Thursday, October 27, 2011

Derren Brown on Religion and Morality


Visit Derren Brown's Blog
Interview with Nigel Warburton of philosophybites.com (Thanks Krokben)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

This World: Spain's Stolen Babies - BBC


Play al videos (4)
Aired October 18, 2011 on BBC Two:
Spain is reeling from an avalanche of allegations of baby theft and baby trafficking. It is thought that the trade began at the end of the Spanish civil war and continued for 50 years, with hundreds of thousands of babies traded by nuns, priests and doctors up to the 1990s. This World reveals the impact of Spain's stolen baby scandal through the eyes of the children and parents who were separated at birth, and who are now desperate to find their relatives.

Exhumations of the supposed graves of babies and positive DNA tests are proof that baby theft has happened. Across Spain, people are queuing up to take a DNA test and thousands of Spaniards are asking 'Who am I?'

Katya Adler has been meeting the heartbroken mothers who are searching for the children whom they were told died at birth, as well as the stolen and trafficked babies who are now grown up and searching for their biological relatives and their true identities.
(via Luke Scientiae)

Deepak Chopra on "Deeper Ways of Knowing"


From Pharyngula:
Here’s a short video of a young woman asking Chopra a straightforward question…which he is unable to answer. His mouth moves, his lips flap, his tongue wiggles, but no sense comes out. Again…so what else is new?
Read more
Full Debate (ABC Nightline)

Thursday, October 13, 2011

BBC Newsnight: Jeremy Paxman Interviews Pastor Robert Jeffress


October 12, 2011 on BBC Newsnight

Rochester Hills Country Club Cancels Richard Dawkins Appearance


October 12, 2011 on Fox Detroit:
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (WJBK) - Many people across the globe consider a professor from England to be one of the most brilliant minds in the world. World renown scientist Richard Dawkins was scheduled to speak and sign his new children's book at a country club in Rochester Hills until they backed out following a controversial interview on FOX News.
Read more
(via RichardDawkins.net)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Ben Goldacre: Battling Bad Science


Every day there are news reports of new health advice, but how can you know if they're right? Doctor and epidemiologist Ben Goldacre shows us, at high speed, the ways evidence can be distorted, from the blindingly obvious nutrition claims to the very subtle tricks of the pharmaceutical industry.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Picket Girls' School


October 10, 2011 on BBC News
In a town on the outskirts of Jerusalem school runs have become the focal point for an ugly struggle over land and power.

Groups of ultra-orthodox Jewish protesters have been picketing a new girls school.

They say their religious sense of modesty is offended by the sight of the girls and their families passing their homes on their way to school, even though the families themselves are also from an orthodox community

Friday, October 7, 2011

Bill O'Reilly vs. Richard Dawkins on 'The Magic of Reality'


October 5, 2011 on Fox News

IQ2 Debate: Atheists Are Wrong


October 4, 2011 on ABC Big Ideas
Having been persecuted as a dangerous minority for centuries, in recent years the champions of atheism have achieved celebrity status around the world.

Atheists have been quick to point to the evils done in the name of religion and claim their criticism of religion is grounded in science and reason. Their opponents have championed faith as a source of inspiration and as an essential aspect of the human condition.

However, beyond rhetorical skirmishes, in the end, just one fundamental question must be answered: does God exist?