Out of respect for my recent travels, “Sunday Chess Problem” has the week off. However, my new friends at the Center for Inquiry in Long Island have now posted the video of my talk. And here it is:
Alas, the question and answer period is not included in the video, which is a pity, since it was actually very interesting. Also, the first minute of the talk seems to have been cut off, so you will have to imagine the humorous anecdote I told just prior to where the video starts.
Let me also thank everyone at CFI-LI for their wonderful hospitality and for inviting me in the first place. I had a terrific time and would love to do it again.
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You talk very fast indeed. As a non-American I don't understand you. But I'm better reader than listener anyway.
I was interrupted in my reading of Among the Creationists but this gives me a nudge to get back to it. In the video you remind me (in looks, not sound) of Larry Miller, the Doorman in an episode of Seinfeld.
Around 40:00, when you are talking about the difference between scientific thinking and creationist thinking, you say: "The only reason why creationists talk about science at all is that they are trying to justify something that they already believe."
As a case in point, I thought you might like to see an excerpt from the syllabus of a course taught by William "Design Inference" Dembski at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary under the title "Critical Thinking":
Course Description: How do we get people to believe things? This course examines the means by which we convince ourselves and others that something is true. Of special interest here are the pitfalls to logical thinking that prevent us from coming to the truth.
Course Objective: The goal of this course is to help students become adept at making a persuasive case for the truth of the Christian worldview.
In sum, what Dembski calls "critical thinking" consists of coming up with arguments to convince ourselves and others of the truth of the Christian worldview!
Interesting to hear you speak. I have to say that for some reason I imagined you to sound very differently.