guilty of them. That's his point.

[@stauffap]

+Anonymous Nobody That shows you how hard it is to get rid of them. That's why you should learn about them, that's why you should find the best possible method to deal with them. Or will you use your attack on his talk to dismiss what he's saying in this video? By that you'd commit the fallacy-fallacy.

[@guardianewjedijoel]

That's a really good argument! I believe that G has FW, but within the confines of G's own intrinsic nature/character. So G always chooses to act based on G's nature/character (which is intrinsically good). G's FW is defined not as G's ability to do anything, but on G's ability to choose to act in any way that is compatible with G's already existing and constant nature/character. We are fallen beings because we are descended from a fallen being, but it is G's will for us to be redeemed beings.

[@thecoolmex]

@devomade yeah thats true but we as human have to pic one, we are fragile if we decide to explore certain sides, or if we get to far in one of those forces its always be a risk. there has to be a valance for us and explore them.

[@devomade]

@thecoolmex good is an interesting term in this context, universal concepts seem a bit objective from good/bad, right/wrong, don't you suppose?

[@anzwertree]

LOL, I so do this all the time. I felt dissonance the minute he mentioned smoking and how irrational that is despite my continued use of tobacco. It seems like the feeling of cognitive dissonance was more common when I was a practicing JW, though. Maybe because I regularly put myself in situations that triggered dissonance. It is easy to see that now. Though, I'm sure it's always easier to retroactively recognize biases that we no longer maintain. If I started trying to identify my current biases, that is when I would begin to feel dissonance simply by recognizing them as potential biases.

[@dblack8141]

It is ridiculous to believe one feels dissonance over doing something in the manner he spoke. This is complete BS. He lied so much in the video and his purpose is obvious. He is conditioning immoral unconscious attack bots to go after Americans civilians and Christians. He is putting authority into the EXPERTS of behavior science and calling it an infirmary to disagree. The patient is very sick and suffering cognative dissonance.

[@polarequatorial709]

I sent this to my buddy Danny Satterfield. He is having trouble with very bad TDS.

[@NymphetamineGirl777]

Everyone should watch this talk.

[@rabbit4400]

Happy new year Joel :D hug right back at you ^^ and I would love to talk to you as well :) its awesome to find someone like you as well. You are an alright guy in my book :P ps. Jedi rule!

[@MiamiBomber]

I wonder why so many ppl rather argue logical aspects of his argument, than to just comprehend his overall conclusion. I too took logic in college, so settle down, egomaniacs. I have but one word, rationality. I came to listen to his explanation of cognitive dissonance, and related it to my life experiences. As I battle objecting feelings about majoring in finance to work in investment banking, rather than helping others by being a doctor. Theres nothing to really be proud of by accomplishing

[@Greensparrow101]

His cognitive dissonance was induced by fear and lack of trust. I too, was a pilot and did instrument training, and did not have this problem. I did however... before flying. Had the "pleasure" of jumping out of aircraft at 500ft. This had two effects. I learned to trust my equipment, and had the living fear "beaten" out of me. It's a big factor in accepting reality. I wish he would have mentioned that in his speech. Still good though... nice job.

[@undertehlaw]

With the blast shield down, I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?

[@TheMasonator777]

This is why I think self-doubt is a more important quality than faith; in fact, I would call the former a virtue, and the latter a liability.

[@jessstuart7495]

Here in the United States, the scientific method is woefully underappreciated, and you have politicians, religious leaders, and large corporations bending the truth to suit their own agendas. An educated and informed citizenry is a terrifying prospect for these folks.

[@redstarkatchina]

giving up isnt the same as i cant be bother any more ,end quote from dissonant cognition

[@HeeMang10]

Ha, I got all the way to the comments on mind, body, spirit training before I felt any dissonance. I don't know what is funnier, that we got to see Mr. Donaldson's own demonstration of personal bias or that it is mind/body training that brought me to the point where I would even care about such a thing as cognitive dissonance and confirmation bias much less that it would give me the ability to watch and see how long the feeling lasted and how much of the video I would color according to my own seeking of confirmation. Oh, the irony! Earlier comments refer to learned helplessness as the result of child rearing cultural norms. The suggestion is that, repeated episodes of cognitive dissonance as childhood institutionalized delusions are stripped away (Santa, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, God), the capacity for critical and rational thinking is diminished as a method of avoiding cognitive dissonance. Are these delusions and their inevitable dissolution contributing to teenage anger? Longitudinal, cross cultural studies comparing institutionalized yet unscientific beliefs and measures of childhood anxiety and angst might be interesting?

