Dan Dennett: A secular, scientific rebuttal to Rick Warren

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Philosopher Dan Dennett calls for religion -- all religion -- to be taught in schools, so we can understand its nature as a natural phenomenon. Then he takes on The Purpose-Driven Life, disputing its claim that, to be moral, one must deny evolution.
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Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: January 16, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Author: TEDtalksDirector

Length: 00:25:30
Rating: 4.81
Views: 69759

Tags: Dan Dennett TED TEDTalks Talks philosophy evolution religion

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Video Comments:
arshsingh1984 (December 3, 2008 at 12:35 am)
On this issue, you are correct. Sikhism does promote religious freedom. At least, in principal. If you consider the words of Guru Nanak, "there is no hindu, there is no muslim", it promotes secular humanism. But that was then, and this is now, and it is no difference than the hundreds of other dogmas floating around. Too bad. It had potential.
arshsingh1984 (December 3, 2008 at 12:32 am)
Being a former Sikh, I would like to point out the misinterpretation that Amitsmom made about the quote from the GGS:
The so-called evolution in GGS isn't of the biological sort. It is actually the constant reincarnation through all the species in accordance to the doctrine/dogma of Karma. In that sense, GGS's claims are no more evident than that of Jesus healing the sick.
arshsingh1984 (December 3, 2008 at 12:23 am)
Mr Daniel Dennett = Next President of the USA!
Cool beard! :-D>
melonbarmonster (December 3, 2008 at 12:22 am)
So can you explain to me in more depth how South korea doesn't have free information sharing?????
melonbarmonster (December 3, 2008 at 12:20 am)
The "most developed countries" you're referring to is Europe. And what makes them most developed is not the lack of religion but the abundant history of exploitation, colonialism and other such wonderful white European pasttimes. For the rest of the planet, the empirical evidence is clear in showing a no adverse relationship between religion and development. That's a fact. There's no point in arguing that it isn't. btw did you even know that South Korea is not North Korea???
Flyborg (December 3, 2008 at 12:29 am)
No, I didn't say that religion creates developed countries, but that developed countries with free information sharing (and good education) are the least religous. There is a dramatic difference. The countries on the top living indexes such as Norway etc are all the least religion, where as the countries with the most religion are countries like Somalia, Turkey etc. There are exceptions in both cases of course.
melonbarmonster (December 3, 2008 at 12:33 am)
LOL. Talk about straw man arguments... good luck with life dude.
Flyborg (December 3, 2008 at 12:36 am)
lolwut? Argument for what? My original reply (to someone who's not you) was about a personal belief that with the ability to share information, religion will go away. You started claiming that countries with free information flow were religous, and I responded to these claims to say why they're wrong. This is not an argument for anything.
melonbarmonster (December 3, 2008 at 12:12 am)
You're making my argument for me. China is incredibly censored and even kills, tortures Christians, etc.. And yet empirical evidence clearly shows in spite of the repression, growth in wealth, economy, education level of population, technology has been accompanied by explosive growth of Christianity and other religions in China. That flies against your position.
Flyborg (December 3, 2008 at 12:29 am)
Yes! China is craptacular. "Thou shalt have no gods above the state." They do NOT have free flow of information. You were trying to use them as an example of a developed society with religion - I don't care about development, the point was freedom. And if by "explosive growth" of Christianity, you mean about 4% total, with a lot more believing in magical dragon gods, fine. They have neither free flow of information though, or the best education. What this has to do with your point, I'm not sure.