the well is thoroughly poisoned

Although tbh I don't see why wearing a hat and promoting pop science are bad things... They're just characteristics that promoters of ignorance have deigned to mock instead of addressing the actual issues... because they can't. Much easier to say 'haha look at the silly nerd' instead.

it's usually pseudointellectualism and false enlightenment. and if you want to go further then i think that promoting the work of people like dawkins is socially immoral and promoting some of tysons work is politically irresponsible. just my opinion though.

What particular parts of Tyson and Dawkins' work do you disagree with?

dawkins published work aside, he's a smug asshat that wants people to stop believing what he doesn't believe. regarding his work, i've never read the selfish gene but most well-reasoned criticism of it i've read says that he uses faulty methodology to come to conclusions that align with what he already believes. eg "proving" something to be correct when it may not really be correct. also like genetic reductionism can prove anything anyway

and just all of tysons nonsense political sentiments. guy should stick to being sagan 2.0 and try not to influence how people vote (see: ethics)

Um, I'm not deflecting the question because I have no answer...I'm deflecting the question because YOU are asking it. You've dug yourself into such a hole with your rudeness that you will never be taken seriously again from regulars.

I haven't seen any of Tyson's political segments so I couldn't comment. But he's not an authority on politics so I don't see why he should be promoted as such - though of course he has a right to express his opinions.

As for Dawkins - I agree he's smug. I agree he can be very vitriolic. But I think that kind of approach is justified and needed - not from every atheist, but different things trigger different people to seriously reassess their beliefs. As for people not believing in a god. I agree - they shouldn't. I think it's harmful and irrational. In the end it's a failure of our society that so many people do believe in god.

I haven't read the selfish gene so I can't critique it.



Rofl.

Unless I say something you feel you can refute and then you're all out refuting it. You have no answer.

As for rudeness - it's perfectly ok when you or icemage or widow or any other right wing nutjob does it but if it's me then it's somehow unacceptable? Get over yourself you self-righteous hypocrite.

This post was edited by Scaly on Jan 24 2015 03:50am

dawkins attacks religions based on the morality of their practices like he's some kind of arbiter. people shouldn't take lessons on morality from someone with the character of a pokemon villain

poz r

Well someone has to tell them their practices are immoral... and it's pretty difficult to tell someone they're immoral while being nice to them.