[@mHalfLife]

very helpful

[@tridenastro902]

Good message

[@guardianewjedijoel]

The Law of Causality says that "Every material effect must have an adequate antecedent or simultaneous cause." The universe had a beginning, so it had a cause. This cause can't be a natural entity because it would have to be also caused by another entity, and so forth infinitely. This cause must be supernatural because otherwise, you would have to "traverse an infinite set," and this is impossible. The question is what is the characteristics of this entity that is beyond our physical reality.

[@OFWGKTAz]

nice to see han solo still flying aircrafts.

[@cutes22]

That talk kicked ass.

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

Very few Inside the US thought Bush was playing with a full deck. Most of us, apparently, didn't care. The only thing that mattered was whether or not we wanted to have a beer with him.

[@rabbit4400]

I'm glad you liked it ^^ kudos to you to :P

[@tomareini]

Notice how he is a subject of cognitive dissonance himself too in his opinions and views :D Any opinion or perspective is the result of cognitive dissonance if you think about it... That's why Rumi says we all live in our own "worlds", because we truly do :D

[@Tsnore]

A textbook example of this was the height of the Bush/Cheney era in America, circa 2000-2006.

[@AshDonaldson]

@hercarebear2 It's actually a 'Placebo Band' by Skeptic Bros - a $2 parody of the PowerBalance (made from the same materials most likely in the same factory)

[@dogert66]

Dang this explains so much about the cesar millan fanatics.

[@MisterCommentCritic]

@Th0usandMaster He's a Human Factors Engineer. Most of what he said is commonly accepted, he just says it in a way that is more easy to understand.

[@rafaelgarcia2409]

Applause!

[@JPcoil]

Good effort :)

[@dblack8141]

Duh. Your feelings are not facts and logic isn't false . Your friends club of authorized dimwits are not moral. Good effort in trying to convince people otherwise?

[@thecoolmex]

@Greensparrow101 This reality its whats detroying the mind and this world. Doesn't matter how hard may the decision be between acceping or denying it, if your mind stays strong the brain will be smart enough to learn live and make a change for the better good, outside this reality.

[@gercupido6564]

Brilliant

[@hanoxx2]

anyone else read their entire conversation?!

[@D3sertst0rm]

That's not how it works! I actually think like that myself. And I also know there are indeed people more biased than me. I'm not sure about anyone possibly being less biased than someone that doesn't believe himself to be less subject to bias than anyone else. How much more unbiased can someone be if they realize specifically, situations where they would most certainly be biased and why, or being aware that there might also be situations where you wouldn't be able to realize it?

[@guardianewjedijoel]

I agree that on earth, perfection is impossible; but as a Christian, I believe that one day God will come back to earth and create all things new. Sort of like an artist scrapping his old work and starting over. He's offering you the chance to become part of the new work, and to be a completely new work yourself! God loves those whom he knows will accept Him (and consequently become perfect and worthy of being loved) The alternative to choosing God is choosing Satan, and no, I'm not a Hindu. :)

[@Amo088]

One should not have strong opinions on matters one knows little about....in this a pilot on foreign policy.

[@TheVariableConstant]

@pixelprotagonist Interesting addition.There is indeed more going on than talked about here within the limited time frame. I just didn't find it appropriate for such a complex topic as cognitive dissonance to be discussed in such a superficial manner (especially being a topic which i can relate to due to my peculiar situation)...then again, could have been the right approach under the given circumstances...maybe, maybe not.

[@metfanmetfan1477]

How was science greated then where did it start to exsist

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

Moral responsibility weighs heaviest on those with the most power in a given situation. (ie, those with the most insight and efficacy) With perfect insight and efficacy, nothing is outside Gods--the one created in the Abrahamic tradition--purview and responsibility. But I'll lay off. I can see that this discussion is causing dissonance. Religion: It begins with the highest moral impetus but when it encounters too much resistance degrades to its antipode. Still, t was nice talking to you!

[@noahmalik]

Paper Mario is amazing.

