Richard Dawkins on The O' Reilly Factor (10.9.09)
October 14, 2009 at 1:11 am
(This post was last modified: October 14, 2009 at 1:17 am by Nick A..)
This last Friday, Richard Dawkins was on the O' Reilly factor, which for those who don't know, is a conservative (Republican) political and news program hosted by Bill O' Reilly. (who is a bumbling shouting idiot by the way..but that's a different discussion perhaps).
(I'm gonna use the new feature...) You can watch the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECE77Imki9M
Anyway, the discussion they had (which was not live by the way...Fox News edited it before it aired) was interesting.
O Reilly's main argument, which he decided to spew throughout the interview, was the argument from ignorance. Despite Dawkins' continued alert to O Reilly's logical fallacies, Bill continued to assert this claim.
Bill decided that because science does not know yet the origin of the universe, that believing a deity or higher power is more acceptable.
Later on in the discussion, Bill asserts that if evolution is included in a science class then so should the other explanations for the origin and function of life. What he doesn't realize of course is the credentials for a truly scientific teaching, ex. evidence. Since when are classes taught based upon people's opinions? They are meant to be factual enlightenment, not a display of one side's view and the other's.
I like (sarcasm alert) how Fox News devotes much of the time allotted in this argument to Bill's 'preaching' rather than what Richard has to say. I also like how they give Former Professor of Biology at Oxford University and Best-Selling Author Richard Dawkins, the simple title of ATHEIST.
Your take on the discussion?
~Nick
(I'm gonna use the new feature...) You can watch the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECE77Imki9M
Anyway, the discussion they had (which was not live by the way...Fox News edited it before it aired) was interesting.
O Reilly's main argument, which he decided to spew throughout the interview, was the argument from ignorance. Despite Dawkins' continued alert to O Reilly's logical fallacies, Bill continued to assert this claim.
Bill decided that because science does not know yet the origin of the universe, that believing a deity or higher power is more acceptable.
Later on in the discussion, Bill asserts that if evolution is included in a science class then so should the other explanations for the origin and function of life. What he doesn't realize of course is the credentials for a truly scientific teaching, ex. evidence. Since when are classes taught based upon people's opinions? They are meant to be factual enlightenment, not a display of one side's view and the other's.
I like (sarcasm alert) how Fox News devotes much of the time allotted in this argument to Bill's 'preaching' rather than what Richard has to say. I also like how they give Former Professor of Biology at Oxford University and Best-Selling Author Richard Dawkins, the simple title of ATHEIST.
Your take on the discussion?
~Nick
"The finality of death is the coldest truth one must face. Religion makes the perfect distraction." - Anonymous