[@pinguezza]

He was probably using an example that most people would know to help explain it

[@grantdalgarno]

'and thy merchants were the great men of the earth for by all thy sorceries were all nations decieved'-rev 18

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

'There are two types of religious criticism: the first angrily denounces it as superstition; the second smiles and calls it poetry.' If after telling the story of the good Samaritan*, somebody asked Jesus, "Did that really happen?", wouldn't we get the sense that they have missed something important, even essential? How do we reconcile an Abraham that would kill his son on the word of God, but risk His ire at S &G for the sake of strangers? Do we like one more than the other? I do. :)

[@Mynanaentangas]

i don't cafe for bush, but i still he has a point, someone like him would convince himself to do sush thing.

[@Th0usandMaster]

@MisterCommentCritic I meant that as a compliment....

[@TheVariableConstant]

@TheVariableConstant We see everything, it is the conscious mind which is lagging and filters out information, it is responsible for things like intellectual perception, savants with less of this are able to reproduce exact replicas of seen objects even for brief moments of exposure, not because they have special organs. It's more complicated than i care to correct not just the bit on sight but other things he mentioned. Seems he never won his battle on cognitive dissonance after all...

[@mauriceachach3351]

Wow!!!!!!!

[@Fractalfriend]

This valuable presentation nonetheless contains its own mechanistic biases (thus creating more cognitive dissonance). Think about quantum mechanics. It's full of logical paradoxes that are born out by experimental evidence. Is it scientific to believe, as quantum mechanics suggests, that a particle can simultaneously be in two places at the same time? Or that solid matter consists mostly of empty space?

[@adamlucas4753]

We generally don't believe in God (or Easter Bunnies, or interplanetary teacups) because of Occam's Razor, but the real origin of the universe or 'source of everything' is dependent, not on empirically observation, but on the statistical probability of indirectly-observable particles that establish the notion of an unobservable 12 dimensional multiverse. George Bush didn't believe there were WMDs in Iraq (strictly) because he was guilty of surrounding himself with "Yes-men", he believed there were WMDs were in Iraq because the British, the French, the Germans, and even Saddam Hussein believed there were WMDs in Iraq. Not to say that God or George Bush are or were right, but that science (explicitly in the video) claims to be free from bias when it is really only an unspoken or implied goal is itself disingenuous. Moreover, we find ourselves less in an Aristotlean 'True/False' scientific world (or having explained the simple 'True/False' parts of the world) and are increasingly confronted with the 'Maybe's, 'False, if...', and 'Depends on what you believe...' portions of the world. Advocating a nominally rational (at least recently anyway) belief system in a largely irrational world certainly carries its own biases.

[@guardianewjedijoel]

He created a world where people could make descions because the being who created us desires a loving relationship with us. Love necessitates the possibility of choice, choice necessitates the possibility of an alternative, and the alternative of choosing to love God (who is the definition of perfection), is the option of choosing to love non-perfection, which is in fact, evil. You are accountable for your descions. I encourage you to choose to love God by accepting His free offer of salvation!

[@fishum6483]

Based on a story based on a true story.

[@guardianewjedijoel]

Could you re-describe your main point in different words, I'm not sure I exactly follow what you're trying to say?

[@NexusCapital]

I had a sneaking suspicion the underlying topic of this speech was about religion... It may not have been but judging by all the comments....

[@devomade]

i don't roll on the shabbos!!

[@alabaster2163]

They would never use cognative dissonance on us with science or medicine... just like the nurse knows to eat healthy and exercise.... 0_o

[@beegum1]

There were weapons of mass destruction. Some may have gone to other countries, but that beside the point. They actually found chemical weapons. I remember when the story first came out it was like a paragraph long and most people didn't see it. It was later confirmed not too long ago by another news source, apparently, as a matter of historical fact keeping as anything else. But still there are so many supposedly intelligent people who will state such things in front of large audiences.

[@beegum1]

They even had pictures from an embedded journalist of troops removing the chemical weapons from Iraq storage.

[@johndoe-io8fh]

you are delusional...

[@beegum1]

john doe You didn't even Google it, LOL...

[@johndoe-io8fh]

Pretty much everyone knew Hussan had chemical weapons...the USA had sold them to him...he used them on his own people and used them during the Iraq and Iran war....The Bush administration made very clear that they had nuclear weapons.... WMD....

[@guardianewjedijoel]

Probably one of the only times in youtube history that a debate ended peacefully. lol. I comment on a lot of videos like this: if you want to see more conversations like this, just go to my channel. :)

[@guardianewjedijoel]

My nature was inherently fallen when I was born (along with everyone else post-fall), but I still have the ability to make decisions. I believe that part of the reason why Christ came down to become a sacrifice for us was partially because you and I did not participate in the original sin, yet we have to pay the consequences for it. Christ doesn't want us to have to do this, so He's giving us a way out if we want. Also you can't blame anyone else for a decision that you make (even God)!

[@chrisc990]

For a guy talking about cognitive dissonance, he is way too sure of what he is espousing! If there is one thing cognitive dissonance should do then it is give those aware of it a healthy scepticism. This would certainly help when making very questionable assertions (I.e. that vitamins don't help your immune system! Obviously he is unaware that Zinc is clinically proven) . So ironically, a good display of CD!

[@adamlucas4753]

Additionally, vitamins aren't (always) taken to help your immune system. In the northern latitudes, we fortify milk with vitamin D to avoid having to spend time exposing bare skin to sunny, -10 degree conditions or burn tons of fuel to ship or grow an orange full of water when all we really need is the Vitamin C. No clinical studying necessary (or relevant).

[@AshDonaldson]

Hi Chris and Adam, Thanks for your comments. I agree that knowledge of biases should espouse a healthy scepticism (which is why I'm affiliated with a few Skeptics Associations). The intent of my comments around the nutraceutical industry was that it is 'mostly' snake oil. Of course, as Ben Goldacre says, "I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that" but in 18 minutes, I couldn't go into the subtleties of evidence-based medicine. As you two have mentioned, there are indeed some supplements that can affect specific issues, but the industry claims are much further reaching - promoting all manner of vitamins, minerals, herbs and tinctures for 'everything that ails you' with no evidence of efficacy, or in many cases, evidence to the contrary. David McCandless summarises the evidence for many popular supplements in the literature in a nice, interactive infographic: www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/ Interestingly, the industry was borne on the back of the assertions of a brilliant scientist (and winner of two individual Nobel Prizes) who strayed outside his field in his later years to make these arguments and capitalised on his Argument from Authority. Linus Pauling proffered misleading and misinformed assertions that megadosing Vitamin C was, at first, the cure for the common cold, and later, a panacea. www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/pauling.html Chris, I'm interested in understanding more about Zinc. You said that "Zinc is clinically proven" but that statement is incomplete. Proven for what?

[@chrisc990]

First off, fair play for standing up for what you believe in and now for responding constructively but I had to make a comment as your talk and its information was delivered in a super confident fashion which I think runs counter to your wider point and some statements are questionable. Zinc is one of the very few vitamins that has actually passed through clinical trials with definitive evidence that it has a significant effect on improving the immune system to resist infections so to say "they dont work" is not true in this respect and there are countless other acclaimed studies showing that deficiencies in certain vitamins have a negative impact upon health. In my humble opinion, I believe the points in your talk about health have more to do with the "placebo effect" than cognitive dissonance and the large leaps into genocide are tenuous to say the least and are more a misunderstanding on your behalf. As a scientist myself I believe the one thing it teaches us is that we do not know the cause and effect of everything, indeed science only ever disproves, never proves so we should always remain humble and open to possibilities rather than using it as a "pulpit" from which to condescend others. Science is a useful process/ tool, agreed, but it does not replace our need for community, culture and spirituality as humans, which does not run counter to science, as the popular militant atheism would have us believe and we should not let it become our ideology. It is something on a very different "plane" that is like any other progressive discipline (i.e. architecture) that is a facet for our living experience but we all still crave and benefit from the "intangible" and unquantifiable. I believe benefit will be reduced should we wish to look at the "engineering" rather than allow the positive experience (although there is a place for that too). I am sure you would not wish to deconstruct the hormones and evolutionary explanation for a romantic encounter as it may "pour water over the flames of love" in that moment. I am sure there is a scientific explanation for everything but that does not mean that explanation explains "everything" nor will it always "help" people. Positive mentality over circumstances is often shown as powerful as any scientific intervention which we should always remember. Believing "science" is the ultimate in human progressive thought is blinkered in my humble opinion as we require other less mechanistic approaches to fulfill our lives and espousing as such is sometimes contradictory when condemning others for having narrow minded beliefs - it in essence becomes your "ideology" when it should have remained only your specific apparatus for investigation.

[@forerofore]

zinc is not a vitamin

[@alureon1]

Yeah, it's a mineral, but it is usually supplemented in multivitamins. Props to Ash for responding and being open to new evidence. It was a good speech. I thought he presented those things a bit too confidently as well, but things like that can happen in a speech. He made it clear that was not his intention and he was limited by time. Having given a few speeches myself, I'm inclined to believe him. Sometimes a sentence or two in a 20 minute speech can come out a bit differently than you intended, but when speaking publicly it's a bit difficult to change it in the middle of the actual speech. Just my two cents. Good speech, Ash.

[@the400flaws]

♥️

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

But how can we, in a consequentialist framework, blame a being who's actions, In Fact, aim for the good? Had such a world been different, if B didn't C, then the world would, In Fact, not be the bpw. So, insofar as B bears responsibility for C, he bears responsibility for creating the bpw. A Kantian like myself wouldn't have any problem judging him but that judgement would also extend to a creator being who's power must insure maximal responsibility and something less than Perfect status

[@Agent1W]

The common saying "we only use 10% of our brain" seems to apply here lol.

[@nighttruck70]

It's a shame that this video only has 41,000 views while you see these mindless videos reaching millions of views.

[@TheVariableConstant]

18:50 "and trust my instruments". The machines are winning! Nice talk all in all but this video is extremely ironic. Having a pilot discuss physiology is like having a lawyer discuss auto-mobile assembly. His arguments are based on flawed premises. The human eye does not pick up "pieces" of information and fill the space, this is a scienticif fact which i knew before med school. He needs to do his homework properly before spreading disinformation/ignorance.

[@ALHat22]

Really sad comment section shows why critical thinking is important. If you're wrong than you aren't right..but if you're right you are never wrong? Think about it.

[@PJ-tq8fn]

P H the comments section is indeed a sad state of affairs. So many people stating that in fact the speaker has a cognitive dissonance and that the video is bad or wrong without providing any evidence as to their argument which is no doubt based upon their own belief (bias) system which is in turn their own cognitive dissonance

[@flyoncanvas]

I would invite Ash to explore his own cognitive dissonance in regards to vaccines.

[@rachcliffe3182]

You, say thanks, then what should I say? "Your"e welcome!" I've taken lots of notes. I will be quoting you!

[@part380]

Things got really off-base dragging politics into the discussion . . .

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

Yes, but why should any being 'fall?' AFAIU, any one of us would have fallen. It's in our nature. But our is given. Frankenstein was responsible for the actions of his monster--indeed, more than the monster itself--because he created it--he 'should have' looked beyond his own ego to the consequences. If we are unworthy of Heaven for our base nature--and the actions that follow--then the same is true for our Creator if there is, in fact, a creator; especially one so wise and powerful. :-)

[@solo.lobo666]

The way he said "don't be so closed minded" literally turned me on. Good talk, good talk. 😂

[@TheVariableConstant]

@Trickndel Maybe you should read more than you assume. I clarified the problem and only used what you think was an ad hominem, as a final seal to my point and not the entire bases of my train of thought. I have no interest in arguing over this, especially with someone who can't correctly read and understand as your main argument was only a fraction of my comment.

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

That is the question! Whatever it is, it's not God (or not an entity with all the Perfections) assuming that: a) evil exists b) God has free will c) the capacity for evil is necessary for free will which itself d) necessitates a as an answer to the problem of evil because e)'the capacity for evil' requires that there is some possible world where all free willed x commit an evil act. There is another way to answer this objection and it requires the denial of a. (cont)

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

Put another way, if C is necessary to ensure the bpw, then God must create B, some being that will C. If C is not necessary, then God would not have created B because B would C, and there would be a bpw without C. If it is not already obvious all of this implies a consequentialist ethic but this is absolutely necessary IMO for a religious response to the POE that invokes free will. So, the good is in the end, rather than the act. Though unbeknownst to B, his actions aim toward that end(cont)

[@noeraldinkabam]

Whatever you do: do not read the comments unless you want to get a headache.

[@welshhibby]

i agree ash....smokers are thick

[@Not_that_Brian_Jones]

It is difficult argument to articulate within youtube character limits, so I'll skip the Problem of Evil (POE)and free will (FW)as an answer as you seem to have that down. If an evil alternative E is nec for some being x to have FW, then there is some possible world where any given x chooses E. If it wasn't necessary to describe it this way, then FW would not be able to explain POE as E is Actual in some cases, and any superfluous E reflects on God's (G) goodness. (cont)